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Utah State Historic Preservation Office

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Utah State Historic Preservation Office

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We facilitate historic preservation, archaeological stewardship and education for the benefit of Utah Follow us

10/30/2026

Heading into this Halloween weekend, we wanted to take a moment to thank our gravestone preservation specialist, Amy Barry for all her hard work!

This year Amy has helped preserve Utah’s history through the proper cleaning and setting of historic headstones throughout Utah. Not only does she repair many of the aging stone markers herself, but she teaches local communities all over the state how to repair, set and realign tombstones in their local cemeteries.

So many thanks for all you do Amy! 🪦

To learn more about historic preservation of gravestones visit the link below.

https://ushpo.utah.gov/headstone-preservation/

10/29/2026

Even rough and tumble miners need their socks mended, their trousers taken in, and missing buttons reattached!

This brass thimble tells us a bit about the mundane and daily life of those living in Alta during the 1870s. We won’t know if this thimble was part of a miner’s kit, or even the location of a tailor or seamstress, but we can still imagine all the possibilities. And of course with all dozens of buttons we found during excavations, there was definitely a need for a lot of mending!

To explore more artifacts from the Alta archaeological excavation check out our StoryMap via the link below or follow our social media for more updates from the site.

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/c85ad0048ef84205b07c348b6d603ddb

10/27/2026

The Murray Downtown Historic District represents the extant portion of the Murray City's historic commercial business district. Although the historic district consists primarily of commercial building stock from the late 1890s to the present, the neighborhood also included a strong residential component including both apartments above the commercial spaces and single-family dwellings.

This formed an urban core of the city, which contrasted to the mix of industrial development along the railroad corridor, west of the business district and scattered agricultural use throughout the rest of the community. The urban core remains a distinctive neighborhood despite the suburban development that engulfed the city after 1950.

10/26/2026

Last week, Utah’s SHPO Chris Merritt spoke to a sold out audience of over 100 people in the small town of Alta, UT. Chris spoke about Utah’s current excavation at Alta, discussed his team’s archeological findings and showed local Utahns a variety of artifacts that speak to the ways of life in the Wasatch over 100 years ago!

To explore the Alta archaeological excavation online check out our StoryMap via the link below or follow our social media for to keep up on updates.

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/c85ad0048ef84205b07c348b6d603ddb

10/23/2026

A key focal point in Brigham City, the Union Block at 57 South Main Street is ready for the next 100 years, thanks to Utah Main Street’s Revive and Reside Grant Program, funded by the National Park Service.

Owner David Walker took advantage of over $40,000 in grant funds to rehabilitate the two-part vertical block, built in 1892 of locally sourced brick. Originally home to a saloon managed by Robert K. Walker and a fruit business managed by Charles W. Knudson, the building went on to house Hanson Mercantile Company and, by the 1930s, J.C. Penney Co. Peeling back layers of past renovations was an arduous task, but ultimately rewarding for Walker, who prepared the building’s upper floor for loft apartments and the ground floor for a vintage market.

Curious to see how the story unfolded? Read the behind-the-scenes story and see more of the spectacular before-and-after photos, by clicking the link below!

https://ushpo.utah.gov/blog/the-rural-revive-reside-grant-helps-revitalize-the-union-block/

10/21/2026

Join State Historic Preservation Officer Chris Merritt for a special presentation on the recent excavations of Alta’s 19th-century mining boomtown this Thursday evening. Over the past two summers, archaeologists have uncovered thousands of fascinating artifacts that reveal the history of the area. Hosted by Alta Community Enrichment and Friends of Alta, this event takes place at Our Lady of the Snows, located at 10185 East Highway 210 in Alta, Utah.

Find full details at the link below.

https://altacommunity.org/events/2026/10/22/secrets-below-alta-wild-west-archaeology-in-a-mining-boom-town

10/20/2026

The Westwood Village Historic District, located in West Valley City, is a residential area of mid-20th century houses. The district has a high concentration of houses from 1959-1962, with no out-of-period intrusions.

Prior to this period, most of the land was agricultural with a small population of people who lived on family farms. In the post-war era, demand for single-family homes skyrocketed and the development of previously rural communities throughout the Salt Lake Valley swiftly accelerated. It showcases a pivotal moment in the residential development of the west side of the Salt Lake Valley, as many rural communities transitioned into larger established cities.

Visit the link below for the Historic Utah Buildings map to find more information on historic districts throughout the state.

https://shpo.utah.gov/portal/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8e218e18c2b74477b5f520e5617bebaf

10/16/2026

Yeehaw! You can’t get much more American West than a rusted boot spur.

Found at Alta, this iron spur is not a surprising find, but it is a rare one. Although the sound of chairlifts permeate Alta today, we can also all imagine the ‘cling cling’ sound of a cowboy walking the wooden floors of Walker Street’s saloons in these fine spurs.

10/14/2026

Last month, the SHPO team traveled to Monroe in Sevier County to host our bi-annual regional training that moves across the state to engage with local communities in-person.

Staff provide overviews of key programs from the National Register to Main Street, and engage in dialogue to help communities take advantage of these programs to benefit their historic fabric. Hosted at the historic Greystone venue by the local Main Street organization (Magnify Monroe), this training brought together representatives from Emery to Iron County, and beyond.

We are aiming for the next training to be in Utah County sometime in April, stay tuned!

Address

300 S Rio Grande Street
Salt Lake City, UT
84101

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 4pm
Tuesday	9am - 4pm
Wednesday	9am - 4pm
Thursday	9am - 4pm
Friday	9am - 4pm

Telephone

+18012457225

Website

https://linktr.ee/SHPOresources

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