Show Cemony marked delivery of last granite block for Capitol building in 191G Granite was quarried in Little Cottouwood Canyon The irth of a to the construction of the present magnificent Capitol Building overlooking Salt Lake Valley Utah’s territorial and state officials led a rather itinerant public life For more than sixty years they shifted their offices from place to place With the exception of one season at the territorial Capital (185556) in Fillmore headquarters for Utah governmental affairs moved from one rented place to another Numerous buildings In Salt Lake City served as Utah’s capitol ’ Among them was An House belonging to the LDS Church agreement was drawn between the church and the territory (1852) whereby portions of the Council House were sold to the territorial government for the sum of $18500 Apparently this transaction was invalidated by Congress since subsequent rental payments were made to the church for the use of the Council House Other structures which served as a tapitol were the Social Hall owned by the LDS Church the old Salt Lake City Hall and the Industrial Christian Home (the present Ambassador Hotel) The latter building was erected in 1889 90 to house disgruntled polygamous wives and their children riiHE HOME designed to accommodate JL women with families was found to be unsuitable for governmental offices so was soon foi saken for more adequate facilities Utah officials moved to quarters in the piesent Salt Lake City and County Building Here they resided until a permanent home was provided for them in the present Capitol However prior to the occupancy of the Capitol dreams and desires had persisted for numerous years to erect a building suitable to the dignity of the officials of a sovereign state P' uiiding UTOR il by Everett L j A " ( Accordingly In 1888 the Salt Lake City Council offered 'to the Territory of Utah approximately twenty acres located on “Arsenal Hill” on the north bench On March 5 1888 the land was accepted by the legislature and $23000 appropriated for the Improvement of gioundg FOLLOWING day a Capitol rjxHE sion was appointed to take possession of the lands from the city and “grade fence Improve ornament beautify lay pff and do all things which In the Judgment of said Board may be fit and proper for the preparation of said grounds for purposes contemplated Subsequent legislatures appropriated funds - foi the construction of a reservoir laying water lines and generally beautifying the grounds to serve as a public park until such time as a! building could be constructed Finally after achieving statehood and settling down to a more tranquil political existence Utahns redoubled their efforts to achieve a suitable structure for their elected officers The legislatures of 1909 and 1911 took positive action A new Capitol Commission was created funds were appropriated and the sale of bonds was authorized to begin immediate work on the capitol— the maximum cost being set at $2500-00Additional appropriations increased this 0 figure by $239 000 Two views of the Utah Capitol under construction It took two and Salt Lake City Sunday October 14 1936 1 Cooley OUU State Archival However before excavation began other plots of ground were offered as possible sites lor tire capitol Two of these were in the northeast section of the city and a third was at ninth south lying both east and west of Main Street ITER inspections and deliberations the commission decided the original site was the most desirable Time has shown the Commission decided wisely After a program of competition for architectural designs had been carried out a Salt Lake City architect Richard K A Kletting was chosen to design the Capitol and supervise the The contract for construction construction was awarded to a Salt Lake firm James Stewart and Company ' As a result of numerous petitions of civic trade and professional groups the Co fn mission ruled that Utah products and Utah labor should be used exclusively in the construction the ruling was modified to permit the use of non Utah products where it was clearly demonstrated that “foreign" materials were superior as well as more economical" a half years from y 15 months after APPROXIMATELY comhtission witnessed the laying of the cornerstone on April 1 1914 Another fifteen months was required for the completion of the building but the formal opening of the Capitol did not take place until Oc- tober 9 1916 An impressive ceremony was enjoyed by the citizenry who had waited so long for a home foi their government And perhaps the wait while For an imposing beautiful building was erected on “Arsenal Hill” the valley of the Great Salt Lake It remains today one of the most impressive of state capitols was-wor- th over-"lookin- g ' ground-breakin- g to builumg tiUopletloii II |