Union Square (Salt Lake City)

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Union Square
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. LOC sanborn08891 005-36 (cropped).jpg
Union Square, from a 1911 Sanborn Map
Union Square (Salt Lake City)
TypeCity block
Location Salt Lake City, Utah,
United States
Coordinates 40°46′29.56″N111°54′3.97″W / 40.7748778°N 111.9011028°W / 40.7748778; -111.9011028
Area10 acres (4.0 ha)
Founded1847

Union Square, also previously known as Public Square [1] or University Square, is a historic block in Salt Lake City, Utah. Originally designated a public square during the initial 1847 survey of Salt Lake City, it was commonly used in the 1850s as a camping spot for recently arrived Mormon pioneers. As the city developed, the square became home to several educational institutions, including the University of Utah and has been home to West High School since 1901.

Contents

Description

Union Square includes the entire 10-acre (4.0 ha) city block that is bounded on the north by 300 North, on the west by 400 West and on the east by 300 West. [2] Formerly, 200 North marked the southern boundary [2] before this section of street was closed and incorporated into the high school campus in 1961. [3] [4]

History

On August 2, 1847, just days after the first Mormon settlers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, Henry Sherwood and Orson Pratt began to survey and layout Salt Lake City, beginning at the newly established Salt Lake meridian. [5] In the early surveys, four blocks were designated public squares, including Union Square. The other public squares became Pioneer Park, Washington Square, and Tenth Ward Square (currently the site of Trolley Square). [6]

Upon the dissolution of the provisional government of Deseret in March 1851, due to the creation of the Utah Territory, Union Square was selected as the site for the territory's government buildings. [7] Although no action was ever taken to construct buildings, and soon after, Fillmore, Utah was designated as capital city. [8] For nearly a decade, camps of newly arrived Mormon pioneers made use of Union Square, including during the handcart period. Later arriving emigrants would camp at Washington Square in another part of the city. [1] In 1880, Salt Lake City gave the square to the University of Deseret (since renamed to University of Utah), beginning the square's long history with education in the area.

List of current institutions on the square

NameImageFirst openedNotes
Salt Lake High School /
West High School 		West High School (east side of building) - Salt Lake City, Utah - 26 April 2025.jpg 1901Salt Lake High School was established in 1890, and moved around to several different locations in the city until September 1901, when it moved into the recently vacated main building of the University of Utah on Union Square (along with the nearby former Church University building). [9] [10] In 1922, a three-story high school building opened, replacing the old University of Utah building. [11] As of 2024, the high school is still housed in the 1922 building, but is expected to move to a new building after funding was approved in the 2024 local election. [12]

List of former institutions on the square

NameImageFirst openedNotes
University of Deseret /
University of Utah 		University Hall (University of Utah).jpg 1884Union Square was given by Salt Lake City to the University of Deseret in 1880; prior to this, the university had been housed in a number of temporary locations. [13] Construction on the university's building, designed by Obed Taylor, was started in 1881. [14] Funding challenges stretched out its construction, but the building was completed enough to be occupied by the university beginning with the August 1884 term. [15] In 1892, the school's name was changed to University of Utah and it moved to its present campus on the bench east of downtown, in 1900. [13] Salt Lake High School moved into the old university building in September 1901. [9] The structure was demolished in 1921, in conjunction with the construction of a new high school building. [16]
Deaf Mute Institute / Union School Union School - Salt Lake City, Utah - 1903 (cropped).jpg 1890In 1884, a deaf school was opened as a department of the University of Deseret. To house the school, the Deaf Mute Institute building was opened on Union Square in December 1890. In 1896, the school was moved to Ogden, Utah, eventually evolving into the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. [17]

After the deaf school vacated the building, the University of Utah remodeled it to house its normal/training school (for the training of teachers). [18] In 1900, the University of Utah, including its training school, moved to a new campus [19] and in September 1900, the Salt Lake Board of Education opened a primary school in the building called "University School"; [20] [21] it was shortly thereafter renamed "Union School." [22] The Salt Lake High School was moved to Union Square in 1901 [23] and over time, the high school began to use rooms in the Union School. By 1910, the school district was reporting that nearly all rooms were being occupied by the high school and that the Union School elementary students would be transferred to new schools the following year, allowing the high school to take complete control of the structure. [24] After the building was incorporated into the high school, it became known as the "Union building." The structure was demolished during summer 1971. [25]

Technical High School Exterior of Technical High School, Salt Lake City - The Architectural Forum, April 1917.tif 1912Housing vocational and practical training, construction of the Technical High School was started in 1910. [26] The building was partially opened in September 1911, [27] [28] and work was finished in early 1912. [29] Once the best example of a Prairie Style building in Utah, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, but was removed after the structure was torn down. It was known for its sculptures by Mahonri Young. [30]

References

  1. 1 2 Woods, Fred E. (2011). "The Arrival of Nineteenth-Century Mormon Emigrants in Salt Lake City". In Esplin, Scott C.; Alford, Kenneth L. (eds.). Salt Lake City: The Place Which God Prepared. Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center. pp. 206–209. ISBN   978-0-8425-2799-6.
  2. 1 2 Jenson, Andrew (1941). "Deseret University (The)". Encyclopedic History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City: Deseret News Publishing Company. pp. 190–191. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Street Key to West's Growth". The Salt Lake Tribune . Salt Lake City. April 2, 1961. p. B11. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  4. ↑ "School Board To Call For Re-Bid Of 2 Jobs". Deseret News and Telegram . Salt Lake City. June 14, 1961. p. 16B. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  5. ↑ Grunder, Rick; Cohen, Paul E. (2019). "Cartography and the Founding of Salt Lake City". Utah Historical Quarterly . 87 (3): 182–199. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  6. ↑ Koenig, Bob (June 2, 1965). "Historic Roots: Washington Square". Deseret News . Salt Lake City. pp. B1, B11. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  7. ↑ "The Legislature of Deseret". Deseret News . Salt Lake City. April 8, 1851. p. 237. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  8. ↑ "State of Deseret Organized in 1848/Fillmore First Capital/State Has Had 3 Homes". Salt Lake Herald . Salt Lake City. March 28, 1920. Magazine Section, p. 1. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  9. 1 2 "High School Begins Again". The Salt Lake Tribune . Salt Lake City. September 24, 1901. p. 8. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  10. ↑ Hill, Katherine L. Hill (December 19, 1920). "Story of Salt Lake High School Growth Pictures Striking Contrasts: Academic Paths Rough, Rocky". The Salt Lake Tribune . Salt Lake City. Society Section, pp. 16–17. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
  11. ↑ "New West High Is Model Of Convenience". Deseret News . Salt Lake City. September 23, 1922. Section 3, p. 2. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
  12. ↑ Stefanich, Logan (November 5, 2024). "Here's how school district bond proposals fared across the Beehive State". Salt Lake City: KSL-TV . Retrieved March 31, 2025.
  13. 1 2 Chamberlin, Ralph V. (July 24, 1947). "University Founded By Legislative Act in 1850". Deseret News . Salt Lake City. Centennial Edition, Section 3, p. 11. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Deseret University". Deseret Evening News . Salt Lake City. April 23, 1881. p. 3. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Utah's University: To Commence Its School Year In Its Own New Building". Deseret Evening News . Salt Lake City. August 7, 1884. p. 3. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Historic Structure Being Razed to Make Way For New High School". Deseret News . Salt Lake City. July 7, 1921. p. 5. Retrieved March 30, 2025.
  17. ↑ Pace, Irma Acord (October 1946). "A History of the Utah School for the Deaf" (PDF). The Utah Eagle. Ogden, Utah: Utah School for the Deaf and the Blind. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 9, 2023. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Normal School Quarters: University's West Building Being Refitted". The Daily Tribune . Salt Lake City. September 1, 1896. p. 5. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Opening Of New Training School". Deseret Evening News . Salt Lake City. September 8, 1900. p. 8. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Eaton Was Elected: Ogden Educator Chosen Principal of High School". Salt Lake Herald . Salt Lake City. September 4, 1900. p. 8. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Opening Of Public Schools". The Daily Tribune . Salt Lake City. September 11, 1900. p. 8. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Now The Union School". The Daily Tribune . Salt Lake City. September 26, 1900. p. 3. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Education Board Moves High School". Salt Lake Herald . Salt Lake City. September 11, 1901. p. 5. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  24. ↑ Twentieth Annual Report of the Public School of Salt Lake City for the Year Ending June 30, 1910 (Report). Salt Lake City: Board of Education. 1910. p. 86. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Wrecker's Ball To Demolish Old S.L. School". The Salt Lake Tribune . Salt Lake City. July 14, 1971. p. 17. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Model Technical High School For City". Salt Lake Herald-Republican . Salt Lake City. November 27, 1910. Section 3, p. 11. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  27. ↑ "Technical School Will Be Delayed". Salt Lake Herald-Republican . Salt Lake City. September 1, 1911. p. 9. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
  28. ↑ "Technical School Partially Opened". The Salt Lake Tribune . Salt Lake City. September 12, 1911. p. 14. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  29. ↑ "New Technical High School Is Completed". The Salt Lake Tribune . Salt Lake City. March 7, 1912. p. 3. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  30. ↑ Utah State Historical Society (January 2, 1980). National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form: Technical High School (Report). National Park Service.
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