Documentary remembers community of early South Temple

Documentary remembers community of early South Temple


6 photos
Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

SALT LAKE CITY — Focusing on South Temple, a new documentary explores the "grand boulevard" of Salt Lake City.

In Salt Lake City, a walk down South Temple is a stroll through the city's main artery. On the street, visitors can learn about its history, government, religions, and culture. Formerly called "Brigham Street," after Brigham Young — who led the settlement and government of the early city — the street is the focus of a new documentary by the same name.

"Brigham Street" producer Issac Goeckeritz was inspired to create the film while living on South Temple. He found a book about the street, which used to be mostly homes he said, and the photographs and stories fascinated him. After working on a documentary about the two blocks upon which the City Creek Mall now sits, he felt this was a natural continuation of the story.

"The other take home message is that South Temple was a community. So while you're talking about the rich and famous, we also highlight some not-so-rich and not-so-famous," Goeckeritz said. "So it's a neat opportunity to look at a street that's really part of your community and know that that's part of you. You still have a place there."

Though the street picks up intermittently throughout the city, the largest portion spans from the Gateway Mall to the University of Utah, and is dotted with points of interest.

Governor's Mansion

"Brigham Street" documentary
Encore: Thursday, 8 p.m. on KUED
Watch it online at kued.org

Also known as the Kearns Mansion, the house was built by Thomas Kearns, a mining executive in 1902. From the time it was built, the mansion hosted debates and entertainment. In 1937, following Kearns' death, his widow Jennie donated the mansion to Utah. Since then, it has been a library, museum, and governor's mansion.

Visitors can tour the mansion in June, July, August and December on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 4 p.m.

Masonic Temple

Since its completion in 1927, the Egyptian-revival style Salt Lake Masonic Temple has housed the Freemason's Grand Lodge of Utah. Unlike any other building Downtown, the temple is worth a stop.

South Temple (Photo: Utah State Historical Society)
South Temple (Photo: Utah State Historical Society)

The temple hosts community events, including concerts, and is open to the public weekly. Take a tour one Friday at noon or 2 p.m. Though no reservations are required, the Masonic Temple Association recommends calling ahead to make sure the tour has not been cancelled. Call them at 801-363-2550.

Eagle Gate

Since it was originally constructed in 1859, the gate on State Street and looking over South Temple has changed forms several times. In its original state, the wooden eagle was placed atop a beehive and star mount on the curved wooden arches. Gates closed off the property, which belonged to Brigham Young, as well.

The gates were later removed, and the supports were heightened and widened to accommodate street cars. In 1960, a truck badly damaged the gate, and the original eagle and beehive — covered in copper by this point — were donated to the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. In 1963, a new gate was put into place, and remains there today.

Fort Douglas

The fort was built during the Civil War as a way to "keep an eye on the Mormons," according to the University of Utah, and allowed the union to establish a garrison, gain "military supremacy over the indigenous cultures," and begin prospecting for minerals.

More than 100 buildings from Fort Douglas have been preserved, and many of them are in use by the University of Utah. Several buildings were put under the management of the Fort Douglas Museum after it was designated as a national historic landmark.

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12 to 5 p.m. It is located at 32 Potter Street on the University of Utah campus.

Cathedral of the Madeleine

Completed in 1909, the Romanesque and Gothic cathedral is a cultural hub in Salt Lake. The bells have rung since 1917 every day on the hour.

Tours are available but take about four to six weeks to schedule. Visitors can stop by anytime there is not a confirmation or wedding. During their visit, people are asked to be quiet in the cathedral, and not to walk on the white marble, altar or behind the wooden screen. Call 801-328-8941 for tours.

The "Brigham Street" documentary premiered Tuesday, but an encore will air Thursday evening at 8 p.m. on KUED. It can also be watched online at kued.org.

Photos

Related links

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

Utah
Celeste Tholen Rosenlof

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast