Winsor Castle was constructed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at the direction of Church President Brigham Young in 1870. Its fortifications were for protection of the Mormon frontier from Navajo raids in the 1860s as well as Young's speculation about potential conflict with the US government. It served as a Church tithing ranch, and wayfaring station related to Mormon enterprise and expansion in the Intermountain West through the 1880s. Named for its first church ranch superintendent, Anson P. Winsor, it became the headquarters of thriving private ranching ventures in the 1890s.