Brigham Young Historic Park
Honored for his roles as pioneer, colonizer, governor, and religious leader, Brigham Young (1801–77) was best known as simply “Brother Brigham.”
A beloved leader and wise counselor, he served as President of the Church from 1847 until his death in 1877. This historic park is a representation of the lives and industry of Brigham Young and the early pioneers. Statues in the park depict pioneering efforts.
Items such as the waterwheel powered by City Creek, a portion of the old wall of Brigham Young’s farm that stands in place, and the gardens are all reminiscent of the farm once found here. The Young’s family estate, which included this site, extended north of Eagle Gate nearly three blocks. It included the eastern half of the block where the Lion and Beehive Houses are located and continued east up the hill for approximately two blocks. The property was large enough to accommodate carpenter and shoe shops, as well as a pigeon house, barns, sheds, and corrals. What they called the “upper garden” had vegetables, fruits, and an orchard of apple, peach, pear, and walnut trees, as well as beehives.
On October 2, 1995, President Gordon B. Hinckley jointly dedicated City Creek Park (across the street to the north) and the Brigham Young Historic Park as places that would “afford refuge from the rush and hurry of the city [and] provide a place where the weary may sit and rest with the soft music of moving water [and] provide an oasis for contemplation and reflection.” Besides the pleasant surroundings, a variety of concerts are held in the evenings during the summer months, making this park a unique oasis in downtown Salt Lake City.
On the inside of the west wall of the Brigham Young Historic Park are two plaques honoring the Prophet Joseph Smith for his ingenious design in laying out a city. Following the pattern established by Moses in the Old Testament, Joseph proposed a city with a temple in the center and streets running north-south and east-west from there. Farming areas were located on the outskirts of town, allowing the farmer and his family to enjoy all the urban advantages of schools, public lectures, and social gatherings.
