Created in 2009 as a marketing arm of the business community, the Wayne County Business Association (WCBA) is a membership supported nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization that advocates on behalf of the business community in Wayne County, Utah. WCBA helps connect businesses with each other.
We provide business owners with economic information that helps them make advertising and marketing decisions. Focusing on funding, education and training opportunities that will create jobs and expand business, Wayne County Business Association is dedicated to building a strong foundation of cooperative partnerships that lead to the success of each of its members. WCBA wants you to succeed. Join us!
WCBA BOARD MEMBERS
WAYNE COUNTY HISTORY
Wayne County lies between the High Plateaus and the Green River in south-central Utah. Eons of geologic history are visible especially in Capitol Reef National Park, first set aside in 1937 after decades of effort by residents.
Ancient peoples and ancestors of modern Utes and Southern Paiutes left many traces on the land, and in the 1920s the Fremont Culture was first identified here by anthropologist Noel Morss. In the late 1870s, the first Mormon settlers arrived with their livestock and took up land. In 1892, they separated from Piute County and the Legislature created Wayne County. Since then, the county has struggled to maintain water, power, roads, schools, and communication systems.
Wayne’s remote location (which attracted outlaws like Butch Cassidy), small population, and limited resources precluded the development of an industrial base or large business. Because only about 3.5% of the county land is privately owned, land use issues loom large as residents try to maintain a cherished rural lifestyle.
As the County Seat, Loa has always been the most populous town with the most businesses. In the 1960s as roads were paved, route 24 was completed, and Capitol Reef National Park was established (1971), the tourist industry began to flourish.
​
A History of Wayne County
Miriam B Murphy
1999
Utah State Historical Society
Wayne County Commission