Visiting Fillmore
How to get there
Of all the capitals discussed in Forgotten Capitals, Fillmore is the most straightforward to visit. Interstate 15, which connects Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, passes along the western edge of town. Salt Lake is a two hour drive from Fillmore; Las Vegas is four hours away, but it is very tempting to stop at Zion National Park or in the Virgin River Gorge en route.
What to do once there
The former capitol building is now a state park and museum, which is open Monday-Saturday from 9:00-5:00. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, eager to help visitors appreciate the impressive displays they are seeing.
The town publishes a pamphlet for a self-guided walking tour of Fillmore’s late-nineteenth century buildings; this is a rewarding experience, leaving the visitor with a good sense for how the town developed (and didn’t) after the capital moved back to Salt Lake City.
And because Fillmore is a quintessential Mormon Utah town today, catching a Little League game or attending a church service provides the observant visitor with considerable insight into the community.
(Image by Derek Dwight Anderson, April 2021)
Accommodations
The best place to stay in Fillmore is the Best Western Paradise Inn & Resort at the north end of town. It has a good restaurant, serving hearty American classics.
(Image courtesy of the hotel's website.)
