What Once Was: Forgotten History of Southern Utah

The true story of Mary Parker’s murder, the man they said she bewitched, and the fear that haunted Southern Utah. This episode of What Once Was unravels one of Southern Utah’s most chilling frontier murders: the killing of Mary Parker in 1880 just outside of what would later become Zion National Park.  This story covers the rumors of witchcraft that surrounded her, and the trial of the man accused...

Beneath the towering cliffs of Zion National Park, a small farming town learned to survive floods, famine, and tragedies. This episode of What Once Was uncovers the forgotten story of Springdale, Utah—from its early Mormon pioneer settlers and water-powered mills, to its midwives, miracles, and devastating disasters that shaped life along the Virgin River. You’ll hear how a community of farmers an...

Rockville, Utah — the town once called “Utah’s Last Treasure.” Founded after the devastating Virgin River flood of 1862, Rockville rose from the mud to become one of Southern Utah’s most beautiful and enduring settlements. From floods and faith healers to bears, telegraph lines, and the rise of Zion National Park next door, this episode uncovers the story of the town that refused to disappear — an...

Episode 8 of What Once Was takes you deep into the forgotten history of Southern Utah’s Virgin River settlements. From Duncan’s Retreat to Northrop, and Shonesburg/Shunesburg, we trace the lives of early pioneers who battled floods, isolation, and conflict in the shadow of what is now Zion National Park. You’ll hear stories of Native encounters, love and loss, and communities that rose with hope o...

Grafton, Utah — today it’s one of the most photographed ghost towns in the West. But in the mid to late 1800s, it was a community clinging to the banks of the Virgin River, where floods, fears and faith tested every family who lived there. From the Marvelous Flood Tenney’s unforgettable birth to the tragedies in the cemetery, to the violence of the Black Hawk War and the final blow of the Hurrican...

On St. Patrick’s Day 1935, Enterprise, Utah was alive with music, dancing, and laughter. By morning, rancher Thomas “Penny” Reed had vanished. For years, the town whispered — had he left his family, or had something darker happened that night? Nearly three years later, a new sheriff uncovered a secret buried in the desert — and set the stage for one of southern Utah’s most sensational trials. *Thi...

This isn’t a ghost town story. It’s the story of a town that survived. This episode follows this town from its beginning to the end of WW2. Born from Hebron’s collapse and carved into the high desert by pioneers, Enterprise weathered floods, blizzards, epidemics, and the losses of two world wars. It was a place where children danced on reservoir banks, telephones carried the weight of war, and the...

In the shadowed sagebrush country west of Enterprise, Utah, lies a forgotten ghost town with a history as dark as it is captivating. Founded by pioneers answering Brigham Young’s call, Hebron promised prosperity but instead faced relentless trials—natural disasters, fires, drought, and even whispers of supernatural possession. From cattle rustlers and telegraph fires, to the eerie claims of spirit...

Beneath the blistering sun of Southern Utah lies a forgotten stagecoach station where fact and folklore blur—Desert Springs. Once an infamous outpost, now nothing remains, but whispers on the wind. In this episode of What Once Was, we explore the chilling legends passed down through generations—stories of murders, outlaw gangs, and the mysterious lives of those who lived here.  Through immersive s...

Straddling the dusty edge of Utah and Nevada once stood a town built on gold, silver, and second chances—Stateline. For a moment at the turn of the 19th century, it boomed with promise: saloons rang with laughter, miners dreamed of fortune, and the frontier pulsed with life. But like so many Wild West towns, its glory was short-lived. In this episode of What Once Was, we journey into Stateline’s h...

In the far southwestern corner of Utah, where the desert flattens and the railroad once ruled, lies a quiet town with a loud past—Modena. It was built on the promise of progress, a bustling depot where trains stopped, sheep sheared by the thousands, and families that kept trying. In this episode of What Once Was, we step into the dust and echoes of Modena’s heyday. Hear the clang of hammers on ste...

Discover the forgotten history of Southern Utah — from ghost towns and outlaw shootouts to murders and pioneer grit. What Once Was brings the past to life with immersive sound and vivid storytelling. New episodes launch July 24. Subscribe now and join the journey.