Things to Do in Northern Utah
Salt Lake City Capitol Building
The city of Salt Lake is a combination of big city and historic town. When approaching the city from the north you can see the capitol dome sitting high on a hill overlooking the rest of the city. Once you get close to the capitol building and the surrounding homes you feel transported in time by the architecture of the stately homes and the capitol building itself.
We were fortunate enough to take a tour of the capitol with one of the volunteers. He explained about the history of Utah before it became the 45th state and the significance of the Morman pioneers that settled there to avoid religious persecution. The state symbol of a bee hive stems from the Morman’s belief in a community working together. The art work in the capitol depicts the history of Utah and what makes it a unique state.
The building itself was constructed between 1912 and 1916 and was designed by Richard K.A. Kletting. Mr. Kletting wanted the Utah capitol to have the best that technology had to offer and a structure that was grand enough to house the state government. The building was designed with elevators and electricity in a time when that was not common. The chandelier in the done is on a pulley system that allows it to be lowered for cleaning and light bulb changing. The curved skylight creates of sense of being outside from all the natural light that pours into the center of the building. The marble columns, walls and staircase only add to the elegance of the building. Click on this link to learn more about Utah’s state capitol building. https://utahstatecapitol.utah.gov/explore/about-the-capitol
Temple Square in Salt Lake City
Temple Square is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints. The square is a quiet oasis in what is a bustling section of Salt Lake City. The raised flower gardens are bursting with spring flowers which lead you to a cascading water fountain. No matter the time of year the gardens are filled with seasonal plants. Once in the center of the garden you can see the Temple building and infinity edge reflecting pool overlooking the gardens. http://www.templesquare.com/
Antelope Island State Park
Antelope Island is the largest of the 10 islands in the Great Salt Lake. The island is near Salt Lake City and is accessed by a causeway from Syracuse, UT. John C. Fremont and Kit Carson were the first non-natives to visit the island in 1845. From 1848 – 1870 the land was managed by the Mormons. Than in 1870 John Dooly, Sr purchased the island and started the Island Improvement Company which managed a ranch on the island until 1981 when the Island was purchased by the state of Utah and made into a state park.
The wildlife and the scenery are why people visit Antelope Island. From the visitors center you have a panoramic view of the great Salt Lake. The center also has displays that explain the history of the island and its environment. As you follow the winding roads around the island you find antelope and mule deer grazing on the grassy fields and buffalo sunning on the sandy beaches. They are not the only wildlife that make the island home. Antelope Island’s shores provide an ideal environment for migratory birds.
The Fielding Garr Ranch is also located on Antelope Island and is the oldest Anglo built house in Utah still on its original foundation. Walking around the ranch gives you a glimpse into ranch life on an island. The ranch complex has a collection of old and modern equipment and tools that you can pick up and touch. You can tour through the building and learn the history of the family that made this ranch home. To learn more about this wonderful state park visit their website at https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/antelope-island/
Utah State Railroad Museum at Union Station Ogden, UT
The Railroad Museum is located in the old Union Station building which sets the tone for what you will see in the museum itself. The railroad played a big part in settling the west. The railroad museum chronicles the exploration of the western territory for the route the railroad would take as well as the engineering required to lay the tracks across such challenging terrain. As you wind your way through the museum you are immersed into life on the railroad. By the end of the exhibit you are treated to a large display of model trains as they follow the route of the Union Pacific railroad. The detail of the model makes you feel like you are right there riding the train across the west.
Outside there is a collection of retired locomotives. You can walk right next to these massive railroad icons and get a true sense of the immense power they produced to pull their heavy loads through the mountainous terrain. http://theunionstation.org/museums/utah-state-railroad-museum/
John M. Browning Firearms Museum
The museum is also located in the Union Station building in Ogden, UT. Four generations of Browning’s are represented in this comprehensive collection of rifles, shotguns, handguns, machine guns, and automatic cannons. The basic mechanisms of many modern firearms were first invented by John M. Browning. He is also responsible for designing the first mechanisms to utilize energy generated from firing to load and cycle further rounds. John M. Browning’s life work culminated with the “Over Under” shotgun. It is amazing to see all the ground-breaking designs that John M. Browning created over his life time. http://theunionstation.org/museums/john-m-browning-firearms-museum/
Browning-Kimball Classic Car Museum
Union Station is also the home of the Browning-Kimball Classic Car Museum. The collection was started by Matt and Barbara Browning in 1971. They assembled one of the finest prewar Brass American classic car collections. When they died in 1996 and 1999 the cars in the museum where donated to the city of Ogden to remain on display for car enthusiasts to enjoy for years to come. We were fortunate to have a volunteer at the museum give us a guided tour which made the visit to the museum even more enjoyable. http://theunionstation.org/museums/browning-kimball-classic-car-museum/
I hope you enjoyed this blog about Northern Utah. Keep following us for future blogs about the amazing National Parks in Southern Utah.