Located on the east side of Salt Lake City, Utah, This is the Place Heritage Park (Place Park) is a Utah State Park that celebrates important pieces of regional history by creating a variety of experiences for audiences. A collection of multiple monuments and historic locations, Place Park has fulfilled a vision that connects the past to the present of the Salt Lake City community.
Celebrating Various Pieces of Utah Culture and History
In 1846, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) were led by Brigham Young on a journey to the West to find a new home. When the Mormon Pioneers arrived at the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, Young declared that “this is the place.” Over the next several years, thousands of Mormon pioneers moved into the location to define what would become Salt Lake City and the state of Utah.
The This is the Place Monument resides near the spot where Young’s party first came into the valley. It was dedicated in 1947, on the 100th anniversary of this defining moment for the city and region. In 1957, a group of private citizens bought much of the land now contained in Place Park and gave it to the State of Utah to preserve it from commercial development. Since then, Place Monument has come to define the identity of Place Park but it is just one of the many pieces of history that it contains and celebrates.
Heritage Village contains more than 50 historic homes and buildings brought to life by historical interpreters. Visitors can step back in time and see the West as it was in the early settlement of Utah. The Native American Village celebrates heritage before the arrival of the settlers. Elsewhere, the Mormon Battalion Museum and The Stoddard Gallery showcase the history and culture of the past and present. Daily Village activities are held during the summer season all across the space and within the Pioneer Center.
Other monuments like the Mormon Battalion Plaza and the National Pony Express Monument provide audiences with an entirely different sense of connection to the space and history of the region. All of these experiences are connected to the cultural and economic impact it has enabled.
Tickets, Events, Products and More
Tickets to Place Park are released one month at a time to minimize future disruption with possible changes to offerings, procedures, times and pricing. These tickets provide access to Heritage Village, the Pioneer Center and more. They’re just one of the means of direct revenue for the non-profit foundation that manages Place Park.
The Gift Shop at the Visitor Center is open year round, seven-days-a-week. The Shop is housed in a charming replica of a 19th Century sugar mill and features a variety of gifts, souvenirs, and books that can’t be purchased at any other location. Many of these items incorporate the monuments found throughout the location.
Place Park has the space to host weddings, receptions, events and family reunions. The site features nine historic venues with a total of eleven locations that provide audiences with an incredible unique experience. Pricing for each varies based on the time of day and week.
An effort to expand the programming and access to Place Park has enabled engagement on multiple levels that connects audiences with the history and legacy of the entire region. The results that have been generated on account of this effort highlight what’s possible when people can uniquely interact with elements of the past and present in a way that is connected to a vision that resonates across the eras.
A Vision of the Past Connected to the Present
Featuring wide open spaces, multiple landmarks and walking trails around one of Utah’s most picturesque State Parks, This is the Place Heritage Park is uniquely related to the vision that the Mormon Pioneers had when they first entered the Salt Lake Valley. This connection has further cultivated the meaning behind “this is the place,” highlighting what can happen when a vision is fulfilled and expanded upon for the benefit of individual organizations and entire communities.
