#16 Council Hall

Originally named Salt Lake City Hall and completed in 1866, this building was involved in many historical events.  Female suffrage was granted here in 1870. And even though it wasn't approved by the US Government, the State of Deseret's Constitution was also drafted here. Utah officially became a state in 1896, just two years after this building was outdated by the new Salt Lake City and County building.

The original location for this building was actually down the hill four blocks.  It was moved piece by piece to its present location in 1961 thanks to donations from the LDS Church and the City. It was then that it was renamed "Council Hall". It is now home to the Utah Office of Tourism.

#15 First Presbyterian Church

Just a few blocks east from the Salt Lake Temple, the cornerstone for this church was laid on June 3rd, 1903. Designed by Walter Ware in the English Gothic Style at a cost of $175,000, it took just under three years to complete and was dedicated on May 12, 1906.  Before the dedication in 1905, when it was ready enough to use, 1,000 worshipers marched from their old church building which they had previously used, to this one.  The churches Facebook sites states that the "FPC exists to help one another love God, love neighbor, and to make disciples."

Photos copyrighted by me.

#14 Peery's Egyptian Theater

The Egyptian Theater first opened it doors on July 3, 1924. As with most of Ogden's notable buildings of the time period, this too was designed by Hodgson and McClenehan. Back in those days the only movies around were silent so the theater was equipped with a built-in pipe organ to keep things interesting. The first "talkie" was shown in 1929 which effectively demoted the organ and it was eventually placed in storage in 1960. As interest in single-screen theaters declined the Egyption eventually stopped showing new releases and was finally shut down by a health code violation in 1984. The theater was boarded up for many years and survived several demolition death-threats. It was finally saved and restored by the newly created Egyptian Theater Foundation. On January 17, 1997 the doors were reopened. The theater is now a community theater and is used annually as one of the venues for the Sundance Film Festival. The famous organ was officially brought out of retirement in 2003 to complete the historic ambiance of the theater.

Photos copyrighted by me.

#13 Logan Temple

Seen from the entire valley, the site for the Logan Temple was chosen by Brigham Young and announced on May 17, 1877. The site was referred by the Native Americans as a "most sacred place" where they performed healing ceremonies. Truman O. Angell, Jr. drew up the plans for this edifice along with several other prominent buildings in Utah. When the temple was dedicated in 1884, it was actually painted white but later the paint was removed. Sadly, the LDS Church completely gutted the inside of the building in the '70s and all that remains of the original interior is a small piece of wallpaper in the Bride's Room.

Photos copyrighted by me.

#12 Ogden High School

Designed by the same firm that did the Ben Lomond Hotel, Hodgson and McClenehan, Ogden High School was completed in 1937.  The construction was one of many federal work projects that provided jobs during the Great Depression to locals who were in desperate need of them. This is one of the best examples of art-decco design in Utah and is considered Leslie S. Hodgson's masterpiece.

The school is currently going through an extensive renovation project to modernize a few things including removing asbestos from the walls. A job that when completed will cost over $70 million dollars.

Photos copyrighted by me.

#11 Box Elder Tabernacle

Brigham Young personally selected the sight for this building at the highest point on main street, even after one had already been chosen. The cornerstones were laid on May 9, 1865, but because of the strong focus on completing the Transcontinental Railroad the work was delayed. The first meeting was held in 1879 and the building was officially dedicated in 1890. On February 9,1896 a fire started in the furnace room leaving only the stone walls behind. It took 13 months to rebuild but it was then that the iconic gothic-revival tower along with the 16 pinnacles along the sides were added.

This building was actually one of the first buildings in Utah to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Photos copyrighted by me.

#10 Ben Lomond Hotel

Thousands of people that traveled through Ogden by train walked a short distance from Union Station up the historic 25th Street to stay at the Ben Lomond Hotel. This eleven story hotel in downtown Ogden is one of the last of the "grand hotels" still operated in Utah. Originally built in 1891, it was called the Reed Hotel and was only five stories high. Then in 1927 it was completely overhauled and expanded to the structure seen today by Hodgson and McClenehan. It was also shortly renamed the Bigelow Hotel until a transaction in 1933 when it finally became known as the Ben Lomond Hotel. In the '80s it went from 350 rooms to 120 suites with 6 different meeting rooms.

Photos copyrighted by me.

#9 Ogden Union Station

The railroad first came to Ogden in 1869 as part of the historic Transcontinental Railroad. They originally built a wooden structure to serve as the station but it was soon too small to suffice the needs of the city. The first brick and mortar station was built in 1889 but burned down in 1923. This current building was built in 1924 and incorporates a Spanish Colonial Revival Style.

The building now houses a couple different museums. One is the Utah State Railroad Museum, a firearm museum, and a classic car museum.

Photos copyrighted by me.

#8 Wellsville Tabernacle

Wellsville was briefly the county seat of Cache County before it was moved to Logan in 1860. This tabernacle, the last to be build in Cache Valley, was built over a period of six years beginning in 1902. It's style is Gothic-Revival and was built by volunteer laborers. The building is no longer owned by the LDS Church and is now operated by the Wellsville Foundation and can be rented out by the hour or for $150 a day.

Photos copyrighted by me.

#7 Cache Stake Tabernacle

Also known as the Logan Tabernacle. Its foundation was laid in 1864, just eight years after the first Mormon settlers entered Cache Valley. The construction had two major delays. The first was to expand the building's originally-planned size. The second was in 1877 when building priorities shifted to the Logan Temple. In all, the tabernacle took 27 years to complete. Originally there were three stairways in front of the building leading up to a second story entryway. Those however were removed in the 1880's before the completion. The dedication took place in 1891 and was done by the LDS Church's President, Wilford Woodruff. It wasn't until the 1950's during a renovation that the baptismal font was added. Another renovation in 1989 restored the building to look more like the original.

Photos copyrighted by me.

#6 Cache County Courthouse

This courthouse was designed by the same guy who did the Salt Lake Temple, Logan Temple, and the St. George Temple, Truman O. Angell Jr. Completed in 1883, this building cost $17,814.79, and is the oldest continuously used courthouse in the state. For many years it had a horrid coat of white paint over the distinguishing red brick. Luckily, a large renovation project in 2005 restored it to it's original glory. Today it also houses the Logan/County Visitors Center.

Photos copyrighted by me.

#5 Garland Stake Tabernacle

 In 1903 the Utah Sugar Company completed their factory in Garland. Then they did something that many companies have failed to do, they gave back to the community. Among other things, they donated land to the LDS Church to construct a ward chapel. It was finally completed in 1914 at a cost of $55,000.

Photos copyrighted by me.

#4 Smithfield Tabernacle

This tabernacle is one of about twenty tabernacles left in Utah that have survived demolition or destruction. This one has barely done that and is probably in the poorest conditions of any if you don't count Provo's. Construction began in 1883 and didn't finish for nineteen years. The LDS Church has not owned this building for some time and it now serves as a recreation center for the city.

Photos copyrighted by me.

#3 Capitol Building

Just up the hill from the Salt Lake Temple, the Utah State Capitol Building is one of a handful of buildings that have been used to run the area's government. Richard A. Kletting was the architect and the building was completed in 1916 at a cost of $2,739,538. The renovation cost however came with a much heftier price tag of $260,000,000, which was completed between 2004 and 2008. All of the costs going into this building actually make it the most expensive state capitol in the country.


Official Website: http://utahstatecapitol.utah.gov/


I took this picture back in 2006 during the reconstruction project.

Photo copyrighted by me.

#2 Salt Lake Temple

I wanted to get this one out of the way quick. It's easily the most famous and recognizable building in Utah. Designed by the renowned architect Truman O. Angell. On April 6, 1853 the cornerstone was laid and the 40 year task of finishing the largest temple in the LDS Church was begun. It was finally completed and dedicated on April 6, 1893.

On the west side of the temple you can see the Big Dipper. This symbolizes the use of the temple for members of the LDS church to help find their way back to heaven, just as the Big Dipper is used to find the North Star.

 Photos Copyrighted by me.

#1 Old Main

Located in Logan, the town I currently live in, Old Main stands as the oldest still-functioning education building in Utah.  Built in 1890 by the architect C.L. Thompson at a cost of $20,305. The south wing was the first chunk to be completed and the building in its entirety was completed in 1902.
Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
I walked passed this building nearly everyday in the two years I attended school at Utah State.

Photos Copyrighted by me.

New Blog

I am going to attempt to post pictures and a brief history of one historic building everyday(ish) on this blog in order to promote Utah's History and occupy some of my free time. These buildings are in no special order other than my choosing and this is in no way a complete list of all the historical buildings in Utah. I will not be including houses on this particular blog except maybe ones that are pertinent to the state's history.  Please feel free to comment on any post.