In 1870, tension between the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and non-members living in Utah was high. Church members voted as a block, which made it nearly impossible for non-members of the church to find a voice in government through traditional democratic means.  The foundation of what some called the New Movement, or the Godbeites aggravated the tensions. The Godbeites were former members of the LDS Church, newfound spiritualists, and reformists. They were a unique splinter group within the Church who wanted to reform the Church rather than destroy it, as many of its enemies hoped to do. The Godbeites preached education and reform to Utah’s LDS and non-LDS residents as well as to the federal officials in the state.  The Godbeites gained little traction against the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which maintained a large majority of the population in Utah, but it did capture the attention of non-members who sought to create a coalition to counter church political dominance. Godbeites joined non-member businessmen, miners, and others unaffiliated with the Church, bound by little other than their goal of disrupting the dominance of the Church of Jesus Christ in political matters.  On the evening of February 10, 1870, the Godbeites and their partners gathered at the Walker Dry Goods Store on the corner of 3rd South and Main Street in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Godbeites and their new allies intended to form a new political party—one for the “People” as they advertised it. Church members caught word. Editors of the Deseret News and other church leaders organized a protest. Many members showed up at the meeting and managed to get in the doors before anyone else. They occupied all the seats, elected their own candidates, and formed a new party, calling themselves the “People’s Party” as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Godbeites earlier advertisements.  After their peaceful protest, the Saints left and the non-members organized the “Liberal Party.” One member of the new party remarked that the move by LDS leaders to flood their meeting was the “cleverest thing.” Luckily, the event did not devolve into violence, but the tension between these two parties would continue for their two decades of existence. Newspapers as far away as Sacramento, California wrote about the tension, predicting incorrectly that conflict between the competing factions spelled “impending doom.”

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Early LDS church leaders were fond of artistic expression to bring culture, entertainment, and refinement to the Salt Lake Valley. In 1852, just a few years after settling in Utah, Brigham Young decided it was time to bring theater back into the lives of the saints, forming The Deseret Dramatic Association. These Saint-actors performed at the Social Hall for five years, marking a vital advancement to society in the West. Unfortunately, the Utah War made the stage go dark for a few years. It returned when Phill Margaretts created The Mechanics Dramatic Association in 1859, which sponsored plays that were not affiliated with the church. In response, Brigham Young decided it was time to create a permanent stage where he could control the actors, scripts, and overall impression of the theater.

It was the perfect timing in Utah History for the construction of a gathering place to enjoy the arts. Initially, Brigham Young intended to build a dance hall. Instead, he determined to create “a model playhouse for producing professional theatre.” Construction of the Salt Lake Theatre began in July 1861 and was completed by March the following year at a cost of around $100,000. The architect was William H Folsom, with E. L. T. Harrison designing the interior. The theatre had room to hold an audience of 1500. Throughout Utah’s territorial history, the LDS church and the growth of Utah’s economy went hand and hand. The theater was just one of many buildings and ventures that were sponsored by the church. Because Young used church funds to finance the Salt Lake Theatre he guided its operation.

A dedication was held to honor this “temple of drama,” built to bring wholesome amusement and moral guidance to its patrons. The theater became a huge success. Thomas Lyne, a professional actor who had joined the church and promoted theater in Nauvoo, was instrumental in the popularity of plays presented there. The success of The ‘Mormon theater’ sparked the interest of many famous actors and drew them to Utah throughout its 66-year run. Several famous actresses, including Maude Adams, who later pioneered the role of Peter Pan on Broadway, played their first roles in Salt Lake City. The building was used not only for local arts but it hosted political events and eventually touring performing groups coming through Salt Lake City. Despite Young’s original vision, over time the theater welcomed people of all religious backgrounds and secular attitudes. Throughout its history, the theater played a significant role in the culture of Salt Lake City. Unfortunately, the creation of many new vaudeville theaters and Utah’s economic downturn of 1920s drove the theater into deep debt. People desperate for basic needs could not afford to attend shows. In addition, the building needed renovations. The president of the Church, Heber J. Grant, closed the theater and sold the building. In 1928 it was demolished–a great loss of a cultural icon to Utah and the United States.

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The B’nai Israel Cemetery is one of Salt Lake City’s three Jewish cemeteries. The other cemeteries connected with the Kol Ami Cemetery Association are Montefiore (Conservative) and Shaare Tzedek (Orthodox). Located at 1021 East and 4th Avenue, it serves adherents of Reform Judaism. The tenets of Reform Judaism include an emphasis on the growing, changing nature of Judaism, a focus on its ethical implications rather than its ceremonial ones, a constant search for knowledge and truth, and a focus on human reason. It is a more liberal branch of Judaism, with less focus on ritual observance and more focus on the autonomy of the individual and progressive values.  The land for Salt Lake’s Jewish cemeteries was originally donated to the Jewish community by Brigham Young around 1866. These were the first Jewish cemeteries in the Intermountain West. The cemeteries are exclusively maintained by the Kol Ami Cemetery Association. This association is composed of members of Salt Lake’s synagogue, Congregation Kol Ami. Members of the board serve as volunteers. Although any Jewish person can be buried in one of the three cemeteries, each has slightly different requirements. Those wanting to be buried with non-Jewish spouses can only do so in the Reform cemetery. Orthodox and Conservative cemeteries require a ceremonial washing of the body before burial, but Reform cemeteries make that ritual optional.  Cemetery B’nai Israel is located on the south side of Salt Lake City Cemetery. Unlike the Montefiore and Shaare Tzedek cemeteries, B’nai Israel permits the burial of non-Jewish spouses and minor Children with the Jewish family member. The guiding principles of the Kol Ami Cemetery Association are Kavod Ha Meit: showing honor and respect for the dead; Nichum Aveilim: comforting those who are mourning a loss; and simplicity: all are equal in death. Several prominent figures in Utah history were laid to rest in this peaceful graveyard, including Simon Bamberger, the first Jewish governor of Utah whose term ran from 1917 to 1921, and brothers Samuel and Frederick Auerbach, who established the People’s Store– a long-time Salt Lake City landmark.  The tranquil B’nai Israel Cemetery has served practitioners of Reform Judaism for well over one hundred years, and continues to do so today. Under the governance of the Kol Ami Cemetery Association, these burial grounds are maintained with a tangible sanctity and respect.

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The Cathedral of the Madeleine, located in downtown Salt Lake City, is the only cathedral in the United States under the patronage of Saint Mary Magdalene. Construction on this venerable building began in 1899 and was completed in 1909. It was dedicated under the name Saint Mary’s Cathedral on August 15, 1909, but was given its present name under the leadership of Bishop Joseph Glass, the second bishop of Salt Lake City. The stained glass windows are original to the Cathedral and were commissioned by Lawrence J. Scanlan, the first Catholic bishop of Salt Lake City. Designed by F.X. Zettler of the Royal Bavarian Institute in Munich, Germany, these windows tell the story of Christ’s life through what Catholics call the “Mysteries of the Rosary.” Scenes included are the annunciation with Gabriel and Mary, Mary visiting Elizabeth, Christ’s birth, Christ’s presentation at the temple to Simeon and Anna, the Resurrection, Christ’s ascension into heaven, the Assumption of Mary, and Mary being crowned Queen of Heaven.  In addition to these scenes from the “Mysteries of the Rosary, moments  from Christ’s life between His presentation at the temple and His Resurrection are commemorated with stunning murals. These murals were completed in 1918 by artist Felix Lieftuchter. Combining Byzantine, Spanish Gothic, and modern art styles, the murals depict Christ teaching at the temple, a woman (portrayed here as Mary Magdalene) washing Christ’s feet, and Christ’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane. A mural of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross stands above the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and the Tabernacle. It is the focal point of the chapel. Christ is shown on the cross in a red robe, with God the Father and the Holy Spirit watching from above. Below Christ’s pierced feet are a pelican and her chicks. In Catholic iconography, the pelican symbolizes Christ’s sacrifice. Biblical figures and Catholic saints stand on either side of the crucified Christ, worshiping and praising the Lord.  The Stations of the Cross were painted by Utah native Roger ‘Sam’ Wilson between 1992-1993. The Stations of the Cross commemorate Christ’s suffering and death. There are fourteen stations in all, each depicting a moment on His journey to Calvary. The Stations at the Cathedral of the Madeleine follow the revisions of the second Vatican Council, which took place between 1962-1965. This council helped to bridge the gap between Catholic tradition and the modern world. It made many changes to Catholic practices– one of the most dramatic of these was holding Mass in languages other than Latin. The updated Stations of the Cross are more in keeping with Biblical descriptions rather than oral tradition. Wilson’s rendition of the Stations blends Catholic iconography with an American Southwestern style. Flowers, animals, and other symbols are included to lend to the significance and power of each scene.  The cathedral underwent heavy restoration projects between 1991-1993. The stained glass was carefully preserved. The altar and the baptismal font were re-positioned in accordance with the established traditions of the Vatican II Council. The organ was replaced, as were the Stations of the Cross. The floor of the Cathedral of the Madeleine is currently being restored. There are about four hundred regularly attending constituents, with about half of that number speaking Spanish as their first language. On weekdays, masses are held at 8:00 AM and 5:15 PM. Saturday masses are at 8:00 AM, 5:00 PM, and 7:00 PM, with the latter exclusively in Spanish. Sunday worship times are at 8:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM (Spanish), and 6:00 PM. The Cathedral was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 11, 1971, and serves thousands of people annually. From practicing Catholics to those interested in theology or the Cathedral’s architecture, all are welcome. 

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Cemetery Shaare Tzedek has stood for over a century and is one of the three Jewish cemeteries in the Salt Lake City metro. It can be found at 915 East 11th Avenue. Shaare Tzedek is designated for Orthodox adherents of Judaism, whereas its sister cemeteries, Montefiore and B’nai Israel, serve Conservative and Reform Jews, respectively. Orthodox Jews believe that the Torah (both the written word and oral traditions) were divinely revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai and have been faithfully maintained throughout the centuries. Being Orthodox entails a strict adherence to Jewish law (halakha). Practices include Sabbath-day observance, following Kosher dietary restrictions, and regular study of the Torah. To be buried in an Orthodox Jewish cemetery, one must be an Orthodox Jew, undergo rituals of washing and dressing, and generally be buried in a plain wooden casket without internal or external adornment.  These lands in the larger Salt Lake City Cemetery were set aside for the use of the Jewish community by Brigham Young in 1866. The care and upkeep of these three cemeteries is entrusted to the Kol Ami Cemetery Association. This association is run on a volunteer basis by members of Salt Lake’s synagogue, Congregation Kol Ami. Members of the board serve as volunteers. The guiding principles of the Kol Ami Cemetery Association are Kavod Ha Meit: showing honor and respect for the dead; Nichum Aveilim: comforting those who are mourning a loss; and simplicity: all are equal in death. While any member of the Jewish community may be buried in one of the three cemeteries, each graveyard has slightly different requirements. Those wanting to be buried with non-Jewish spouses are only permitted to do so in the Reform cemetery. Both Conservative and Orthodox cemeteries require a ceremonial washing of the body before burial, but that practice is mandatory in Reform cemeteries.  The Shaare Tzedek Cemetery is located just above the sprawling expanse of the Salt Lake City Cemetery, a few blocks north of the B’nai Israel and Montefiore cemeteries. It is the smallest of the three Jewish cemeteries. Salt Lake’s Orthodox Jewish community and synagogue faded around 1930, largely due to financial reasons and fewer Orthodox Jews as opposed to Conservative and Reform Jews in the city. The Shaare Tzedek Cemetery was recently rededicated– a very rare circumstance, but necessary because the western part of the burial ground, though original to the cemetery, had never been dedicated. That issue was resolved in 2023. Shortly after the rededication, the Kol Ami Cemetery Board held a tree-planting ceremony to further protect and beautify the space. 

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Cemetery Montefiore is one of three Jewish cemeteries in Salt Lake City. It is affiliated with cemeteries B’nai Israel, serving Reform Jews, and Shaare Tzedek, which is specifically for Orthodox Jews. Located at 1081 East 4th Avenue, Montefiore is dedicated to followers of the Conservative branch of Judaism. Conservative Judaism is a movement that focuses on the authority of Jewish law and tradition, but with an emphasis on obtaining assent from the people. For Conservative Jews, Jewish law (Halakha) is simultaneously binding and subject to historical development. It allows for greater pluralism than Orthodox Judaism, but is more traditional than Reform Judaism. There is room for the traditional, received forms, but Conservative Jews hold space for various ways to interpret and apply these past traditions.  Brigham Young donated the land for this and Salt Lake’s other Jewish cemeteries to the Jewish community in 1866. The cemeteries are operated by the Kol Ami Cemetery Association: Salt Lake City does not allocate resources to maintain them. Those serving on the board of this association are volunteers from Salt Lake’s synagogue, Congregation Kol Ami. The guiding principles of the Kol Ami Cemetery Association are Kavod Ha Meit: showing honor and respect for the dead; Nichum Aveilim: comforting those who are mourning a loss; and simplicity: all are equal in death. A Jew can be in any one of the three cemeteries, but each has slightly different requirements. Those who wish to be buried with their non-Jewish spouses can only do so in the Reform cemetery. Orthodox and Conservative cemeteries require a ceremonial washing of the body before burial, but Reform cemeteries do not require the washing.  The Montefiore Cemetery can be found on the southern end of the larger Salt Lake City Cemetery, just a few streets east of the Reform B’nai Israel Cemetery. As it is Conservative, those wishing to be buried in this cemetery are to be ritually washed before burial and cannot be buried with non-Jewish family members.  One of the most moving sites at the Montefiore Cemetery is very discrete– it does not immediately catch one’s eye amidst the rows of marble. Toward the eastern edge of the cemetery stands the headstone of Josef and Ruth Teustch Schwager, whose son, Pete Schwager, is on the Kol Ami Cemetery Board. The Schwagers fled Nazi Germany in 1939, arriving in New York that same year, then making their way west to Utah. Ruth Schwager’s parents, Dr. Arthur Teutsch and Clara Holzinger Teutsch, were unable to escape the Nazi regime and perished in the Theresienstadt and Auschwitz concentration camps. Ruth Schwager was determined that her parents be remembered, and thus included their names on her gravemarker.  Cemetery Montefiore is a calm and peaceful spot amidst the bustle of Salt Lake City. Dedicated to adherents of Conservative Judaism, it has stood for over a century. The Kol Ami Cemetery Association preserves this and other Jewish cemeteries with evident care and approbation.

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The story of St. Mark’s Cathedral begins with Bishop Daniel S. Tuttle, who took his post presiding over the missionary district of Montana in 1867. This district included jurisdiction over Idaho and Utah. After the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, Bishop Tuttle decided to make Salt Lake City the headquarters of the district. From 1867-1871, Utah’s earliest Episcopalian parishioners met in Independence Hall, an adobe building on Third South and East Temple (now Main Street). The land for St. Mark’s Cathedral was purchased on April 20, 1870. The cornerstone was laid on July 30, 1870. Opening on September 3, 1871, St. Mark’s Cathedral was designed in the Gothic Revival style by Richard Upjohn – one of his only two identified works west of the Mississippi River.  The Cathedral was officially consecrated on May 14, 1874. In April 1902, money was raised for the addition of the west transept, the Chancel, and a room to house the organ pipes. When the chancel was added in 1903, this room became the Chapel of the Resurrection. Extensive renovations took place after the Cathedral was damaged by a fire in 1935. Fire damage can still be observed today from the exterior and along the ceiling of the Chapel of the Resurrection. A number of the Cathedral’s windows were destroyed in the fire, but the May Lillian Bishop Thompson Window (a scene depicting the women at Christ’s tomb speaking with an angel), was reassembled. When the fire melted the lead holding the window together, a parishioner was able to collect the glass pieces and take them to Tiffany Studios in New York, where the window was repaired. However, some pieces were lost, and thus the previously brunette angel became a blonde.  St. Mark’s Cathedral has hosted a number of noteworthy visitors over the years. Episcopalian Archbishop Demond Tutu came to Salt Lake City for the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Olympics, calling on the Cathedral on February 10, 2002. St. Mark’s hosted the North American Dean’s Conference from April 23-25, 2009. Over the week of June 25-July 3, 2015, the Diocese of Utah and St. Mark’s Cathedral welcomed delegates to the 78th Convention of the Episcopal Church. On June 27, 2015, St. Mark’s made headlines when Michael Bruce Curry became the first African American to be elected presiding bishop of the Episcopalian Church.  To conclude, St. Mark’s Cathedral has been part of the Salt Lake City skyline since 1871. Its bell was the first church bell to ring in Salt Lake City and continues to call Episocpalians and visitors for worship today. 

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Salt Lake City’s Jewish community traces its roots back to 1854, with the arrival of both European immigrants and east-coast transplants. Several prominent figures in Utah history belonged to this community, including brothers Samuel and Frederick Auerbach (founders of the People’s Store: F. Auerbach and Brothers) and Simon Bamberger, who was elected governor of Utah in 1916. The city’s first synagogues were Congregation B’nai Israel and Congregation Montefiore. Congregation B’nai Israel was founded in 1891 and served those following Reform practices, while Congregation Montefiore was established in 1899 and served Conservative adherents to the faith.  Congregation Kol Ami was established in 1972 as a result of a merger between these two historic communities. The merger occurred for several reasons. Financially, it was more viable to have Salt Lake’s Jewish community gather in one place. It also strengthened ties between adherents of Reform and Conservative Judaism. The synagogue’s name, Kol Ami roughly translates to “all of my people” in Hebrew.  Because it is a joint Conservative and Reform Congregation, Congregation Kol Ami holds Reform worship services on Fridays and Conservative on Saturdays. Now into its fiftieth year, Congregation Kol Ami serves about 400 families and has experienced 35% growth since Rabbi Samuel Spector’s tenure began in 2018.  Construction of the synagogue was completed in the early 1970s. It is a multi-purpose space, holding classrooms, offices, a central worship space, and a kitchen. In addition to Shabbat services, the synagogue hosts daily classes at the Rafi Schwartz Religious School. The mission of the Religious School is “to create students who are active participants in the intellectual, religious, and cultural traditions of Judaism.” The school serves students of various backgrounds and traditions from preschool through 12th grade.  Congregation Kol Ami hosts a number of community events, including a class called “Introduction to Jewish Life.” Members of the congregation or interested residents of the greater Salt Lake area are invited to come learn more about Jewish beliefs, practices, history, holidays, and basic Hebrew. There are also Sunday study sessions hosted by Rabbi Fred Wenger. Topics vary week by week, but typically address themes connected to the Jewish diaspora. With their emphasis on education, community, and worship, Kol Ami’s congregants are wonderful contributors to Salt Lake City’s diversity and development.

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The storied explorer John C. Fremont and his traveling companions initially documented their foray onto the Great Salt Lake with incredible optimism. While paddling arduously in their small rubber craft in 1843, they observed that, “Several large islands raised their high rocky heads out of the waves; but whether or not they were timbered, was still left to our imagination…”. When they explored one of the aforementioned “high rocky heads,”  they found  an island populated with sagebrush, bunch grass, and a surprising lack of fresh water. After a day or two, Fremont dubbed his discovery “Disappointment Island.” While surveying the Great Salt Lake for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1850, Captain Howard Stansbury, perhaps to Fremont’s chagrin, changed the name of the formerly disappointing island to Fremont Island. Stansbury noted that the plentiful bunch grass and brackish water would be perfect for livestock. In 1859, Daniel and Henry Miller demonstrated their agreement by moving flocks of sheep and some cattle to the island, which the locals then recognized as “Miller Island.” Seymour Miller, the grandson of Daniel and Henry, recorded some of his experiences as a de facto ranch hand for the family ranching business on Fremont Island. They kept 2,000 sheep on the island and ferried themselves and their stock back and forth on the Lady of the Lake, a boat designed by Jacob Miller, Seymour’s cousin. Keeping the sheep on a relatively small island (4.60 sq. mi.) led the Millers to conclude that they did not need a full-time herder on the island. Instead, they let the sheep run wild for most of the year, confident in the confines of the island. The sheep quickly went feral and became “wild as a deer.” This provided the Millers with some market advantage because “The meat of this flock tasted more like venison than mutton and would always bring a fancy price on the market when ordinary mutton could hardly be sold.” Unfortunately, during shearing and lambing seasons, these wild qualities caused numerous problems for the island herders. They would sometimes go a full day or two during round ups without successfully driving a single sheep into the shearing pens. During one especially eventful drive, Seymour and his companions cornered some sheep on a peninsular part of the island and “Rather than be caught, several of them took off into the lake. The last I saw of them they were still going.” Unfortunately for the Millers, their ranching operation did not last past 1885, when local lawyer Uriah Wenner took an interest in living on the island and began legal procedures to oust them and their flocks. The Millers were forced to move their herds to the mainland, where they continually lost woolies due to the sheep’s feral nature that befuddled conventional herders. In his memoir, Seymour concluded that “we never got a dollar out of them.” After Wenner and his wife died, possession of the island changed hands without remarkable business or improvement until 2003. For a few years, Fremont Island underwent a small stint as a hunting ground for exotic livestock and then changed ownership until it landed in the hands of the State of Utah.

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The first Jews to migrate to Utah arrived in small numbers due to confict with the United States government which lasted until 1857. This precipitated more movement, and many Jewish pioneers came to Salt Lake City as entrepreneurs and craftsmen. Many of these migrants were from Germany. Until the 1880s, the Jewish population practiced their faith in rented Masonic halls or Mormon Churches. They incorporated the B’nai Israel congregation and built a small synagogue in 1883; however, infighting over religious doctrine split the group in two, a fairly commonplace occurence for American Jews at the time. Meanwhile, the social status of Utah’s Jews increased overall, and Congregation B’nai Israel looked to create a more distinguished synagogue. In 1889, they purchased land formerly belonging to Brigham Young for B’Nai Israel Temple.

Utah magnate, Frederick Auerbach, brought his nephew Philip Meyer from Germany to design the synagogue and work with local architect Henry Monheim. They modeled it after a famous synagogue in Berlin, called Fasanenstrasse. Its architectural style reflects Romanesque and Moorish Revival, both popular in the mid to late nineteenth century and is most notablie in the temple's arched windows, intricate stonework, and hallmark dome. Workers constructed the building with local Kyune stone, and its design includes a brick dome and two stained-glass windows in front. The architects built it to seat 500 people, including two stories and a choir gallery. It was dedicated in 1891; the Salt Lake Tribune remarked that it had “an air of quiet elegance.” Later, in 1929, a concrete block addition added classrooms, a social area, and a kitchen to the temple.

The ornate synagogue represents the active and successful community. Early settlers Julius and Fanny Brooks were merchants in early years of white settlement. The Auerbach brothers became prominent businessmen and dominated mercantile industries before Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institution was formed. Simon Bamberger, who was involved in silver mining and railroads in Salt Lake, became the first non-Mormon, and the only Jewish, governor in state history in 1916. The Jewish community also developed a unique relationship to Utah’s Mormon population, occupying a position of “favored Gentiles." The Mormon settlers were largely supportive of Jewish migrants as they also claimed spiritual ties to Israel. Relations grew tense at times due to economic competition, but mostly remained amicable. The Jewish community grew as refugees increased after World War II. Tragically, architect Philip Meyer, who had designed the synagogue, died in a Nazi death camp in 1943.

In 1972, the divided Jewish congregations of Salt Lake moved to reunite, but the historic B’Nai Israel Temple could not accommodate its new group, now known as Kol Ami. They soon constructed their present synagogue and sold B’Nai Israel, which is now used commercially. In 1978, the community successfully nominated the temple to the National Register of Historic Places. Even though it is no longer used for religious practice, the historic building stands as a monument to the Jewish community of Utah.

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The Utah Capitol’s ornate rotunda includes twelve murals that the Public Works of Art Project funded during the New Deal era. The pieces fill the dome and the spaces between the rotunda’s arches. Painted along the dome’s base, four illustrations display scenes from Utah’s pioneer settlement history, including: Father Escalante Discovers Utah Lake – 1776, Peter Skene Ogden at Ogden River – 1828, Fremont First Sees Great Salt Lake – 1843, and Brigham Young and Pioneers Entering the Valley. Prominent architect Richard K.A. Kletting, known for creating several Utah buildings, completed the Capitol in 1915 after winning a competition. Inspired by Greek and Roman architecture, Kletting designed the Capitol in the Corinthian style, seen through features such as its distinct exterior columns. With its large scale, Utah marble, and commanding city view, the building’s construction cost a grand $2,739,529.

Lee Greene Richards led the mural project, while Henry Rasmussen, Ranch S. Kimball, and Gordon Cope assisted him, with Waldo Midgely creating the murals’ borders. Richards grew up in Salt Lake City in an artistic family. He studied under J.T. Harwood in Salt Lake City, and at Paris’s Académie Julian and École des Beaux-Arts. While visiting England on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Richards developed a passion for portraiture, although he also became a popular muralist who captured Utah’s settler history in the rotunda murals. The Capitol rotunda’s murals opened in 1935 with ceremonies headed by former Utah Governor, Henry H. Blood.

The muralists conducted lengthy research to ensure that their chosen depictions were significant and accurately portrayed. While researching Peter Skene Ogden at Ogden River –1828, for example, Richards ensured that he depicted period-accurate weapons. In the murals including Brigham Young, however, Richards decided to artistically represent the Salt Lake City founder with his more recognizable beard, despite pioneer depictions from this period showing that Young was clean-shaven.

Father Escalante Discovers Salt Lake – 1776, depicts the Spanish expedition of Atanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante accompanied by a small group and one of three Ute people who guided them. Flanked by the area’s foliage, the background exhibits the scenic waters of the Great Salt Lake. In Peter Skene Ogden at Ogden River – 1828, Ogden and his company are in the vividly colored Ogden Valley using weapons like the Hawken rifle, the preferred weapon of choice along the western frontier. Fremont First Sees Great Salt Lake –1843, features John. C. Fremont and his party overlooking the lake’s expanse, positioned in an adventurous pose overlooking the scene. Brigham Young and Pioneers Entering the Valley, focuses on Brigham young and his distinctive beard standing proudly as he reaches the Salt Lake Valley, joined by pioneers, cattle, and covered wagons.

Examining these murals reveals the aims of the New Deal-era art projects in not only employing artists but also in creating a western American artistic identity. Indeed, the Public Works of Art Project-funded murals did not typically illustrate the Great Depression’s despair. Conversely, muralists like Richards chose to focus on themes of a settling, pioneering past. In choosing to depict scenes of Utah’s pioneer settlement, then, this optimistic vision guided Richards and his co-painters. 

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When describing the role of fire lookouts in the Intermountain West, one typically pictures scenic vistas atop remote woodland mountaintops. Lookouts rarely serviced urban areas, so imagine how odd it would have been to encounter a Forest Service fire lookout in the middle of a metropolitan area. As unusual as this sounds, one lookout station did operate in the center of downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, for roughly a decade.

Completed in 1912, the Walker Bank Building is a sixteen-story skyscraper in downtown Salt Lake. At the time of its construction, the building was the tallest structure in the Intermountain West. In the decades following Utah’s statehood in 1896, Utahans considered the construction of impressive infrastructure such as the Walker Bank an important step in the modernization of Salt Lake City.

During the 1930s, the city faced a water crisis. The Great Salt Lake itself is far too salty to use as drinking water, so most of the city’s water came from streams and rivers in the mountains surrounding the Salt Lake Valley. Grazing and wildfires had led to erosion that damaged the watersheds the city relied on. Determined to fix the issue, Wasatch National Forest began placing more emphasis on fire suppression. In 1939, the Forest Service and Salt Lake City Water Department banded together to establish a fire lookout to protect watersheds in the foothills around the Valley. Due to its height, the Walker Bank Building had an impeccable view of the region, so with permission from the bank, Wasatch National Forest set up a small lookout station atop the building.

The lookout itself consisted of little more than a small alidade table which was a map with a sighting device affixed to it for pinpointing spotted fires. From beneath a three-story steel tower advertising the Walker Bank and Trust, urban forest rangers surveilled the surrounding foothills for twelve hours daily. In 1941, The Times of San Mateo, California, reported that the Walker Bank Building had the only fire lookout in a downtown area in the entire country. In 1943, a fifteen-year-old named James Sarvis took on the lookout position. Despite his age, Wasatch National Forest at the Salt Lake Tribune credited him with the protection of the city’s valuable water resources. Sarvis returned to the post several times.

Wasatch National Forest has no records of the lookout being occupied after 1948, but the Walker Bank Building still exists. Now known as the “Walker Center,” the building is currently owned and operated by Wells Fargo.

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In 1847, Brigham Young and his party of Mormon settlers arrived in what would eventually become Utah. Mormons were escaping persecution in the East by the United States. No one had a clear idea of where their destination, and new home, would be, but many agreed that it would have to reside beyond the United States’ political border. Many initially thought that the territories of California or Oregon would be their last stop since it was as far west as one could get from the U.S. without crossing an ocean. However, John C. Fremont’s expeditions into Utah made the territory an attractive place to settle and it was eventually decided that the Utah area would be where the Mormons settled. Utah was home to the Utes, Paiutes, Dine’, Goshutes, and Shoshone. At the time, some mountain men also lived in the area. These men largely served as road guides for wagoneers heading west and their numbers were generally scarce. Utah was certainly more of a desert than the Mormons envisioned their new home to be and had what many diligent journal writers described as a “dead sea” to accompany it. However, there was one tree, the "Lone Cedar Tree," in the Salt Lake Valley which provided coveted shade. Seemingly everyone used this iconic tree to rendezvous under—children, church officials, lovers, weary travelers. The tree’s significance to these early Mormons was commemorated with a monument in 1933 by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. The monument initially encompassed the dying tree, but in 1958, the tree was cut down and stolen. A bounty for it was placed by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. When the missing lumber never turned up, a modified monument was erected in 1960 to preserve what remained of the leveled stump. A bronze replica soon stood in place of the section of tree that was stolen. Unfortunately, the remaining stump of the original tree was later stolen. The monument today contains no traces of the original tree. However, historians argue whether the tree ever existed in the sense that it is now remembered. Some claim that stories exaggerate the tree’s existence because journals at the time mention other trees in the valley. Some dispute whether the tree was a cedar at all. Moreover, some accounts mention a “Lone Cedar Post” in the proximity of where the tree was believed to have stood, leading a few to believe that it was the post rather than a tree which provided such needed shade. Nevetheless, the memorialization of the lone cedar tree still stands in downtown Salt Lake City to commemorate the pioneer memory that permeates much of early Utah history. 

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Zion’s Savings Bank and Trust Company was incorporated under the laws of the Utah Territory under the direction of Brigham Young. On July 10, 1873, it became Utah's first chartered savings bank and trust company. Zion’s Savings Bank and Trust Company grew over the decades, enduring the economic booms and busts including the Great Depression.

On Dec. 31, 1957, Zion’s Savings Bank and Trust Company, Utah Savings and Trust Company, and First National Bank of Salt Lake City merged to form Zions First National Bank. This merger brought each of these institutions under the management of the LDS church and brought an end to the apostrophe in its name. In early 1960, authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints decided to relieve itself of its banking interests, and on April 22, 1960, the church sold majority control of Zions First National Bank

The Salt Lake City office on Main Street and the iconic clock just outside are both historically significant. They represent original architecture from early LDS settlements. The building is called the “Eagle Emporium Building” and is the oldest existing commercial building in downtown Salt Lake City. It is the city’s only remaining commercial structure built prior to the completion of the transcontinental railroad. The Eagle Emporium Building was constructed for William Jennings, Utah’s first millionaire, and was originally used to house his mercantile business. Originally powered by a water wheel, the clock was erected on the building in 1873. The clock is one of the few remaining pieces of 19th-century street furniture in downtown Salt Lake. At the request of Brigham Young, the building became the first home of Zion’s Savings Bank and Trust Company. 

Zions Bank continues to bring value to individuals, small-to middle-market businesses, nonprofits, corporations and institutions through a wide range of traditional banking and innovative technology services. It currently has a network of 122 full-service financial centers across Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. 

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At the end of the 19th century, Utah was in an economic boom that would change the course of its history. With the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, thousands of immigrants flooded the state to work in mines that sprung up across Utah. Although initially very few of these immigrants were from Mexico, the start of the Mexican Revolution in 1910 resulted in Mexicans fleeing north to escape conflict. Although the Immigration Acts of 1917 and 1924 had placed quotas on the number of people that could immigrate from each country, the need for laborers allowed a large number of Mexicans to obtain a permit to temporarily enter the country. The number of Spanish-speaking immigrants in Utah continued to grow throughout the following decades as they sought work on railroads, on farms, and in mines. While the 1890 census only recorded 19 Mexican people living in Utah, by 1920 there were 1,083. These immigrants created a thriving hub of Hispanic culture in Salt Lake City’s west side.  After their arrival in Salt Lake City, many of these immigrants were converted and baptized as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. However, very few of them spoke English, the predominant language of the Church in Utah. Noticing a problem, Juan Ramon Martinez, Margarito Buatista, and Francisco Solano sought permission from church leadership to hold meetings in Spanish. In April of 1921, the first Spanish meeting was held in a rented restaurant. The meeting was attended by 19 Latter-Day Saints and 33 non-members being taught by missionaries. On May 15, 1923, the members of this congregation were made into an official branch called La Rama Mexicana.  Two years later the branch began meeting in available rooms in the 6th Stake meetinghouse. In 1950, La Rama Mexicana received their own meetinghouse after three years of construction. Just a decade later, the brach became the Lucero Ward. The population of Spanish-speakers continued to grow and, as of 2019, there were 58 Spanish-speaking wards and branches in Utah.

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In 1961, Father Jerald Merrill, a Catholic priest, was assigned to the “Our Lady of Guadalupe” Mission on the West side of Salt Lake City, Utah. With the mission having recently received a new building, all adults of the parish were invited to monthly meetings of the Guadalupana Society—a group which met to discuss problems pertaining to their mission. A few months after his arrival, Father Merrill created a branch of the Guadalupana Society that focused on social programs meant to solve the Hispanic community’s problems. In a rented room underneath the Rio Grande Hotel, Merrill and other members founded the precursor to the Guadalupe Center. Later, in 1966 and under the direction of Manuel G. Martinez and Oliver Ulibarri, volunteers helped to open a larger version of the center on 346 West 100 South with faith that the center would become a focal point for local Hispanics.  After its opening, the center focused on projects for the economic and professional development and well-being of the Hispanic community. The Westside Catholic Credit Union focused on helping local members of the community to build capital. The Voluntary Improvement Program taught English and other valuable skills. A cooperative store was opened to serve poorer families in the area. Additionally, the Utah Nonprofit Housing Corporation collaborated with multiple churches and cooperative associations in the area to rehabilitate houses in the inner city region. The Guadalupe Center served as a clearinghouse for information on these and other services and coordinated support for the city’s Hispanic population. The center was also the birthplace for Hispanic activist group SOCIO, which helped pave the way for Latino civil rights throughout Utah.  To create capital that could be reinvested into these programs, leaders decided to open La Morena Café as part of the center. Started just six months after the opening of the Guadalupe Center, La Morena proved immensely valuable. In addition to the profit it eventually generated, enough to support many of the Center’s programs, it also unified a diverse set of people—both hispanic and non-hispanic—in the community through its warm atmosphere and authentic Mexican cuisine. La Morena became a welcoming place for all and encapsulated the vision of  Father Merrill through its ability to unify the community.  In 1986, after their rented lot was bought to build the Triad center, the original Guadalupe Center closed its doors. However, the center’s aims extended into the Guadalupe School which continues to operate today. The school provides personalized education for children with a focus on those in the Latinx community. For Latinx adults the center provides English classes, citizenship classes, and career planning. Since its inception, the spirit of the Guadalupe Center and those who founded it continue to better the lives and welfare of members of the Utah Latinx community.

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