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Show 25th Street: Changing panorama of Ogden's history By Maria Villascnor editor in t hit1!' | 77)r Three blocks between Washington Boulevard and Wall Avenue hold the history to what made Ogden one oF Utah's most important cities. Ogden grew around what is now Historic 25lh Streel, right in front oF the Union Railroad Station. '"The railroad was really (lie heart of Ogden," said John Sillito, Weber State University professor. Sillito works in the Stewart Library and has extensively studied Ogden and Weber history In 1869, the Union Pacific Railroad Station was built in a small lovvn north ol" Salt Lake City. Ogden became a crossroads in the United Stares: any trains traveling to the West had to go through Ogden. During both World Wars, Ogden became an important city For shipping and distribution and, when Hill Air l-'orce Base was built to the south, Ogden saw even more traffic in both legitimate and illegitimate business. In the early parlnllhe 20th century, Ogden built a seedy reputation. "I think stories always get kind of embellished as they are told and told again, but clearly 25th Street was the area where vice and drinking and gambling and other kinds oF things prevailed, and it always had that reputation of" being the tough part of town and the dangerous part of town. I'm sure there's some truth to the rumor; they used to refer to it as 'Two-Bit Street'." Sillilo said, noting there was more than just ill repute on the street. "Clearly that's part of its history, but it's not all of its history." In the past, 25lh Street was also home to prostitution and shan'ytowns behind buildings. Now; the district houses antique shops, restaurants, cafes, bars and art galleries. Recently, townhouses and condos were built adjacent to the streel. "It's the only place to be in Ogden," said Craig Visser, co-owner of 25th Street Emporium and Antique Mall. "It's a good neighborhood and there's a lot going for it." Visser bought the antique store three years ago with his business partner and also^wns*" the Athenian Restaurant on 25th StjceU. .-. _. Though Ogden's roots may be on 25th Street", Visser saitf many loeafs"arc amazed to see the historic street. "Tourists come here a lot and they tell us we have the finest street in the western U.S., that this is the greatest town they've Tucnty-Fifih Sircct, looking toward Union Depot, Ogden. Utah. H : K O - Hf.-Vl,. Bl'ROFSS The pictures on the left are from the 1940s and 50s and the photographs on the right were taken in 2005 from a similar position as the old pictures on the same row by WSU student Beau Burgess. Burgess took the pictures documenting the changing landscape of Ogden and 25th Street for a project on rephotography. The top row of pictures are facing east to the Ben Lomond Hotel from 25th and Grant Avenue. The bottom row of pictures look down 25th street from on top a hotel on Washington Boulevard. seen,"- Visser said. "'Bui the locals haven't as closely to how it was taken then. His rephotography project shows the differences .discovered it." . Wiu'le many old buildings and facades on in Ogden over the years. Hurgess saw stark the'street have been preserved, Bean Burgess;' contrasts in the city From when an original WSU 2-D art senior, documented the contrasts picture (shown above, bottom left) showed 25th Street lined with buildings from between the street in the pust and a year ago. llurgess studied photographs of Ogden Washington Boulevard. older than 50 years to produce an image "When I took the picture, the historical buildings were halfway back into the picture," Burgess said. "Instead of seeing an immaculate building in the corner, there was the square glass box." Burgess said the little shops still standing are each unique and have one-of-a-kind architectures, different from the more modern, clean lines of the Key Bank and Federal Court Building and the generic designs oF chain businesses. "It amazes me, sometimes," Burgess said. "It kind of depresses me, that we would tear a lot of these unique buildings and just build a lot of McDonalds that look exactly the same." See 25th Street page 1 1 M A R T I N LUTHER K I N G JR. UP DAY AT THE DIVERS/TV Come visit us to find out about more programs that will be going on this semester Featuring a new program, "Discovering the Senses I ARF ,K, Manhalf 9 Jr with mistresses of ceremony, Ptoshia Merrils and Carolyn Marie Davis Jackie Thompson with a Rosa Parks Tribute, soloist Shauna Robertson and James Morris the choirs of Hill Air Force Base Chapel, Calvary Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church, United Baptist Church The Master Chorale, WSU Concert Choir, New Zion Baptist Church Male Chorus Glory Johnson-Stanton and her daughter Glory Shekinah Slanton will begin the program with "Lift Every Voice and Sing/' Qmtr White Center 222 28th St BREAKFAST & FREEDOM r Cc °9ram at 25th Sjfegt Amphitheater follow,^ ,/,, "»ocr Ti racy Gamble (event coordinator) for m. ommun/7 - |
