COLORADO CITY, Ariz — Surrounded by beautiful mountains and sweeping valleys, the "twin cities" of the Arizona Strip — Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah — are dealing with the same issues as any other city: Affordable housing, water, and healthcare.
But there's always a "but also" with the two communities. As in "The two cities are dealing with the problems other cities have, but also their troubling past that resulted in Netflix specials."
"I know Colorado City has had a lot of bad press throughout the years," said Colorado City mayor Howard Ream, who was elected in 2022.
Ream is talking about the hold the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints had on his town and Hildale for decades. Warren Jeffs, the prophet of the FLDS had complete control over both. Ruling the land with an iron fist, breaking apart families by forcing men to leave the community. The Jeffs or their lieutenants even ran the local police and fire departments.
Hildale Mayor Donia Jessop witnessed the reign of Jeffs first hand, having been born in Hildale and raised in the church.
"He controlled our homes," Jessop said. "He could tell us, you don't live there anymore, somebody else does."
It's the past that brought nationwide attention to Short Creek Valley. But Jeffs is in prison and the church's power has been diminished in the two cities.
New city leaders said they want to create positive changes for the future.
"The community is kind of going through a transformation and I wanted to be a part of what the future looks like here," Ream said.
A new place where those who were once forced out could be welcomed back.
"I wanted people that had been kicked out by Warren, been driven away, to feel like they could come home now," Jessop said.
Jessop left the church and built her own family. In 2017, she ran for Hildale mayor wanting to create change from the inside. She won and became the first woman mayor in Hildale's history. However, it did create backlash from those who didn't want change. Under the church, generations of women grew up submissive to their husbands and wearing long dresses straight out of the 19th Century. A female mayor was something -- a female anything -- was a huge change.
"When I took office, the staff walked out and the board's walked out, stating that they could not serve under a woman or for an apostate," Jessop said.
For Jessop, that was a welcome walkout.
"That worked out well," she said. "I was able to replace people as needed, and fill the seats on the boards, from people that were in the community."
Those in the FLDS still live here, but voters show that they want change.
"It's really about diversity, it's about inclusivity, we want to include everybody," Ream said.
Some of that change you can see driving down Central Street. New affordable apartments being built. Less than a quarter mile away is the first brewery, which opened in 2017. It was created around the same time the federal Department of Justice overhauled the police department for misconduct and housing discrimination.
The giant, rambling homes that were once controlled by the church are now owned by those who live inside.
Even the church itself — where thousands would congregate to hear Jeffs preach — is also going through a transformation.
"It has been completely taken apart," Jessop said.
It's set to become a new community center that will host events and music lessons for those in town.
There's still much to accomplish and it's going to take time. Still, it's what these towns went through, an inescapable past, that has created a path for the future.
"It's what made us, it created me," Jessop said. "It made me be the strong, independent woman I am, because will never be under that again."
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