Cowboys from the nearby town of Bluff camped there in the late 19th century and called the site Edge of the Cedars because it sits on the edge of a natural boundary, separating a heavily forested region and a treeless landscape to the south.

Shortly thereafter the Utah Legislature enabled the establishment of Edge of the Cedars State Park as a museum of Indian history and culture.

Today, the facility serves as the primary repository for archaeological materials excavated from public lands in southeast Utah, and includes archives and a research library.

[1] This article incorporates public domain material from the website of the Utah Division of State Parks.

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