Studio 5’s Brooke and Darin are going to take you on a tour of “This Is the Place” that you’ll never fo”This is the Place”, the now-famous statement uttered by Brigham Young upon entering the Salt Lake Valley on July 24th, 1847.
It was those four words that led some seventy thousand Mormon pioneers to settle the land.
Under the leadership of Brigham Young, they were able to transform the vast, new territory into a thriving and self-sufficient community . . . The backbone of life as we know it today . . . with a few supersized changes.
The Huntsman Hotel
Once considered the finest hotel in Utah, its twenty-four guest rooms provided rest for the likes of Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff and Lorenzo Snow.
Compare that with its twenty-first century counterpart . . . The Grand America. Its 775 guest rooms accommodate visiting rock stars, athletes and even the President of the United States.
Deseret News
When the Deseret News printed its original weekly publication, it was out of this one-story adobe structure. The pre-cursor to the sleek, high tech operation we recognize today.
Deseret Hospital
There was also the first hospital, opened by the Mormon Relief Society and aptly named the Deseret Hospital. A rather large building for its day, it was built to house up to 40 patients. And today, it dwarfs in comparison to the Intermountain Medical Center, the new state-of-the-art medical complex that covers a million and a half square feet.
The Bank of Deseret
For the pioneer needing to cash in his gold dust . . . There was the Bank of Deseret. The forerunner of First Security Bank, now owned and operated by Wells Fargo.
Z. C. M. I.
Many of us recognize the initial’s Z-C-M-I . . . The Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institution, where early pioneers could barter for general merchandise. Z-C-M-I remained a Utah staple until shutting its door in 2002, after being sold to a national department store chain, and currently bearing the Macy’s name.
It’s this rich pioneer history for which Utah’s known. And it’s been preserved at the This is the Place Heritage Park. Located up Emigration Canyon, it’s easy to spot the famous monument from the road. But the monument is just the starting place. With the park spanning 450 acres, there’s a full day of activites . . . All designed to provide an interactive experience for adults and children alike.
Livery Stable
You’ll find there may have been one thing the pioneers had just right. This is the livery stable . . . the place where horses, wagons and carriages were rented. And today . . . With gas prices at four dollars a gallon and rising . . . horse and carriage doesn’t seem so bad.
What Activities Can You Do At This is the Place?
You can get a shave from the barbar . . .
Pick up some penny candy from Z-C-M-I
Pet the pigs . . .
Learn a trade . . .
And catch a bite of lunch . . . all in pioneer style.
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