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Show Volume XIV THE Issue V OGDEN VALLEY NEWS December Page 9 1, 2006 Brigham Young Utah’s First City Planner— Early Latter-day Saint city planning endures test of time Streets wide enough to turn a wagon team and laid out in a grid JESUS ‘CHRIST F LATTER-DAY SAINTS m so anyone a — find addresses without the use of a map. This was Salt Lake City in the mid1800s, as early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint embarked on the task of establishing their new community based on a city plan provided by early Church President Brigham Young. Large lots, wide streets, and spacious blocks characterized the new settlement, eventually aiding Salt Lake City urbanization by providing space for four lanes of traffic and large-scale downtown development. And today, visitors can still make their way around much of the Salt Lake Valley without a map, thanks to the original compass-oriented street-numbering system. Young’s city planning was influenced by Church founder Joseph Smith’s city plan, known as the “plat of Zion.” Joseph Smith first introduced the plat of Zion in 1833, approximately 13 years before the Latter-day Saints were driven from Nauvoo, Illinois—a thriving community of beautiful homes and prosperous farms and businesses laid out according to this plan—on the banks of the Mississippi River during the early history of the Church Church members use the term “Zion” to refer to a group of God’s followers or a place where such a group lives, and not in the sachs sense that it is sometimes used to Withie days of the arrival of the first company of Latter-day Saint pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley in July 1847, Young waved his hand over a spot of hard, dry ground. He announced that at that precise location they would build a temple, their most sacred place of worship. “The plat of Zion planned a temple in the center. Latter-day Saints see temples as the ‘houses of the Lord’ and centers for learning, so it is fitting that such a buildly designed to support a maximum of 20,000 eople within a one-mile-square grid. Once ing be placed at the center of their ideal community,” says Richard E. Turley, one grid was filled with settlers, other simiChurch historian. larly compact settlements could be formed. The construction of the Salt Lake Temple These compact cities allowed Latter-day and the accounts of those who built it are draSaint pioneers to pool their strengths in matic examples of the importance of temples cooperative projects such as constructing in earl buildings Latter-day | and develSaint comoping irrimunities. gation sysYoung designated a Such an 10-acre plot of ground as | ~ ment, with Lee neighbors Square, then in close instructe proximity, urveyors to also provid| out the ed proteccity on a grid MAtion— pattern oribenefit not ted to car| available to dinal direc| those pretions, with } ferring dis10-acre t n quare betw blocks, each themselves containing and thei eight 1.25neighbors, acre lots. as was the Houses were tradition in set 20 feet the back from the American street. West, says According Richard H. to the grid, Jackson, streets were we professor of n m Plat of Smith's Zion. geography according to at Brighar Young University i in Provo, Utah. their distance and direction from Temple Square—600 South is six blocks south of Listing the advantages of a tightly knit Tonigis Square; 300 West is three blocks to community, Joseph Smith wrote: “The the west. farmer and his family, therefore, will enjoy Salt Lake City and the plat of Zion all the advantages of schools, public lectures became the model for hundreds of other and other meetings. His home will no longer Latter-day Saint settlements stretching from be isolated, and his family denied the beneCanada to Mexico, and as far westward as fits of society, which has been, and always California. will be, the great educator of the human race; The plat of the city of Zion was original- RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE| K u ment for one year. Eden home MLS #644325 ments in the history of American city development,” said Bruce Parker, former president of the Utah chapter of the American Planning Association KIRK MOORE DIAMOND SERVICE REALTOR: COLDUCLL 127 Es) completely remodeled inside & |] out. 4 BD, 4 BA, 2800 a Owner/A gent. GREA’ IEWS!! Granite oe The plat of Zion has been praised for its impact on city planning. In 1996 the American Planning Association presented the Planning Landmark Award to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in recognition of the contributions of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young in the development of early Latter-day Saint settlements. “The planning and founding of more than 500 communities in the American West TWO FOR ONE Real Estate Sales & Service WOW! Seller will pay $5000 toward closing costs and $3000 per month towards house pay- but they will enjoy the same privileges of society, and can surround their homes with the same intellectual life, the same social refinement as will be found in the home of the aha or banker or professional man.” lot in the original plat was designed to hold only one house, placed strategically to allow for a garden and a yard “according to the taste of the builder.” Young encouraged the beautification of Salt Lake City. From the outset, pioneers planted trees, shrubs, and flowers. Their efforts made the desert valley blossom. He counseled Church members, “Build cities, adorn your habitations, make gardens, orchards, and vineyards, and render the earth so pleasant that when you look upon your labors you may do so with pleas- I i 801-645-6459 801-710-9460 kirkmoore3@aol.com kirkmoorel@aol.com ABR, CRS, SRES, CLHMS, GRI, WRRS LISTING - BUYING - SELLING www.edenvalleyrealestate.com $499,500 for the challenge of a new career. A passion for the mountains motivated Nancy and her husband to move to Eden, and she now brings the same professionalism and integrity to her career in real estate that made her a successful physician. IF YOU WANT TO WORK WITHA REALTOR WHO IS SOLD ON THE OGDEN VALLEY, CALL NANCY! Gage Froerer & Assoc. Eden, Utah 5 bedroom, 3 bath home with full landscaping and mature trees. 3500 sq.ft MLS #639306 MOUNTAIN GREEN $479,000 This is a prime oo Deone Smith (801) 564-2243 QGDEN CANYON I/ Fair Way Oaks @ Wolf Creek Resort. Fantastic fully furnished home with lodge atmosphere. 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