Happy Halloween

Home of Edward Fowles and his wife Eliabeth Parr~~~ Researched and Compiled by Tudy Barentsen Standlee (from our archives)

A Tale of Terror ~~~ Vic Frandsen

A Must Read

 A TALE OF TERROR 

Vic Frandsen Springville, Utah 

Non-Professional Senior Citizen Division Honorable Mention Poem  ~~~~

As I came down Manti canyon With a wagon load of wood I beheld in the road ahead A situation not good.

 

A big old diamond-back rattlesnake Was lying coiled up in the road He looked as if he were big enough To swallow me and the load. 

His noise was almost deafening; His tail swished a million an hour Popping off all the fence posts I never saw such tail-power. 

The frightened horses bolted With the rattler blocking the road I could not control the horses; I was losing half of the load. 

The snake struck at a horse But missed the horse as he swung. His fangs sank four inches deep into the wagon tongue.

 I quickly unhitched the horses While the rattler was still stuck there. His fangs dinning deeper and deeper Until they came through the air. 

From each of the fangs green venom Was spraying the air in a stream Filling the air with vile odors Worse than those in a nightmare dream.

 Thrashing while his fangs were stuck He was popping the wagon around Spilling parts of the load of wood Over an acre of ground. 

The snake was about as thick as my head And three times longer than me. I went to work with my double-bit axe And cut his head off at stroke three. 

I counted the rattlers on that snake  And there were a hundred and two, But several more developing And I watched them as they grew. 

Then I beheld the wagon tongue, Fast swelling and turning gray; To save the wagon I chopped off the tongue To keep spreading poison away. 

Then I surveyed the damage sustained; The wagon now had no tongue, The swishing tail have broken a spoke And the reach was badly sprung. 

I cut an oak tree and hewed a tongue; From a limb I fashioned a spoke, I hitched the horses, reloaded the wood; I was tired enough to croak. 

Now that was a true experience Its memory will never grow stale. Though it happened eighty years ago, I remember its every detail.

Chief Sanpitch and a Poem by Eleanor Peterson Madsen a Mt. Pleasant Native: SANPITCH RIVER

 

 

Indian War Veterans of Mt. Pleasant

 

Native American Ghost Dance

 The Ghost Dance was a spiritual movement that arose among Western American Indians. It began among the Paiute in about 1869 with a series of visions of an elder, Wodziwob. These visions foresaw renewal of the Earth and help for the Paiute peoples as promised by their ancestors. This followed a period when many people had died as a result of contact with European diseases. A typhoid epidemic in 1867 may also have influenced the birth of this movement. Initially Wodziwob said that he saw some great cataclysm removing all the Europeans leaving behind only Indians, but in later visions he saw an event that removed all people from the continent, after which those who faithfully practiced the spirituality of their ancestors would be miraculously returned. Later still, his vision no longer predicted the destruction of Europeans, but an immortal and peaceful life for those who practiced his spiritual teachings. A ceremony that featured a communal circle dance was central to the spiritual practice suggested by these visions. Wodziwob passed away in 1872.

Halloween At the Relic Home 2015

 

Witch Fest

 

Karen Kay Burton ~~~ Friend and Coworker

 

Karen Kay Burton

9/11/1940 ~ 10/13/2022

Karen Kay Burton, 82, of Mt. Pleasant passed away peacefully on October 13, 2022.

Karen was born on September 11,1940 in Mt. Pleasant to Carol Agusta Jones and Abe Jerald Burton.

After graduating from High school Karen took an internship for the FBI’s Deserter- Selective Service Unit where she clerked for a year in Washington DC. She returned to Sanpete and received a teaching degree from Snow College. This degree took her to Green River, Utah where she met her late husband, Harold Harper. She was a stepmother to Tim and Vanessa then also had four more children of her own. Jill, Russell, Michael and Daniel. She decided to return to her roots and moved back to Mt. Pleasant where she was a care giver to her mother for many years and had a lengthy career as the local librarian.

If Karen wasn’t at home with a book in her hand, she was usually out to a yard sale. She had and eye for unique and unusual treasures and could never pass up a good deal. She spent a lot of time taking photographs and putting scrap books together. The family will have these books to reflect on and enjoy thanks to her efforts.

While we are sad in her passing, we are glad she has been reunited with her family, especially her daughter Jill. We hope she will find peace in their loving arms.

Karen is survived by her brothers Jim, Jerold and David. Her four sons and twelve grandchildren.

The family would like to give a special “Thank You” to the kind people at Mission at Community Living for giving her such great care for many years. Graveside services will be held Friday, October 21, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. in the Mt. Pleasant City Cemetery under care Rasmussen Mortuary.

To Watch Graveside Services Live, Click Here. The Live Zoom Link will activate at 10:45 a.m.

Planning For 1948 Pioneer Day Event ~~~ Taken from Louise Johansen Scrapbook

L to R:
Ella Candland, Johanna Hafen, Mina Bjelke, Berti Etinger, Tina Nelson 

~~~~~~~~~

 

Home of Mads Anderson Jr. and his wife Christina Amelia Peterson ~~~ Researched and Compiled by Tudy Barentsen Stand

 This home has been torn down and replaced.  Watch for an update.

The Bottoms ~~~ Also an Autobiography of Reath Ina Brothersen Draper

 

There are many references in the Mt. Pleasant History by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf of another community between Mt. Pleasant and Moroni called "the Bottoms", sometimes called "Meadow".Many years later the school was taken off its foundation and drug west to use as a chicken coop, or so as we have been told.

On Mt. Pleasant Pioneer Day in March, my brother-in-law, Donald Hafen said he could lead us to the area where the old "Bottoms  School" had sat.  Supposedly when Peter, Donald and their dad would go hunting pheasants 50 to 75 years ago, Neil, their dad, showed them the old foundation where the school had sat. 

Peter and I had looked for it 18 months ago, and never could find the place.  We were relying on Donald to show us just exactly where it stood.  But just like 18 months ago, the illusive foundation was not to be found.  

However, you may enjoy the following pictures that were taken just last month in search of the old "Bottoms School House".

The lowly thistle

We know many young men who have been put through college by working this river bottoms area during their summers, trying to eradicate this "lowly thistle"

Four Generations
Inger Christensen (Mother of Johanna)
Johanna Johansen ( Mother of Amasena)
Amasena Johansen (daughter of Johanna)
Reith ( daughter of Amasena who  married
Francis Brotherson 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF REATH INA BROTHERSEN DRAPER


I was born on the 4th of July 1905 to Francis and Amsena Johansen Brothersen in

Mount Pleasant. Being born on a national holiday was not appreciated by me as a child

since I could never have a birthday party on my birthday. I was the eldest of eleven

children. Four brothers followed me and I began to wonder if I was going to have a sister.

I had a cousin, Etta, hardly a year younger than me and she was envious of me when my

First sister was born. she never did have a sister; however she is the mother of five lovely

daughters.




My first recollection is of living in the red brick home between Amasa Ericksen's and

Claus Anderson's. My parents planned to build on to that house and made a foundation of

cement at the back of the house. However, it was never completed as they bought an

adobe home a half block north and later built a new

bungalow home on the southeast corner of that lot. It is a very choice location and the

house still stands, three blocks south of Main Street and three blocks west of the South

Ward Church which is on State Street.




I remember very distinctly when the new home was built and even helped haul some of

the rocks to put in the foundation and also in the east porch. We lived in the adobe home

until the new home was partly finished; since the new home was being lined with the

adobes of the adobe house we moved into the basement of the new home so the rest of

the adobe house could be torn down. It was a bit rugged for a time until the second layer

of flooring was on for dirt would sift down through; so we nailed a quilt on the ceiling over

the table to keep it clean. How wonderful it was to move upstairs and have everything new

and beautiful. There were cabinets in the kitchen, a buffet cupboard and a fireplace in the

living room. Also there was a bathroom and this was the first time for that as there were

very few homes in those days that had bathrooms. Eva was the baby then and she took

her first steps an the new kitchen floor and if I remember correctly our first meal was

Thanksgiving dinner.




My paternal grandfather died five years before I was born but Grandmother Brothersen

lived to be 80 years old. I remember she took her first airplane ride when she was 75

years old. She also made an ocean voyage back to her native land of Denmark and brought

each grandchild back a gift; mine was a small red purse.




One of my happiest childhood memories is of the" vacations I would spend with

Grandfather and Grandmother Johansen at their farm "The Bottoms" south and west of Mt.

Pleasant and just 3/4 mile east of the old Moroni Mill. Often my cousin Etta and I would

go together with them. We traveled in a buggy with a horse called Queen to pull it. I would

sit on the floor in front, which was anything but comfortable, but I never minded that. We

helped Grandmother tend the chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese and sometimes lambs and

calves. We were afraid of the ganders for they would chase us. Later when the sugar

factory was built at Moroni grandfather and some of his neighbors raised sugar beets. Etta

and I thinned beets as Grandmother blocked them ahead of us. Sometimes she would

have a headache and would take Bromo Seltzer when she came to the end of the row. Etta

and I told her once that we would like to have parasols. She remembered that two of her

girls had parasols and told us to ask them to sell them to us, which they did. The first

time we used them was on the 4th of July and we were so proud of them as we went to the

celebration in the Pavilion" as it was called.




While visiting at the "Bottoms" Grandma took me to the home of John Johansen. John

was Grandpa's brother and the home had a dirt floor, the only home I ever saw that had

no floor.




On the farm bullberries grew along the ditch bank and we would pick the berries for

Grandma. It was quite a trick to pick them without being pricked by the sharp needles

growing on them but the delicious dumplings Grandma made from them were worth the

effort. We would pour milk (flavored with sugar and nutmeg) over them, or a cooked

sauce. I wonder where they originated from? I have never seen any anywhere else and now

since the new underground pipeline was installed those bushes have died.




Etta and I picked many wild flowers. There have never been as many since, probably

because with us picking so many there was no chance for survival. The old school house

our parents had attended was on top of the hill, less than a block east of the farm house.

We liked to go in and read the names on the wall, to see if perchance our parents' names

might be there. The school teacher boarded and lived at the farmhouses, so naturally the

children of the family she was staying with were naturally on their best behavior in the

class room. Their teacher was Fannie Miles.




We carried many buckets of water up the hill to the house from the spring for

Grandma, the coldest and best water in the world.




I attended school the first half year in the old "Simpson School House" as it was called,

but they transferred us to what is now North Sanpete High School, which was 8 1/2 blocks

to walk. I attended Mt. Pleasant Elementary School and two of my Teachers were Flossie

Staker and Ida Larsen. When the bell rang we would form lines three abreast and march

to music to our classroom. I went through high school and Seminary and then Brigham

Young University. I worked at many different jobs such as taking the sensus, telephone

operator, clerk in the Progress Mercantile and Sanpete Co-op stores. While going to school

I thinned beets in the spring when school let out and topped and loaded them in the fall

during fall vacation. My Church positions were Sunday School and Primary teacher,

Primary secretary. Our church was the South Ward Chapel with two flights of stairs to

climb to the main part. The building burned down years later; however, the memories

linger.




My girlfriend, Arla Simpson, and I were married on the same day in the Manti Temple.

We flipped a coin to see who was to have their reception that night; she had hers and mine

was the following evening. It was the custom then to have wedding suppers; our wedding

day was June 19, 1929.




We moved to Garfield after we were married. There we rented a home and planted a

lawn and flowers. Our first child, Ruth Carol, was born August 31, 1930 in Salt Lake City.

The Relief Society asked me to be the Social Science class leader shortly after and that

began my career in Relief Society. When they shut down the smelter less then three years

later we moved to Moroni and have lived here since. At that time Orlando's Dad was

getting up in years and needed someone to take over the farm. There was electricity but

no running water, just a hand-operated pump. Joyce Arlene was born about three years

after Carol, on June 7, 1933, and Darlene Lillian was barn July 15, 1936. We didn't have

any more children until 8 years later, October 24, 1944, we were blessed with a beautiful

baby with dark hair and blue eyes (of course). We were all so happy to get her; we named

her Voneal.




Carol was married October 23, 1953, the day before Voneal's ninth birthday. We had a

reception that evening In the Moroni church, with Joseph Revill as master of ceremonies

for the program. Darlene made Carol's wedding dress of white satin. She had a beautiful

veil of illusion with a crown of pearls. Ray was in his Navy uniform.

Joyce, Darlene and Voneal each received scholarships to Snow College and all graduated,

Voneal with honers.




Joyce started teaching school in Preston, Idaho after she graduated from Snow. In

Preston she met William D. Pond of Lewiston, Utah; they were married June 7, 1954 in the

Manti Temple. We had a reception that evening in our new Moroni Chapel.

Darlene put herself through the University of Utah, graduating with a Bachelor's Degree

in Education. She taught school in Mink Creek, Idaho one year, also a year in Dugway,

Utah before she went to California to teach. There she met her future husband, Bud E.

Welker. Darlene was married in the Manti Temple July 23, 1963 and her reception was held

after they returned from their honeymoon in Idaho.




Voneal graduated from BYU with honors in August, 1968. She fulfilled an honorable

mission to the Indiana-Michigan Mission In the years 1969-1971. After returning she

obtained a position with Utah State Department of Social Services as an eligibility examiner

and is presently employed in Blanding, Utah.




We now have 15 grandchildren: 6 granddaughters and 9 grandsons, also 3 greatgrandchildren.

In two years we hope to celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary.

You can find Reath's Obituary on the following link: 
https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/41469831?cid=mem_copy

When Your Number Is Not Up ~~~ Submitted by Larry Staker

 

Mt. Pleasant Elementary Grade 1 1965-66

 

Hamilton School Band 1937

 

Someone's Class Reunion ???

This is one of the Mt. Pleasant Pyramid photos that was given to us when they moved their office to Springville.

I can only identify a couple on the front row; Esther Christensen and Edith Simpson.

You might be able to identify the rest.

 

Early Houses of Government (taken from Wikipedia)

 

Early Houses of Government

The Utah Territorial Statehouse

The first Euro-American settlers arrived in what would become Utah on July 24, 1847, which is now commemorated as Pioneer Day in the state. These settlers, Mormon pioneers led by Brigham Young, appealed to the United States Congress for statehood in 1849, asking to become the State of Deseret. Their proposal was denied, but they received some recognition in September 1850 when the U.S. Government created the Territory of Utah as part of the compromise of 1850.[2] A territorial assembly, known as the Utah Territorial Legislature, was created to be the governing body for the territory. The assembly met in various buildings including the Council House, which had originally been constructed to serve as capitol of the provisional State of Deseret, until the first capitol building was constructed.[3]

One of the first official acts of the assembly was to designate a capital city for the territory. On October 4, 1851, Millard County and its capital of Fillmore were created in the empty Pavant Valley for this purpose. The area was named for then current president Millard Fillmore. Its centralized location in the territory made it seem an ideal place for Utah's capital city.[4] Construction started on Utah's first capitol building, known as the Utah Territorial Statehouse, the next year. The building was designed by LDS Church Architect Truman O. Angell, and was funded with US$20,000 appropriated by the United States Congress.[3] The $20,000 was insufficient to pay for the capitol as designed, and so only the south wing was completed. In December 1855, the fifth Utah Territorial Legislature met in the building (it would be the first and only complete session in Fillmore). The next year the sixth Utah Territorial Legislature once again met in the statehouse, but the session was relocated to Salt Lake City after legislators complained about the lack of housing and adequate facilities in Fillmore. As a result in December 1856 Salt Lake City was designated Utah's capital, and the statehouse in Fillmore was abandoned.[4] Several buildings in Salt Lake City then served as temporary homes for the state legislature and offices for state officers, including the previously used Council House, and beginning in 1866, the Salt Lake City Council Hall.
History of the Capitol
Early attempts for a capitol building

Capitol Hill looking west

As time passed, those smaller buildings became inadequate, so several local leaders and businessmen began to call for a new permanent capitol building. Several of these people requested that Salt Lake City donate about 20 acres (81,000 m2) of land, specifically an area known as Arsenal Hill, just north of the intersection of State and Second North Streets. The City Council of Salt Lake responded by approving a resolution on March 1, 1888 donating the property to the territorial government. A "Capitol Commission" was created to review the design and construction process for the new building. The commission selectedElijah E. Myers, who also designed the Michigan, Texas, andColorado State Capitols, to design Utah's building. The plans were finished by 1891, but were ultimately rejected because of the $1,000,000 cost estimated. Plans for a capitol building were then delayed after the approval of an Enabling Act allowing Utahans to begin plans for statehood.[3] On January 4, 1896 Utah was granted statehood, and the Salt Lake City and County Building was used as a capitol building for the new state.
The design and planning process

By 1909 no capitol had yet been constructed and Governor William Spry, recognizing that Utah was one of only a few states without a capitol building, sent a proposal to the state legislature asking for the creation of a new commission to oversee the construction of a capitol. During that year's legislative session the commission was created and efforts made to gain funding for construction. An appropriation bill, which would use a one mill property tax, was produced but failed in a required popular vote that June. Funding options in the form of bonds and loans were also researched.[5] In 1910 the state constitution was amended to allow bonding for the capitol building, and by 1911 a bill authorizing $1,305,000 in bonds was presented to the state legislature. The bill passed both houses after the amount was reduced to $1 million and was signed into law by the governor in Spring 1911.[3] Funds were also boosted whenUnion Pacific Railroad president, Edward Henry Harriman, died in 1909, and his widow was required to pay a five-percent inheritance tax to the state of Utah. Union Pacific had helped to construct theTranscontinental Railroad, which was completed in Utah, and Harriman had invested $3.5 million in Salt Lake City's electric trolley system. Because of these investments within the state, Mrs. Harriman paid the state treasurer $798,546 on March 1, 1911, as required by law.[5]

After funding was secured, the commission began the design process for the building and grounds. The Olmsted Brothers ofMassachusetts were chosen to provide the landscaping design and site plan. As options for the site on Capitol Hill were researched several members of various committees expressed concerns with the proposed site, due mainly to the cost of grading the steep hillside. In December 1911, a three-person committee was organized to consider other locations for a capitol building. One of the more popular sites considered was located on Fort Douglasproperty, near the present University of Utah, while others proposed locating the building in downtown Salt Lake City near the City and County Building. In the end, it was decided to construct on the original 20 acres (81,000 m2) site known as Capitol Hill, and attempt to acquire surrounding property for the capitol campus. Aware of the demand for their properties, several owners charged the state exorbitant prices for the property needed to complete the site.[3]

Even as questions arose concerning the site location, and work progressed on site plans, the design of the building was begun. The commission decided to hold a design competition, a practice common for many public buildings of that era. A program for the competition was created with design requirements such as required square footage, the desired number of floors, and stipulation to keep the total cost under $2 million. The program was approved August 30, 1911, and information was sent to architectural firms. Those which were interested responded, and the commission selected twenty-four firms to compete. Because the compensation was less than expected, several contenders withdrew from the competition, and the commission further reduced the list to eight firms. The final designs for the building were due on January 12, 1912, less than five months after the finalists were selected. After designs were submitted the commission met several times to discuss their selections, and some architects were asked to make presentations. After two months the commission reduced the list of designs to just two, those submitted by Richard K.A. Kletting and Young & Sons, both of Salt Lake City.[3] On March 13, 1912 the commission made its final vote and selected Richard Kletting's design by a vote of four to three.[6] After his appointment as capitol architect, Kletting traveled to several capitols in the eastern United States, including the Kentucky State Capitol which influenced his final designs. His first working plans for the building were due July 15, 1912.
Construction
Construction Photographs

The building as seen May 16, 1914

The cornerstone ceremony, April 4, 1914

After Kletting produced more detailed plans, they were made available to contractors interested in bidding to work on the capitol. The submitted bids were opened December 3, 1912 at Salt Lake's Commercial Club with James Stewart & Company receiving the contract as general contractor on December 19, 1912. P. J. Morgan was awarded the contract for excavation and grading the site, and the capitol's groundbreaking ceremony took place December 26, 1912. A large amount of soil had to be excavated from the hill side, as the eastern side of the site was as high as the building's planned fourth story. The excavation was done using a steam shovel which dug into the hillside filling its large dipper, after which it turned around and emptied the dirt into a temporary Dinkey train. The small train then carried the soil to the nearby City Creek Canyon where it was dumped.[3] After the building's base was graded and excavated, work on the foundation started. The capitol was to be built of stone, with a concrete and steel superstructure.

By spring 1913 the foundation and basements walls were in place, and the steel columns and wooden frames for the concrete were being installed. Numerous small shops and offices had been constructed on the hill surrounding the site to support the building efforts, along with numerous small railroad lines carrying stone, mixed concrete, and other supplies. Contractors leased a right-of-way up Little Cottonwood Canyon, which originally held a railroad track from mines at Alta, and constructed a new railroad to carry granite from the canyon's quarry to the capitol site. On April 4, 1914, Governor William Spry presided over the cornerstone-laying ceremony. The cornerstone, dated 1914, was laid at the top of the southern steps, and was filled with records and photographs documenting the building's construction and Utah's culture.[7]

By the end of summer 1914 the basement, second floor, and exterior walls were nearing completion. The columns were being installed, and work progressed on the dome, including covering it in Utah copper. The capitol commission urged the work forward, hoping the eleventh session of the Legislature would be able to meet in the building the following year. But, as 1914 ended, work had not progressed enough and when the legislature met the next year, it did so in the Salt Lake City and County Building, until February 11, 1915, when the session was moved into the new capitol. Even though the legislature was meeting in the capitol, it took more than a year to finish the remainder of the building sufficiently for the executive and judicial officers to occupy the building. After work was finished the capitol was publicly dedicated on October 9, 1916. The original construction cost was $2,739,538.00 and replacement cost is estimated at $310,000,000. The capitol was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.[1] It is included in the Capitol Hill Historic District, a historic district also listed on the National Register.[1]
Later Alterations

Since its completion in 1916, the capitol has had numerous alterations, all varying in scale.
Renovation and restoration

In summer 2004 the capitol closed for an extensive renovation, which included restoration work and a seismic upgrade. The renovation was guided by three main goals, first strengthen the structure to withstand as much as a 7.3 magnitude earthquake, then restore the original architectural and artistic details of the building, all while retaining functionality after the renovation.[8] On August 7, 2004, the day before the capitol closed, a "Capitol Discovery Day" was held, and the public was invited to visit the capitol and learn about the changes being made, and why the project was necessary.[9] By August 8, the day the capitol closed, the renovation had already begun in certain locations around Capitol Hill. In 2002, following the 2002 Winter Olympics, some buildings added to the capitol campus, such as the circular cafeteria building, were demolished, and construction started on two new buildings. These two buildings, constructed north of the capitol, would serve as temporary offices during the structure's restoration.[10] Much of theasbestos on the exterior of the building (used to waterproof the dome) had been removed that summer by inmates from the Utah State Prison, working in the Utah Correctional Industries program.[11]
Base Isolation System

A cross-section of the base isolator set-up

A base isolator under the Capitol

Some of the major improvements made during the renovation included updating or replacing the heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical systems. Many rooms in the structure were restored to their original size, having been divided into smaller rooms over time; while others, like the Senate Chamber, were enlarged. Rooms were repainted their original colors, and new carpets, matching the 1916 originals, were installed. The 550 original windows had been replaced with aluminum trimmed ones in the early 1960s, and during the restoration they were replaced with replicated mahogany-trimmed, energy efficient, and in some areas bulletproof, windows. Original furniture was restored, and new period furniture was purchased. The floor of the rotunda had originally included glass, which allowed light to pass from the skylights down to the first floor, and the glass was restored during the renovations.[12]

One area which received much attention was the building's dome. The dome's drum, or circular base, experienced water leakage for many years. Contrary to architect Kletting's design, the state had used stucco and plaster, versus terra cotta, to give the appearance of stone on the exterior of the dome. Over time, the plaster deteriorated and allowed water penetration that damaged the interior murals.[12] In an effort to stop this the state had coated the drum area with a coating made of asbestos. During the restoration, the asbestos was removed, and actual terra cotta replaced the leaking plaster and stucco. In the dome's interior structure, acathodic protection system was installed to prevent any further damage to the concrete and steel. The system uses a network of electrical anodes to induce a small electric current into the steel, altering the electrolytic cycle and slowing the corrosion process. To help increase the dome's strength, a new six-inch shot concrete wall was applied over the existing concrete inside the dome's structure.[13]

Arguably the largest part of the renovation was improving the building's resistance to earthquake damage. A base isolation systemwas installed under the building to provide this protection. The building's isolation system is composed of a network of 280 base isolators, each 20 inches (51 cm) high, and between 36 inches (91 cm) and 44 inches (110 cm) in diameter. Installing the isolators required excavating the dirt around and beneath the capitol, exposing the foundation and footings. The original concrete support columns were then attached to a network of new load transfer beams, which extended horizontally from under the building, and were supported by pile caps under and along the perimeter of the capitol. The support columns were then detached from the original footings, leaving the building sitting on the load transfer beams and pile caps. A new concrete mat was poured around and on top of the original footings, leaving a space between the new load transfer beams and the concrete mat. The base isolators were then installed on top of the concrete mat, directly above the covered footings. Once all the isolators had been installed the temporary supports between the pile caps and load transfer beams were removed, leaving the beams to sit directly on the isolators, which sit on the concrete mat foundation. The isolators are made of layers of laminated rubber, and are very strong vertically but not horizontally, which allows the building to rock gently back and forth as the ground underneath moves during an earthquake.[13]

Several other improvements during the renovation will help to improve the building's stability, including the addition of concreteshear walls within the structure. The shear walls will keep the building from twisting or distorting, which could cause a collapse as it moves during an earthquake. The shear walls were installed in empty vent shafts left from the original construction, and inside new elevator shafts and stairwells. The granite columns along the structure's exterior were also in danger of buckling during a seismic event, and as a result the joints were injected with an epoxy adhesive during the renovation work.[13]

The innovative restoration and upgrade was the first of its kind on such a large scale. The final cost was $260,000,000 which did not include the construction of two additional legislative office buildings on the capitol campus at a cost of $37,000,000 each.[14] The capitol was rededicated on January 4, 2008, and opened to the public the next day. Funds dedicated to the capitol complex make it the costliest state capitol complex in the United States.[citation needed]
Architecture
Exterior

The South Entrance

The capitol's architect was inspired by Classical architecture, and some local newspapers compared the early designs to Greece's Parthenon. Many of the building's details rely on the Corinthian style, in which formality, order, proportion and line are essential design elements. The building is 404 feet (123 m) feet long, 240 feet (73 m) feet wide, and the dome is 250 feet (76 m) high.[15]

The exterior is constructed of Utah granite (Quartz monzonite mined in nearby Little Cottonwood Canyon), as are other Salt Lake City landmarks such as the Salt Lake Temple and LDS Conference Center. The stone facade is symmetrical, with each side being organized around a central pedimented entrance. Fifty-two Corinthian columns, each 32 feet (9.8 m) tall by 3.5 feet (1.1 m) in diameter sitting on an exposed foundation podium, surround around the south (front), east and west sides of the capitol.[3]
Interior

The building's interior has five floors (four main floors and a basement). The capitol is decorated with many paintings and sculptures depicting Utah's history and heritage, including statues ofBrigham Young, first territorial governor, and Philo T. Farnsworth, Utah native and a developer of television. The floors are made of marble from Georgia.
Basement

The basement has been heavily remodeled throughout the years, and much of the eastern half of the basement has been replaced by the base isolators (which are meant to make the building more resistant to earthquakes). Because of the slope of the ground under the building the western half of the capitol still contains a full basement, with base isolators underneath. During the 2004-2008 restoration a terrace was constructed which surrounds the building on the east, west, and south sides; this terrace extended the basement level beyond the original walls. Today the basement houses maintenance and security offices, mechanical and storage space, several conference and meeting rooms, the Legislative Printing Office, Bill Room, and a fitness center. The Capitol Hill Association, a group of political lobbyists, also rents space in the basement for a lounge.[16]
First floor

The First Floor

The first floor, or ground floor, was the first completed and has the least amount of decorative finish work. The exterior stairs on the east and west ends of the building lead to this level, versus the front steps which lead directly to the second floor. When first completed in 1916 the ground floor was mostly a vast, open exhibit space spanning the entire length of the building, while offices were built in the four corners of this level. The ceiling beneath the rotunda above is made of glass (which also serves as the floor above), and allows light from the 2nd floor to illuminate the ground floor also. Over time the large open areas of the ground floor were walled in and divided, extending the offices into the public space.[17] Now the ground floor still contains many of the capitol's exhibits, and includes a small visitor center and gift shop.
Second floor

The rotunda and dome interior

The Rotunda and stairs to the second floor in the background.

The building's second floor, often referred to as the main floor, has retained much of its historic appearance over the years. This floor also serves as the first level of the three-story rotunda and flanking atria. The rotunda occupies the center of the building, under the dome. The interior ceiling of the dome, which reaches 165 feet (50 m) above the floor, includes a large painting by artist William Slater. The mural includes seagullsflying amongst clouds, and was choose because the California gullis Utah's official state bird and represents the Miracle of the gullsfrom Utah's history. Also within the dome is a cyclorama, with eight scenes from Utah's history, including the driving of the Golden Spike and the naming of Ensign Peak; the characters in the scenes of the cyclorama stand approximately 10 feet (3.0 m) high. When the capitol was opened in 1916 the cyclorama was blank, and was not painted until the 1930s, as a Works Progress Administration(WPA) project.[18]

The dome is supported by marble covered, coffered arches, which sit on four pendatives.[17] The coffered arches each depict a scene from Utah's history including the exploration of Utah by John C. Frémont, the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition, the fur trappingdone by Peter Skene Ogden and lastly the arrival of the Mormons Pioneers led by Brigham Young. At the bottom of the pendatives surrounding the rotunda are niches containing statues. The niches are original to the building, but until the restoration they remained empty. Prior to the renovations, three artists, Eugene L. Daub, Robert Firmin, and Jonah Hendrickson were commissioned to create statues to fill them. The four statues, each approximately 11 feet (3.4 m) tall and known collectively as "The Great Utahs" represent Science and Technology, Land and Community, Immigration and Settlement, along with the Arts and Education.[18]Suspended from the dome's ceiling is the original chandelier weighing 3,000 lb (1,400 kg) (The chain supporting it weighs an additional 1,000 lb (450 kg)). The chandelier is an exact copy of one hanging in the Arkansas State Capitol, and during the restoration process Arkansas sent several, period glass diffusers to Utah to replace broken ones found in its chandelier.[19]

The second floor, showing the west atrium

Flanking the east and west sides of the rotunda are atria, which contain large skylights, allowing sunlight to enter the public areas. Surrounding the atria are two levels of balconies which are supported by twenty-four monolithic, Ionic style columns.[17]At the end of each atriim is a marble staircase, and a mural. The arched mural on the west end, above the entrance to the House Chamber is entitled the Passing of the Wagons, while the mural at east end, above the entrance to the Supreme Court, is known as theMadonna of the Wagon. Both murals were meant as a tribute to the early pioneers, and were the first commissioned works of art in the capitol, being signed by Girard Hale and Gilbert White.[18]

The state reception room, or gold room, is also located on this floor, and is often used to entertain visiting dignitaries. The gold room gets its name from the extensive usage of gold leaf in its decoration. The ceiling contains a painting entitled Children at Play by New York artist Lewis Schettle. The majority of finishings and furniture in the room have been imported from Europe, including the Russian walnut table, and several chairs are upholstered with Queen Elizabeth's coronation fabric.[18] Just west of the gold room, is the Governor's office.
Third floor

The third floor, also known as the legislative floor, contains the chambers for both the House and Senate, along with the Supreme Court. When the building was first completed the north-east corner of this floor contained the library, which has since been relocated, and the area divided into smaller offices.[17] At the end of the west atrium area is the entrance to the House of Representatives. The House is composed of 75 members, who serve two-year terms, and represent approximately 29,000 citizens each.[20] During the restoration the House chamber was restored to the original paint colors and period carpets. Two 103 in (260 cm) plasma display screens were installed at the front of the chamber for voting processes and presentations, a first of its kind system in a state capitol.[18] New desks were created, based on the originals, but now allow room for modern technology such as printers and computers.[18] The ceiling of the chamber is a large skylight, allowing natural light to illuminate the room. The chamber also features four murals painted on the rounded ceiling coves, two of which (east and west) are original to the buildings, while the other two were painted during the renovation. The east mural, entitled The Dream of Brigham Young was painted by New York artist, Vincent Aderente, and shows Young standing near the Salt Lake Temple and holding theirblueprints. The east mural, entitled Discovery of the Great Salt Lake, shows Brigham Young conversing with Jim Bridger about theGreat Salt Lake, and is the work of A. E. Foringer. The north mural features Utah resident, Seraph Young, voting in Utah's first election following the granting of women's suffrage in the territory. The south mural features the Engen brothers building their first Ski jump, representing the importance of outdoor recreation to the economy of Utah.[18] The House Lounge, located directly behind the chamber, was restored to its original size and configuration, and furnished with period carpets and furniture.

The Senate chamber, which houses the Utah State Senate, is located in the northern part of the center wing. The Senate is composed of 29 members, who serve for terms of four-years. Senators sit facing north, towards the speaker. The chamber was expanded during the renovation, removing the walls on each side, opening what were hallways to the floor of the chamber. Like the House's chamber, the Senate Chamber was restored with original paint colors and period furniture. Included within the chamber are three murals, the first is original to the building, and was painted across the entire, upper-part, of the front wall. The mural, known as a polyptych, is a landscape by A.B. Wright and Lee Greene Richards showing Utah Lake, located a 45-minute drive south of the capitol, in Utah County. During the restoration, two new paintings, by Logan artist Keith Bond were painted. The eastern mural, entitledOrchards along the Foothills, shows the Wasatch Mountains ofNorthern Utah. The western mural, entitled Ancestral Home shows an Anasazi ruin amongst the red-rock hills of Southern Utah.[18]

The Supreme Court chamber is located at the far east end of building. The chamber is currently only used for ceremonial purposes as the Utah Supreme Court relocated to the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City in 1998.

The House Chamber

The Senate Chamber

The Supreme Court Chamber

Fourth floor

Both historically and after its renovation, the fourth floor contains the viewing galleries for both the house and senate chambers, along with several offices and committee rooms. Much of the floor is open to floors below, allowing visitors to look down on the third or second floors in several locations. When the capitol opened, this floor was also used as an art gallery, and currently it contains several small exhibits along with a statue of Philo Farnsworth, a developer oftelevision and a Utah native.
Grounds and Capitol Complex

State Capitol building and south grounds. The Mormon Battalion monument is to the right, and the obelisk-shaped monument on top of Ensign Peak is barely visible to the right of the Mormon Battalion monument.

The capitol building is the centerpiece of a 40-acre (160,000 m2) plot which also includes a Vietnam War memorial, Utah Law Enforcement Memorial, and a monument dedicated to the Mormon Battalion. The renovations added a new plaza, a reflecting pool, and two office buildings, as well as underground parking.[21] The grounds feature plants, shrubs, and trees native to Utah, as well as good views of Salt Lake City, theSalt Lake Valley and the Wasatch Front.
Other buildings
State Office Building

By the 1950s the capitol was reaching capacity, and there was little room to expand offices in the building without making drastic changes to the historical layout. As a result the state legislature appropriated $3 million to construct a new office building, located about 350 feet (110 m) directly north of the capitol. A new master plan was also created during the design process which specified creating a new plaza which would connect the two buildings and cover a new underground parking facility. The other parking lots in the complex were expanded and a maintenance shop was constructed for state vehicles. The new plan also set aside space for the construction of two more office buildings on the east and west sides of the plaza. The new building was designed by Scott & Beecher Architecture, and was smaller than the capitol building but contained much more usable working space. The finished plans were completed and presented to the state during November 1958.[3]

Construction of the new building started with a groundbreaking ceremony held March 8, 1959. Because the new plan required a large amount of excavation work, the removed dirt was used to build up the ground for Interstate 15, also under construction during that period. After the building was completed, it was dedicated on June 9, 1961.

References 

1. ^ National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2008-04-15.
2. Jump up^ Lyman, Edward Leo (1994), "Statehood for Utah", in Powell, Allan Kent,  Salt Lake City, Utah: University of Utah Press,ISBN 0874804256,OCLC  
3. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d e f g h i j}Cooper/Rogers Architects (13 September 2000). "II".Building & Grounds Restoration Master Plan and Historic Structures Report(PDF). Capitol Preservation Board. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
4. ^ Jump up to:^a b Ison, Yvette D. (July 1995). History Blazer. Utah History To Go. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
5. ^ Jump up to:^a b Cooley, Everett L. (July 1959). "Utah's Capitols"(PDF). Utah Historical Quarterly 27 (3) (Utah Historical Society). p. 263. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
6. Jump up^   The Salt Lake Evening Telegram (Utah Digital Newspapers). 14 March 1912. Retrieved2013-09-12.
7. Jump up^   The Salt Lake Evening Telegram (Utah Digital Newspapers). 4 April 1914. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
8. Jump up^ Warburton, Nicole (3 January 2008).  . Deseret News. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
9. Jump up^ Erickson, Tiffany (10 August 2004).   Deseret News. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
10. Jump up^ Nielson-Stowell, Amelia (1 August 2004).  . Deseret News. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
11. Jump up^ Genessy, Jody (10 August 2004).  Deseret News. Retrieved 2013-09-12.
12. ^ Jump up to:^a b Utah Division of State History. Utah State History website. Retrieved 30 January2011.^[ 
13. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Johnson, Jerod G. (2005). "Modern Solutions to Historic Problems: The Utah State Capitol Building Seismic Retrofit Project" (PDF). Utah Preservation 9 (Utah State Historical Society). pp. 52–56.ISSN  
14. Jump up^ "Utah State Capitol Seismic Retrofit and Restoration"(PDF). Parsons Corporation. December 2006. Retrieved2013-09-12.
15. Jump up^ Architect of the Capitol.  . Architect of the Capitol website. Retrieved27 January 2011.
16. Jump up^ Gehrke, Robert (25 January 2010). . The Salt Lake Tribune (Salt Lake City). Retrieved 18 December2013.
17. ^ Jump up to:^a b c d Cooper/Rogers Architects (13 September 2000). "III". Building & Grounds Restoration Master Plan and Historic Structures Report (PDF). Capitol Preservation Board. Retrieved2013-09-12.
18. ^ Jump up to:^{a b c d e f g h} State of Utah (2008).  Utah State Capitol website. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
19. Jump up^  Lightandsoundamerica.com. 9 July 2008. Retrieved2013-09-12.
20. Jump up^ Utah House of Representatives.  .House of Representatives website. Retrieved 4 March2011.
21. Jump up^ Whitney, Susan (1 August 2004).   Deseret News. Retrieved 2013-09-12.

External links 

 Media related to Utah State Capitol at Wikimedia Commons