Group 4 ~ Identity

Just as Paris is recognized by its Eiffel Tower, Egypt the Great Pyramids and Rome by the Colosseum, Salt Lake City can easily be identified by a picture of Temple Square. The temple in particular has become iconic. For tourists, the temple is a must-see. In fact, when I typed Salt Lake City into the Google search engine, the first hit, after the map, was a picture of the Salt Lake temple. For tourists, What many tourists don't realize, however, is exactly what the temple symbolizes and the deeper identity it gives Salt Lake City.

True, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has 134 currently operating temples with 21 others being built, spread out over 46 countries around the world, but this temple stands apart from the rest. Yes, like others it is a sacred place of worship where worthy members go to perform sacred ordinances, but the Salt Lake temple has come to mean something even to those who are not permitted to enter its hallowed halls. It is a symbol of rich history and the beauty of hard work.

Utah, more specifically Salt Lake City, was founded by the Mormon pioneers in the mid 1800s. Led by Brigham Young, the faithful saints were looking for a refuge from the stroms of persecution they experienced from the United States government and their fellow Americans. The Salt Lake Valley was protected by the majestic mountains surrounding it and the fact that it was several hundred miles west of so-called civilization. Here, the group settled. (Utah now celebrates Pioneer Day each year on the 24th of July in remembrance of their pioneer heritage, showing gratitude that "This is the place.")

Prophet and then Governor, Brigham Young wanted his people to learn the value of working hard and working together. To remind them of these principles, he chose the symbol of the Deseret honey bee. Honey bees not only labor individually, but as a hive they work together extensively for the benefit of all. (When the Mormon settlers applied for statehood, they suggested the name Deseret, but when Utah later became a state it was named instead for the local Ute Indian tribe.) The Mormon settlers worked hard building up their city. The city's grid system itself is designed around the temple, which serves as its center point.

It took forty years to build the temple. At its completion, the people had a magnificent visual representation of their labor and sacrifice. Today Salt Lake City remains the headquarters for the Church. Surrounding the temple are the grounds and plaza area, Visitors' Centers, the Tabernacle, Assembly Hall, Joseph Smith Memorial Building, and the Conference Center. Brigham Young's two houses, the Beehive House and the Lion House, are just up the road. History is an integral part of Salt Lake City's identity, and the temple perfectly captures the values and beauty at the core of the city.

The Capitol in Utah's Capital - Group 8

Josh Southwick, Sami Crouch, Adam Jones,
Michael May, Jackson Myrick, Hector Zumaeta



Looking out across Salt Lake City, there is one place that catches your eye from almost anywhere – the Capitol building. It is the epitome of what a landmark should be: easily located, used as a point of reference, and, above all, a central component of the city itself. The significance it carries cannot simply be stated as being the meetinghouse of our state’s representatives, but that it is a key part of Salt Lake City and Utah as a whole.

The Capitol stands atop a lush, green hill above the Avenues with the distinct background of the trademark Utah mountains. The building stands out among everything around it with its unique architecture and style. There are Roman columns spaced around the entire structure, and the unmistakable government rotunda at the top gives it a unique look compared to the monotonous rectangular architecture of downtown. Outside the Capitol, there are several monuments and statues dedicated to the history of Utah. On the east, there is a monument depicting the Mormon Battalion, and on the west there is another memorial honoring the Utah veterans who died in the Vietnam War. Around back there is a wide, oval fountain in the courtyard surrounded by flowerbeds, trees, and statues of famous and influential Utahns. As you walk up the Capitol steps, you can turn around and see the entire city of Salt Lake with the distant mountain ranges forming your view of the horizon.


Through the large entry doors the Capitol's interior is revealed, which is no less stunning than its exterior. The seemingly endless view of the city is transformed into a breathtaking sight of the ornate rooms within. On the first floor, a circular opening houses paintings of every governor of Utah around its perimeter. There were also several displays scattered throughout the floor that presented some history of Utah from its first settling to gaining statehood. These exhibits were not only informative, but they provided plenty of visuals to keep observers interested.

While the first floor had its own certain feel, the upper floors were the truly impressive and memorable part of our trip. As you step up to the second floor, the entire space opens to your view and you can see all the way up to the rotunda with its painting of a cloudy blue sky and a flock of seagulls. The elaborate chandelier illuminates the murals that cover the walls leading up to the dome above. Each mural was painted to capture a moment in the life of early Utah settlers. Located in the corners are niche sculptures representing the values important to Utah’s culture, including art and science. A reception room on the second floor was given the nickname, the “Gold Room” for its extravagant art style and complex, gothic architecture. All in all, the Capitol building is equally remarkable on the inside as it is on the outside.

Utah’s Capitol building is one of those places that leaves an impression on you and is something every Utahn must visit at least once. Whether you are there as a boy scout studying the state’s history, a young couple taking photos for their wedding, a family honoring Utah war veterans, or, in our case, university students merely interested in a Salt Lake landmark, the Capitol is a destination that won’t leave you disappointed.

"Fall In Love With My Cheese"

I’m not going to lie. I didn’t expect to find something to actually be excited enough about to dedicate an entire blog to, let alone for that something to be on the first walkabout. But the Sugarhouse Farmer’s Market really impressed me.

Our group arrived promptly at three o’clock. Most people were still setting up—talking and laughing with each other and at first it was a little weird that we were the only non-vendors there. But that quickly went away as we were included in the vendor’s conversations from all sides.

I went up to his booth because he was giving out free cheese. I love every aspect of that phrase: free cheese. Cheese is my absolute favorite thing to eat and the fact that it was free just makes it that much better. Generally I feel very acutely that awkward moment in between when one sees the sample and actually gets to eat it. Then after you eat it, you always have to ask them questions, as if that will distract them from the fact that you have absolutely no intention of buying what it is they are selling. It is all just a lot of awkward effort, and I have been known to avoid sampling before because of it. It was different here though. The man at the booth, Brent, was friendly and easygoing; I didn’t have to force conversation with him. He invited me to “fall in love with his cheese.” (Which I quickly did, I ended up getting the smoked cheddar; it was delicious.)

In fact, I began to realize that everyone that we walked up to was like Brent. They were passionate about what they were selling, and more interested in telling you about it than actually getting you to buy it. To them, making friends is more important than making money, and making a difference actually means something. They want you to share in what they are passionate about, and that is what I feel the Sugarhouse District is all about. I loved it.

Written By: Stephanie Pugmire

Group 5---> Paths

Lauren, Jane, Britany, Brittney, and Chelsea

For our second walkabout, my group chose paths. The pathways that help make sense of Salt Lake City are the many sidewalks, hiking trails, roads and biking lanes that make up our city. My group spent some time hiking, walking around Red Butte Gardens, and even walking around campus. There are thousands of different pathways around campus and up the mountains surrounding us.

Since most of my group had not been through Red Butte Garden before, it was probably the best part of our walkabout. There were rows and rows of a variety of flower species lining the pathways to many of the separate garden sections. The gardens were very peaceful and well taken care of.

Most of the people we encountered were either parents walking their children around the gardens or part of the group of people that were having a party in the pavilion section of the Perfume Garden.

The next place we traveled was on a hike up through the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Even though we were actually attempting to go someplace else, we thoroughly enjoyed getting lost and running around in a complete circle until we ended up back where we started.

Surrounding the University of Utah are thousands of pathways that lead to many different places like the dorms and the Heritage Center. Walking to and from class, inside the shuttle, and through the dining room of the HC---we are all traveling along the many paths that cover this campus.

For this walkabout, there was no need for public transportation because everywhere we went was in walking distance. We enjoyed being able to identify all of the paths that we take everyday without even knowing it.

All of the paths we encountered had three things in common:

• Definite boundaries

Each side of the path had some sort of structure be it flowers, trees, fences, or walls, which let the traveler know where they are welcome to tread.

• Obvious purpose

All of the paths eventually led to at least one specific destination. Though some of them were more scenic (read: winding) than others, they all lead somewhere.

• Tailored to specific needs

Paths were obviously designed for different people for different purposes. Roads were wide and paved for automobiles, with specific lanes for cyclists. Paths that lead across were also divided so that pedestrians and cyclists could safely coexist. Paths in the gardens and the hiking trails were not always paved. Their design reflects the nature around them.

Pathways are essential to the city's organization. Without these key structural features, life would become chaotic and disorganized. We enjoyed our experience at Red Butte Gardens and learning to navigate the pathways of Salt Lake City.

For our walkabout we explored the Avenues district while experience and photographing the architecture and landscape. We tried to experience as much of the area as possible; we visited a local park and tried to take in a variety of what the district has to offer.

The Avenues district is one of Utah's largest local historic district, and one of the most beloved residential areas in the city. It's conveniently located and diverse in both its architecture and its people. The Avenues are one of the more densely packed residential areas in the city and the architecture is unique to the area. The Avenues are primarily composed of houses, but also contains other buildings such as Churches and Schools. In the past all of the Churches in the district were affiliated with the Latter Day Saints, but currently it also contains Churches of other denominations such as the Cathedral of the Madeleine, shown below.

The area attracts a diverse population due to its favorable location in terms of proximity to downtown. The streets are labeled alphabetically and range from A Street to U Street. There are various small businesses in the district, but the residential character remains its primary function. Other historic districts in the city include Capitol Hill, Central City, Temple Square, Riverton, South Temple and Fort Douglas.

Structure: The Notre Dame of Salt Lake City

Group members: Andrew Beckstrand, Annah Frisch, Natalie Meadows, Nichol Rushton, and Cason Snow.

We went to the Cathedral of the Madeline. It was amazing. The architecture was gothic in style. There were gargoyles and huge arches. There was a fountain shaped like a cross. There were shockingly beautiful stained-glass windows. There was a pastor in a white robe, and he looked at us. There was an old couple and they were praying. We saw a Holy Water basin. It was designed to be near the door so people can cleanse as they leave.

The entrances were frequently deceptive. There were many doors that would not open. We opened an extremely ominous gate, that led to nowhere. We finally found a door that would open and went in. The cathedral was brightly colored, however the lighting was very dark. They design this to use mainly natural light sources, like most gothic architecture. So it was dramatically dark.

WATCH THIS VIDEO:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Fredericks3214?feature=mhum

Group 6- Nodes

For our second walkabout, our group visited Gallivan Plaza. Gallivan Plaza is a node, sitting between 200 and 300 South and State and Main Street. A center of transportation, the plaza serves as a focus of the city. In addition to being a large bus stop, the two major Trax lines cross there. It also sits atop a large parking structure that services the nearby businesses. Gallivan Plaza is in the center of downtown Salt Lake City, nestled between many major business buildings.

Gallivan Plaza is currently under construction. It previously had a large skating rink next to a stage and grassy sitting area. With the construction, it is just the scheduling center and the concrete plaza. Since the construction is not only noisy but it reduced the number of places to sit and interact, it may be the reason we saw so few people while were there. We saw two people who worked at the plaza setting up for some type of event. Besides them, the majority of the people were passing through or were homeless. However, when we crossed the street to the west, there were many more people sitting outside the businesses. Channel 2 News has its main office there as well. While we were taking pictures, we found a half a dozen of the staff outside playing catch with a football. Gallivan Plaza is scattered with multiple sculptures and integrated art. There is no general theme to the sculptures, however all are done by local artists.

In the center of the plaza, there is a large structure with a water bridge. (See picture)

Also, the glass on the skylights from the parking structure was etched with the digits of pi. On the west side of the plaza, close to the street, there is a torch structure from the Olympics.