Food deserts are areas occupied by people lacking the income to buy healthy food or do not have access to foods that are considered part of a balanced diet. By U.S. Department of Agriculture standards, the west-side of downtown Salt Lake City is a food desert. Whether the SLC Redevelopment Agency's proposal to build a permanent, year-round public market for Salt Lake City will … [Read more...]
Rockwood Furniture: Rockwood Family is still a Bedrock of Sugar House Business
“Rockwood Furniture, the oldest name in Sugar House, has just become the newest, most up-to-date furniture concern in the Intermountain West.” - Sugar House Bulletin, December 1954. When Marian Rockwood Johnson was born, Sugar House was struggling through the Depression of 1920-21; Bamberger Coal Company was operating from the old sugar mill; Hyland Theatre (known later as th … [Read more...]
Sego Lily Update in Sugar House
Since early October, 2017, the Sego Lily has been growing and spreading across the western slope of Sugar House Park, with its petals rising slightly above the crest of 1300 E. The story of the Lily has many layers—functional, artistic, historical, and educational. The first stages of construction clearly identified the Lily as a flood-control structure with a h … [Read more...]
Sugar House in Jeopardy as History Disappears
Faster and more abruptly than anyone expected, the familiar old buildings and businesses of downtown Sugar House have disappeared. Ten years ago, city planners commissioned a survey of buildings in the area to determine whether it could be designated as a historic district. But within months, the buildings south and west of the main intersection were gone, along with any chance … [Read more...]
Sprague Library and the Sugar House Flood
For the past century, flooding has played a significant role in the history of Sugar House. The position of major roads and buildings were largely determined by the course of Parley's Creek and its seasonal antics. Destructive floods on 2100 S. and 1300 E. have been blocking traffic and destroying property at roughly 30-year intervals. In 1922, public officials recognized … [Read more...]
The Rockwood Family Is Still a Bedrock of Sugar House Business
“Rockwood Furniture, the oldest name in Sugar House, has just become the newest, most up-to-date furniture concern in the Intermountain West.” - Sugar House Bulletin, December 1954. When Marian Rockwood Johnson was born, Sugar House was struggling through the Depression of 1920-21; Bamberger Coal Company was operating from the old sugar mill; Hyland Theatre (known later as th … [Read more...]
Sugar House Fire Station Proposals
In March of 1910, Sugar House was annexed to Salt Lake City. Before that, if a home or business caught fire, the closest fire company had to come from downtown Salt Lake to fight it. The first Fire Station No. 3 was built because property owners demanded more protection for all the commercial and residential development that had changed the face of Sugar House. In its day, it … [Read more...]
Sugar House – More Building More Congestion
By the year 2020, Salt Lake City’s population will grow to an estimated 210,592 people, and close to 30,000 people will live in Sugar House. Since 2012, 661 new apartment and condominium units have been built for incoming residents, and commercial development has attracted even more people to downtown Sugar House. The economic growth is proof of city planners’ projection that co … [Read more...]
Eulogy for Sugar House
The recent demise of three more historic buildings in the central business district signals a turning point in Sugar House history. Their loss marked the second passing of Sugar House, echoing the changes that occurred in the late 1920s and 30s, when pioneer-era buildings were replaced by more modern structures. There are no surviving buildings dating from the 19th century. The … [Read more...]
Sugar House: Shifting Landscape – Deja Vue
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. This is especially true in Sugar House as more old buildings are demolished to make way for high-density development. In 1956, George Dixon built the Dixon Building. Last October, tenants of the Dixon Building were given notice by property owner Craig Mecham to vacate the premises. The structure is coming down to … [Read more...]