History
The story of Western Hills began outside Kanab, Utah, when lifelong resident and avid outdoorsman W. Rex Brown noticed an unusually colorful piece of sandstone at the base of a small hill while on a hunting trip. Although the stone caught his attention, he continued on his way. Several years later, curiosity brought Rex back to the site. His first investigation revealed what appeared to be only a small ledge of beautiful but extremely soft sandstone. Still intrigued, he returned again with a neighbor and a few tools. Using chisels and hammers, the two split open a section of the ledge. What they discovered inside was unlike anything they had expected. The freshly exposed stone revealed a remarkable natural scene—a blue-purple sky above layers of red, yellow, white, and brown that resembled a rolling landscape. Rex later recalled his reaction simply: “I couldn’t believe my eyes.”
These naturally occurring scenes inspired the phrase that would come to define Western Hills:
“Nature’s Most Beautiful Paintings.”
Work began in 1965, and in 1967 Western Hills Rock & Gem, Inc. was established in Kanab to produce and distribute this unique picture sandstone. In 1968, the company purchased its longtime location at 288 W. Center Street, which became the home of Kanab Wonderstone and an important part of the Western Hills story. In 1971, mining claims were secured for another local picture sandstone known as Kanab Goldenstone, found along the Utah-Arizona border. Characterized by rich gold and brown tones, Goldenstone displayed the same remarkable natural patterns that made the stone appear as though landscapes had been painted within it. Western Hills expanded its collection again in 2004 with Arizona Sierra, a distinctive sandstone similar to Goldenstone. Through a specialized heat-treatment process, naturally occurring iron oxides within the stone are oxidized, transforming its colors into the vibrant orange and red tones for which Arizona Sierra is known. After years of selling and distributing the material, Western Hills acquired its own mining claim for Arizona Sierra in 2015.
In 1978, Rex’s son, Ken Brown, took the reins of Western Hills and would lead the business for much of the decades that followed. Under Ken’s leadership, Western Hills grew from a small-scale family operation into the successful and established business it is today. His years of hard work, dedication, and growth helped ensure that what began with his father’s discovery would continue for future generations. Ken eventually passed the torch to his youngest son Danny Brown and daughter-in-law Kihara, who successfully operated the business for several years and continued the Brown family tradition. In August 2026, Western Hills entered another exciting chapter when Ken’s son Scott Brown and daughter-in-law Amanda Brown took over the wholesale side of the business. Scott and Amanda are committed to honoring the craftsmanship, relationships, and family legacy built over more than six decades while continuing to grow and develop the business for the future.
From Rex’s discovery to Ken’s decades of leadership and the generations that have followed, Western Hills has remained deeply rooted in family, craftsmanship, and the unique beauty of the American Southwest. More than 60 years after it all began in 1965, we remain proud to continue transforming naturally formed stone into one-of-a-kind pieces that showcase the extraordinary artwork created by nature.
