FILLMORE — As the former capitol building for Utah, the Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum has an interesting history, and each year, the curators tell visitors about the spookier aspects of Fillmore's heritage during a guided tour through the old building.

Located at the corner of 100 West and 100 South, the Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum is the oldest government building in Utah and was established as a state park in 1930, according to museum curator Carl Camp. Fillmore was originally chosen by LDS Leader Brigham Young as the territory capital city in 1851 because it was the geographical center of Utah, Camp said. However, after realizing the city wouldn't be the population center of the state, Salt Lake City was designated as the new capital in 1858.

Due to a lack of government funding and the relocation of the capital, only one of the four wings of the Territorial Statehouse were completed and the dome was never built, Camp said. The section of the building that was completed in 1855 only housed one legislative session. When the capital was relocated to Salt Lake City, the basement of the building was briefly used as a holding cell for prisoners during the Utah War, Camp said.

The Territorial Statehouse was also used as an LDS school, a Presbyterian mission school and as a public school, Camp said. The third floor of the building functioned as a public entertainment hall for early settlers housing dances, theatrical plays and wrestling matches.

The original building is now utilized as a state park museum and along with providing history of early settlers in the area, events and holiday activities are also hosted there. Here are several things to do at the Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum:

Candlelight Tour

The museum hosts a Candlelight Tour each October to give families a unique and fun way to celebrate Halloween. All the lights are turned out in the old building and visitors are given electric candles to use during the tour. The tour guide leads groups through different areas in the museum where people in costume tell different historical accounts of spooky things that happened in Fillmore.

"Just a spooky way to tell some of the more creepy stories of things that happened," Camp said. "There were some instances where there were some different kinds of deaths and we talk about those and how they treated the dead. We get to tell kind of some of those more spooky or creepy stories. … The building is kind of a little spooky at night anyway without lights so it just kind of adds to that."

The Candlelight Tour will be held Monday, Oct. 26 and Friday, Oct. 30 from 6-10 p.m. The tour can take between 15 minutes and an hour.

Old Capitol Arts and Living History Festival ============================================

Each year, the Old Capitol Arts and Living History Festival is held at the Territorial Statehouse Museum as well. The festival includes musical entertainment, food and art vendors and different historical activities. Some of the historical exhibits include a working blacksmith, a bow maker and a broom maker, Camp said.

The festival is held annually the week after Labor Day from Wednesday to Saturday.

Christmas activities

The state park also hosts a traditional family Christmas event on the first Monday in December each year, Camp said. The family-friendly activities includes popping and stringing popcorn and making traditional paper ornaments that are dipped in colorful wax.

The Christmas activities are held in the little rock schoolhouse next to the Territorial Statehouse. The schoolhouse was built on the statehouse property in 1870, Camp said. The event will be held Monday, Dec. 7 and runs from 6-9 p.m.

Historical artifacts

The museum has a great collection of historical artifacts displayed throughout the building including a buggy that was formerly used as the town hearse, Camp said. There is also a display of clothing, furniture, and dishes.

An old printing press and newspaper are also on display from when the Deseret News utilized the building for several months in the spring of 1858. When Colonel Albert Sidney Johnson and his army were deployed to Utah because of rumors that the residents were "in a state of rebellion," the settlers feared they would be killed so they relocated a lot of people and the Deseret News printing press to Fillmore, Camp said. Many guns and swords from the Utah War are also on display in the museum.

Genealogy and family research

Camp said one of the main attractions that brings visitors to the Territorial Statehouse year-round is its large collection of historical records and photos of early settlers in the Fillmore area. The museum has more than 200 large portraits displayed on the basement walls and an additional 600 small photos in files.

"Because this was such an early settlement, people who have long-time roots in Utah, almost everyone can find someone they are related to in our pictures," Camp said.

The museum also has biographical sketches and written stories of early settlers in the Fillmore area.

Rollerskating

The state park also hosts roller skating every Friday night from 7-10 p.m. The roller skating is held in a 1970s school building next to the museum that is known locally as "The Pod," Camp said. Roller skates are rented at the facility.

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