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OREM — Orem is celebrating its history this week and getting public feedback with two different videos that portray how State Street looked in 1947 and 1966.
Orem officials posted the videos on its Facebook page Tuesday and Wednesday. The first video was provided to the city by Jay Buckley, from the Historic Preservation Advisory Commission, according to Orem city officials. The footage shows what driving down State Street looked like in 1947.
Several of the buildings shown in the video are still standing and currently functioning, like the SCERA Theatre and the Orem City Hall. The street is much less crowded with buildings and has a more rural feel with a lot of fields and trees.
The clips have sparked a flurry of interest in reinventing State Street, said assistant to the city manager Steven Downs. "We want to create a place that says, 'Hey, stay a while,'" said Downs. Gary White has owned and operated Clear Springs Pool and Spa on State Street for 30 years.
"I still have customers coming in that say, 'I never knew you were here because we were buzzing along at 50 miles an hour,'" White said.
The second video portrays Orem State Street in 1966. Like in the previous video, the footage shows some businesses that are still there like Miracle Bowl with its iconic giant bowling pin. However, the video also shows some businesses that are no longer there like the House of Milk and Honey and the Timp Drive-In Theatre.
Orem city officials are asking people who recognize other businesses or buildings in the videos to share their memories of them on the Facebook page.
The city doesn't expect to remodel the entire route, but city leaders identify several pockets where they can create a downtown atmosphere.
"This is what people see when they drive through Orem," said Downs. "We want people to leave Orem saying, 'Hey I just saw a beautiful community.'"
Orem officials are also asking for the public's input on their State Street Master Plan Update. They would like feedback on how to shape the future of State Street in Orem. Anyone can give feedback by clicking here.
