George A. Smith: the larger-than-life apostle St. George was named for
September 22, 2026 at 7:03 AM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune · Summarized by Mormon News from original reporting

St. George, Utah, is named not for George Washington or LDS President George Albert Smith, but for an earlier George Albert Smith — a colorful apostle who never actually lived in the southern Utah city. The Salt Lake Tribune profiles the 19th-century church leader whose name was given to the settlement.
The article explores Smith's outsized personality and role in early LDS history, noting he remains an enigmatic figure despite the prominent city bearing his name. The piece fills in biographical details of a leader whose legacy is geographic rather than doctrinal.
More coverage of this story
- The Salt Lake Tribune →September 22, 2026 at 1:00 AM MT
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