OCR Text |
Show SALT FLAT NEWS, NOVEMBER, 1970 8 raw Plata, Imposta Brigham Yomgs ten rods which, in preparation, By Paul Taylor When Brigham Young, presi- dent of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daSaints, died on August 29, 1877, he had some definite ideas about where and how he was to Ipe buried. It was all taken care of beforehand, much like the burials of Popes, queens and the monarchs of ancient Egypt. Instructions had been laid down to be followed to the letter. The only major difference between the burial of Young and European heads of state was the lade of precedent to consult for the burial of the church leader. Only one such leader, Joseph Smith, had preceded President Young grave, so it was Brigham Cto thewho had to lay plans for his departure. y Burial was to occur, he stipulated, on his own property on the brow of a hill overlooking Salt Lake City a block north-ana block east of famous Eagle Gate. Still a landmark in Salt Lake City, Eagle Gate was at that time the entrance to the Young farm. President Young had enclosed by a stone wall. He was seventy-si- x when he died. The date was Wednesday, August 29th and burial services took place three days later. A few members of his family are also buried on the plot, but, except in the case of two or three of his widows, most were laid to rest in the city cemeteries or were placed in private plots by their immediate families. A trust fund was placed in effect and designed to provide enough revenue to take care of the upkeep of the plot, but funds mysteriously disappeared years later and the Mormon Church assumed the upkeep of the plot. The trust funds were never found. The plot has, since that time, been deeded to the city of Salt which maintains the lot as a historic and hallowed spot where Mormons and others can go to see the resting place of Brigham Young, one of Americas great leaders. The grave itself is a plain and substantial vault of masonry covered by a marble slab and surrounded by an ornate iron fence. Before Young died he had also seen the fruition of other personal plans. One of these was the construction of a school house to teach the three Rs and skills such as stenography to his fifty-seve- n children ( thirty-on- e females and twenty-si- x males). Another was his house and official residence, the Beehive House, located adjacent to the Lion House on many-gable- d South Temple Street where many of his wives and children resided. Another residence, near his grave, was begun by President Young but was never finished during his exalted life. It was d called the Gardo House and was intended to be his final official residence. Because Gardo House was to know no other hostess wife Amelia than twenty-fift- h was commonly re-- , Folsom, it Palace. Amelia's as ferred to Unfortunately, Brigham died before the mansion was completed and it became the residence instead of Brighams successor, President John Taylor. Visitors are welcome at Brighams grave. Anyone can enter the iron gate and take either of the two sidewalks as they fork off to the left and right under an old but stately cherry tree to meet near the grave in the southwest corner. The entire lot is serene; trees hang overhead and the cherries ripen in the summer. Some of the grave markers are large granite stones with metal tablets riveted to the top, and some are simple plaques set level to richly groomed grass. At the back of the lot visitors are impressed with the proximity of the grave to the heart of bustling Salt Lake City only a few blocks away, and some a bit dismayed at the parking lot and billboards directly below. Yet the scene is one of quietude. Sounds seem to dissipate before they cross the low stone fence Brigham had so laboriously constructed. Leaning on the wall fuses the person with a century gone by. Vibrations are still present, giving a definite feeling for the dynamic person that once owned the land and who lies nearby. The grave itself is relatively little known in Salt Lake City. When asked where Brighams grave lies, few can turn north and point to the trees above the parking lot on South Temple Street. Even today a feeling of reverence is present on the small space sandwiched between two old apartment buildings. It is hallowed ground for the Mormons and, for that matter, for everyone who visits there. Hallowed ground in the strongest sense of file word. Builders ITrth The plot of ground located at about 142 East First Avenue covers an area of ten rods by Bob Mathies is a construction supervisor who loves building. But he also loves the vision of those behind the new State Line Hotel and Casino, his latest construction task. Mathies heads the Hardin Construction project of the three and a half million dollar hot el casino, which is one of the larger ventures for the area. The structure will be two. and three stories with one hundred and four hotel rooms, balconies overlooking courtyards and a swimming pool. The casino features three ban, including a dining room lounge to accommodate top night club- entertainers, and a Keno area,- first of its kind east of Reno and Las Vegas. The building will use a filligree roof design lighter, stronger, less expensive to become about the third building in the Great Basin area to use the design. Mathies has a long history with Hardin and has headed more costly or complex construction projects, such as the tri-arfuturistic Travel Lodge building in downtown Salt Lake City. But he says he particularly enjoys this project because of -- ' ;V NEWS staff photo Bob Mathies, superintendent for construction of the new, multi-millio- n dollar State Line Hotel and Casino, pores over floor plans for the structure. college bookstore 359-933- 1 c, the men behind it. Enter Jim Smith, young visionary. Smith, assistant manager of the State Line, is among a handful of W endover residents who not only foresee the future development, they are actively engaged in making that future development. not only sees the . Smith economic development of the hotel-casin- o and other establishments with the forthcoming completion of a new freeway system, he sees the need for recreational, environmental development. In that vision is a rugged motorcycle course with terrain varying from salt and sand to sage and sandstone. A golf course, fully developed, is in his minds eye. So is a game preserve, which he explains could easily be gotten by having the federal government withdraw land. Complete development of the area, without destroying its natural wonders, is certain for Smith. He already sees it. No wonder Mathies loves his latest project. Hes building in an area someone loves. 200 university street salt lake city Utah art supplies for every need Vision . |