HAMILTON FORT

Hamilton Fort (Iron)is four miles south of Cedar City. The settlement was founded in 1852 and known as Shirts Creek after the creek the fort was founded on. The fort and creek were both named for Peter Shirts, a noted Mormon pioneer and scout. After the Indian wars of 1853, Shirts sold the fort and his land to his Neighbor, John Hamilton. At that time it was known as Fort Walker, supposedly in honor of the noted Indian Chief Walker. It was during the Indian wars with Chief Walker that tbe settlers moved out and into nearby Cedar City. When the settlers returned in 1857 they renamed the settlement Sidon "after the Phoenician City of Asia." In 1869 the settlers moved one-half mile north of the old fort and renamed the site Hamilton in honor of John Hamilton.

John W. Van Cott