Preservation Utah

Preservation Utah We preserve & protect Utah's historic built environment through public awareness and advocacy.

Our mission is to keep the past alive, not only for preservation, but to inspire and provoke a more creative present and sustainable future.

For years, people wondered what would happen to the O.J. Salisbury House. Now, the wait is over, and the corner of 600 E...
08/20/2026

For years, people wondered what would happen to the O.J. Salisbury House. Now, the wait is over, and the corner of 600 East and 100 South in Salt Lake City has come back to life.

Frederick Albert Hale, a leading Utah architect at the time, built the house in 1898. This SLC Landmark shows off Neoclassical style, with warm sandstone, a grand portico, and a decorative pediment. Tall metal Ionic columns frame the entrance, and the central door sits under a broken pediment with columns on each side. Above the door, crystal glass transom lights and two oval windows add a touch of elegance.

If you look closely, you’ll notice the careful craftsmanship. Both floors have segmental windows with stone details and keystones, and a metal cornice with a decorative frieze and brackets lines the roof. Every detail was meant to show the original owner’s status during Salt Lake City’s boom years. The house is also part of the East Side Historic District, with other homes that share the city’s history.

For a long time, no one knew what would happen to the building. Now, it has been fully restored and serves as an assisted living community, giving this landmark a new purpose in the neighborhood. Take a drive by and see it yourself. The corner is alive again.

The 1962 IBM Building at 348 South Temple in Salt Lake City has a new purpose thanks to adaptive reuse. It now serves as...
08/18/2026

The 1962 IBM Building at 348 South Temple in Salt Lake City has a new purpose thanks to adaptive reuse. It now serves as the anchor for The Source on South Temple.

This building stands out as a great example of Utah's midcentury modern style. Salt Lake architect Donald Panushka, along with James Hunter and Associates, designed it. It was among the first in Utah to use post-tensioned concrete, and its unique arches and columns make it different from nearby offices. Panushka also designed buildings at the University of Utah and the Park City Ski Resort lodge. The IBM Building is one of his lasting contributions to Salt Lake City. It is part of the South Temple Historic District and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the 1980s, alongside landmarks like the Governor's Mansion and the Salt Lake Masonic Temple.

Adaptive reuse is when a building is given a new purpose instead of being torn down. In this case, the former office building was turned into housing. The original structure now includes apartments, a coffee shop, a clubhouse, and gathering spaces. The renovation kept the building’s key features, like its post-tensioned concrete arches, barrel-vaulted ceilings, and terrazzo floors. The design also honors its midcentury origins. By reusing the concrete and steel, the project avoided the waste and extra materials needed for a complete rebuild.

Projects like this show that a historic building can serve a modern purpose. Since the IBM Building is in a National Register district, it qualified for state and federal historic tax credits, which helped make the renovation possible.

These photos are from a recent tour our board and staff took of the building. You can read the full news story on our Preservation News in Utah page.
https://www.preservationutah.org/preservation-news-in-utah

Happy National Nonprofit Day! Today, we celebrate the work that keeps our communities strong. For us, that means protect...
08/18/2026

Happy National Nonprofit Day! Today, we celebrate the work that keeps our communities strong. For us, that means protecting the places that make Utah unique.

Think about the buildings that are part of your story. The neighborhood where you grew up. The Main Street you still remember. The landmark you pass by and can't imagine losing. Since 1966, Preservation Utah has worked to keep these places standing. We teach how to protect sensitive materials, care for preservation easements across the state, and bring neighborhood history to life through home tours and public programs.

When a historic place is lost, it is gone forever. Your support helps us act before that happens.

On this National Nonprofit Day, will you help us protect the places that matter? Any gift, big or small, supports the advocacy, education, and preservation work that keeps Utah's history alive for future generations.

Donate today at https://givebutter.com/PresUtahBuiltToEndure.
Thank you for your support.

It’s official: the Tenth East Senior Center is now on the National Register of Historic Places, as of July 27, 2026.The ...
08/16/2026

It’s official: the Tenth East Senior Center is now on the National Register of Historic Places, as of July 27, 2026.

The building opened in 1963 as the first facility in Salt Lake County built just for older adults, and it’s a landmark of Utah’s mid-century modern architecture. Burtch W. Beall Jr. and Paul L. Lemoine designed it, with George S. Nicholatus as project manager. Beall was a leading mid-century architect in Utah, a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and taught at the University of Utah. He trained in the Beaux-Arts tradition and was influenced by the Prairie Style, focusing his career on institutional buildings like the Chase Fine Arts Center at Utah State University, the Shaw Student Union at Westminster College, and Trinity Presbyterian Church in Ogden. Nicholatus later worked on the original Salt Palace and Abravanel Hall.

This site has been part of the community for over a hundred years, starting as the Salt Lake Tennis Club in 1912, then the Victory Recreation Center, and now the senior center many Salt Lakers know. The listing is the result of a community effort. When the county planned to close the center, seniors and neighbors came together, spoke up, and helped change the decision. Being on the National Register now officially recognizes the building’s importance and makes it eligible for preservation grants and tax incentives to help with its 2027 reopening.

Thank you to House Genealogy (housegenealogy.us) for researching and completing the National Register nomination that made this possible. Please help us celebrate by sharing the news.

https://www.preservationutah.org/advocacy-alerts/tenth-east-senior-center%2C-slc%2C-national-register-nomination

Our annual Fall Historic Homes Tour returns this October (10/17) to Poplar Grove, and we're looking for volunteers to he...
08/14/2026

Our annual Fall Historic Homes Tour returns this October (10/17) to Poplar Grove, and we're looking for volunteers to help make this event a success. Volunteers are needed in a variety of roles, including welcoming guests, assisting at tour homes, checking tickets, and helping visitors navigate the tour route. It's a wonderful opportunity to support one of Preservation Utah's signature events while experiencing the history and architecture of the Poplar Grove neighborhood firsthand. If you're interested in volunteering, we'd love to have you join us.

https://www.preservationutah.org/events-1/volunteer-opportunity-poplar-grove-historic-homes-tour

Nominations are OPEN for the Utah Historical Society's Annual Awards, and the recent recipients are a reminder of how ma...
08/12/2026

Nominations are OPEN for the Utah Historical Society's Annual Awards, and the recent recipients are a reminder of how many ways there are to move Utah history forward.

Just look at who took home honors this year. Dave Brewer earned an Outstanding Achievement Award for stewarding the historic Ladies' Literary Clubhouse, reactivated as Clubhouse on South Temple in a model of adaptive reuse (a place close to our hearts). The Al Mustafa Foundation of Utah was recognized for its exhibition documenting 100+ years of Utah's Muslim community. Brigham City Museum of Art & History was honored for its Japanese American Pioneers project. The Buffalo Soldier Heritage Trail, a collaboration with Sema Hadithi African American Heritage and Culture Foundation, Utah State Historic Preservation Office, and the Cultural Site Stewardship Program, brought African American military history to sites across the state. And the Hill Aerospace Museum was celebrated for a transformed, community-focused visitor experience.

Know an individual, group, or project doing this kind of work? Nominate them. Projects just need to have been completed in the past two years.

Deadlines are coming up fast:

* Outstanding Achievement Award: August 31, 2026
* General Utah History Article Award: September 2, 2026

Nominate: https://history.utah.gov/awards/

Registration is now open, and you won’t want to miss this event.For the first time, Preservation Utah and the Salt Lake ...
08/10/2026

Registration is now open, and you won’t want to miss this event.

For the first time, Preservation Utah and the Salt Lake Masonic Temple are teaming up to offer a guided tour inside one of Salt Lake City’s most unique and rarely seen landmarks. Since the building is usually closed to the public, this is a special chance to visit.

Built in 1927, the Temple is Utah’s best example of Egyptian Revival architecture, a style that became popular after King Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered in 1922. Two granite sphinxes stand at the entrance. The grand portico features eight lotus-topped columns under a wide cornice, where a feathered, double-headed serpent for Horus surrounds an Egyptian sun disk with the Masonic square, compass, and letter "G," all symbolizing the "light of Masonry."

Inside, the building’s artistry stands out even more. You’ll walk through several impressive lodge rooms, each with its own style: Egyptian, Colonial, Venetian, Gothic, and the cozy Moorish Room, which is the smallest and even has a 1927 neon light. Every detail, from the shapes to the decorations, comes from Masonic symbolism and tradition.

Our volunteer guides have been preparing behind the scenes to share the history, symbolism, and craftsmanship of this remarkable place, and we cannot wait to show you what's inside. Spaces are limited, and these tours fill fast. Reserve your spot now.

Friday, September 4, 2026, 6:00 pm
Salt Lake Masonic Temple, 650 East South Temple, Salt Lake City

Register: https://www.preservationutah.org/events-1/salt-lake-masonic-temple-tour

Image credit: Carter Captures

August Volunteer Spotlight: Paula HarlineThis month, we're excited to highlight Paula Harline. Her love for Utah's histo...
08/09/2026

August Volunteer Spotlight: Paula Harline

This month, we're excited to highlight Paula Harline. Her love for Utah's history and dedication to preserving it make her a key member of the Preservation Utah community.

Paula is part of our Board of Trustees as an Executive Committee Member at Large and chairs our Advocacy Committee, supporting our mission to protect Utah's historic places. She also volunteers as a tour guide, and this August she’ll lead two special tours:

Reed Smoot House Tour: Visit the historic home of U.S. Senator Reed Smoot and discover the life and legacy of one of Utah's most important political leaders. (registration full)

Polygamous Wives Bicycle Tour: Saturday, August 15, 6:00 to 7:30 PM in Provo. Ride through the post-Manifesto era of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by visiting the preserved homes of two 19th-century polygamous wives. Hear their personal stories and learn about the changes that shaped Utah's history. Only one spot is left, so sign up soon: https://www.preservationutah.org/events-1/provo-polygamous-wives-bicycle-tour-3

Whether Paula is advocating for preservation, serving on our Board, or sharing Utah's stories with tour guests, she shows the spirit of Preservation Utah through her dedication, generosity, and enthusiasm for helping others connect with our state's heritage.

Thank you, Paula, for all that you do.

The University of Utah will soon own the last 50 acres of active military land at historic Fort Douglas, with the transf...
08/07/2026

The University of Utah will soon own the last 50 acres of active military land at historic Fort Douglas, with the transfer set for October 1. The fort, established in 1862, once covered more than 10,500 acres along Salt Lake City's east bench and is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

Fort Douglas shows the history of military architecture over time. The oldest buildings, like the 1863 Building 655, were built with rough sandstone from the original Camp Douglas outpost. In 1886, stables were added using red sandstone from Red Butte Canyon, giving the fort its unique look in the late 1800s. Later, larger brick barracks and halls were built during World War I, when Congress expanded the fort to train and mobilize troops. Together, these buildings tell the story of how American military design changed from a frontier post to a modern base.

A place as important as this needs careful care. As the University looks to the future, it can protect the fort’s history while also making room for new uses. Preservation and progress can work together.

You can find this story and more about Fort Douglas on our Preservation News in Utah page https://www.preservationutah.org/preservation-news-in-utah

One of Salt Lake City's strangest and beloved spaces could soon get real protection.Gilgal Sculpture Garden, hidden in t...
08/05/2026

One of Salt Lake City's strangest and beloved spaces could soon get real protection.

Gilgal Sculpture Garden, hidden in the East Central neighborhood at 749 E. 500 South, is being considered for local landmark status. LDS businessman and masonry contractor Thomas Battersby Child Jr. (1888 to 1963) designed and built the garden in his free time. It features 12 original sculptures and more than 70 stones engraved with scriptures, poems, and literary texts. Child named the garden Gilgal after the biblical site where Joshua told the Israelites to set up twelve stones as a memorial. The name is sometimes translated as "circle of standing stones."

Child started building the garden in his backyard at age 57 and dedicated his time and resources to it until he passed away in 1963. He searched across the state for the perfect stones, sometimes hauling boulders that weighed several tons. The garden’s most famous sculpture is a Sphinx with the face of Joseph Smith. Child also created a self-portrait surrounded by his masonry tools. He knew his garden was unusual and might not be understood by everyone, but he hoped it would inspire curiosity and thought.

After Child's death in 1963, the garden changed hands several times and faced the risk of commercial development. In 1997, Gilgal Sculpture Garden Friends of Gilgal Garden formed to help save it. With support from Salt Lake County, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Foundation, and many donors, they bought the site in 2000 and gave it to the city as a public park. Today, it is Utah’s only recognized "visionary art environment."

Local landmark status would provide even more protection, preventing demolition and making sure any changes fit the garden’s history. This is where you can help. The Historic Landmark Commission will consider the request on Thursday, August 6 at 5:30 p.m. at the Salt Lake City-County Building (451 S. State). Please come and show your support.

Read news coverage on our Preservation News in Utah page https://www.preservationutah.org/preservation-news-in-utah

Address

375 N Canyon Road
Salt Lake City, UT
84103

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+18015330858

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