The area where Kanab is located was first settled in 1864, and the town was founded in 1870 when 10 Mormon families moved into the area.[7] Named for a Paiute word meaning "place of the willows," Fort Kanab was built on the east bank of Kanab Creek in 1864 for offensive operations against the original inhabitants of the area and as a base for the exploration of the area.[8] The population was 4,683 at the 2020 census.[3] see more see less