NOT FORGOTTEN: Stories of Utah's Dixie

There's something profoundly universal about the stories of Utah's Dixie, and anyone who lives here should know those stories intimately. This podcast cuts to the core of the Dixie Spirit by sharing the writings of Lyman Hafen in his own voice, and interviews with men and women who possess the stories and carry the authentic voice of this singular place. The shoulders we stand on are broad and strong. They are the shoulders of the Southern Paiute, the Latter-day Saint Pioneers and countless others. There is so much about them and this place to be remembered, they are Not Forgotten.

E41: The Famous Dick's Cafe

Lyman shares the story of legendary cowboy and restauranteur Dick Hammer who opened his eating establishment in 1935. Over the decades it became an iconic destination in St. George. 

09-21
43:53

E40: The St. George Marathon

Lyman sits down with Kent Perkins who so expertly “ran” the St. George Marathon for so many years, he never got to actually “run” it. Together they get at the essence of the event which is really the essence of the Dixie Spirit.

09-08
55:35

E39: Off to the Movies

Donna Leavitt Gentry, Lisa Whitehead Shaw, and Debbie Holland Millett join Lyman to share stories of the Electric (Gaeity) and Wadsworth (Dixie) Theaters in downtown St. George, as well as the Star Lite Drive-In on Old Highway 91 (Sunset Boulevard). Lyman also phones a friend to get an even earlier perspective on going to the movies in the golden age of cinema.

08-31
45:12

E38: On Hot Summer Nights

Lyman shares the story of his Great Great Grandmother Lydia Knight, a truly remarkable unsung hero of Latter-day Saint History. She is buried in the St. George Cemetery beneath a gleaming orb of marble.

08-24
29:15

E37: Remembering Maurine Whipple

Lyman shares insights from the research and writing he has done about the legendary novelist Maurine Whipple who was born in and spent most of her life in St. George. Her national bestselling novel “The Giant Joshua,” about the setting of Utah’s Dixie, was published in 1941.

08-18
01:01:05

E36: It's a Beautiful Day in Bloomington

Jeff and Connie Morby sit down with Lyman to reminisce about the early days of the development of Bloomington, perhaps the most significant transformational step in the history of St. George.

08-11
49:13

E35: Let's Go to Paula's

For more than 50 years Paula's Restaurant has been a public gathering place in St. George. Brogan Dominguez and his mom Ila share the classic "American Dream" story of Paula and Conrad Dominguez.

08-04
32:25

E34: Bruce Stucki’s St. George

Lyman visits with Brad Stucki, son of the late Bruce Stucki, who was one of the most visionary and impactful businessmen in St. George history.

07-28
37:47

E33: George Hicks Wrote a Song

Lyman, and NOT FORGOTTEN Podcast Producer Ricky Valadez, share the story of Dixie pioneer George Hicks and the song he wrote about the settlement of the St. George area. A new version of the ballad has become the theme for this podcast. 

07-21
50:30

E32: The Neighborhood

Lyman talks to his childhood next-door neighbors Diane Holt Amundsen and David Mathis about how their parents, Kelton and Peggy Hafen, Jack and Mabel Holt, and Richard and Ferris Mathis, lived side-by-side for nearly 70 years on 600 South in St. George.

07-14
49:10

E31: The Legend of Coach Lynn

Jed Christensen and Nate Staheli open their hearts about Pine View High School's long-time basketball coach Lynn Christensen and his wife Jeannie. Through stories, memories, and tears, they paint a picture that comes out looking a lot like the Dixie Spirit.

07-07
57:34

E30: The Pizza Factory

Lyman is joined by Bill Randall, owner of the Pizza Factory in St. George, and two of his legendary employees, Jannita Bowler Mitchell and Dennis Leavitt. They cover 46 years of history at one of Dixie's most beloved restaurants.

06-30
50:26

E29: The Sky West Story

Lyman sits down with founder Ralph Atkin and his nephew President and CEO Jerry Atkin of Sky West Airlines to talk about how a multi-billion dollar business started on the black ridge above St. George. One of the quintessential family stories of Utah's Dixie.

06-23
01:06:18

E28: Remembering Veyo Pool with Joann Balen

For nearly a century, one of the sacred rites of Dixie citizenship has been baptism in the legendary Veyo Pool. Joann Cottam Balen, who spent most of her life behind the counter at the pool, sits down with Lyman to reminisce.

06-16
56:10

Episode 27: School Days With Laree Jones

LaRee shares her Dixie story of returning to college and becoming a teacher at East Elementary at age 51. Her contribution to the students of Washington County on the district level is legendary. 

06-09
53:02

Episode 26: Tony Allen and St. George Musical Theater

Lyman visits with retired St. George attorney Tony Allen about the history of the performing arts in Utah’s Dixie and how the St. George Musical Theater brings the story full-circle.

06-03
39:32

Episode 25: Hollywood Comes to St. George

Lyman shares stories from the 1950s through the early 1980s about movies filmed in the St. George area and how legendary actors and directors responded to the landscape and character of Utah's Dixie. 

05-26
58:52

Episode 24: Remembering Juanita Brooks

Lyman visits with Sharla Brooks Moody and her brother Darren Brooks, as these grandchildren of the great writer Juanita Brooks share the epic story of one of the most notable people in southern Utah history.

05-19
01:06:37

Episode 23: The Subway

Life-long friends Derek Booth and Shaun Steel sit down with Lyman to talk about their love of the iconic Zion National Park hike known as "The Subway." The thread that connects them both to the place is Derek's dad and Shaun's mentor, Doctor Craig Booth, who opened not just their eyes, but the eyes of hundreds of others, to this majestical hike at a time when it was not widely known.*Our annual benefit dinner will be April 12, 2025 and we hope you can make it! This year we will be honoring Mary Esther Staheli Putnam and it will be a beautiful evening. Tickets and further information can be found at https://docboothfoundation.org/

03-24
56:05

Episode 22: Santa Clara- Part 2

Sherrie Anderson, Claudia West, and Paul Graf continue their visit with Lyman by sharing some of their fondest memories and traditions growing up and raising their families in the unique little village of Santa Clara.*Our annual benefit dinner will be April 12, 2025 and we hope you can make it! This year we will be honoring Mary Esther Staheli Putnam and it will be a beautiful evening. Tickets and further information can be found at https://docboothfoundation.org/

03-17
50:33

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