Faces in the Crowd - Salt Lake City Pioneer Day 1897

This 1897 photograph captures a glimpse of the cross-section of people living in Salt Lake City at the turn of the last century.

This photo (source) is of a float for the Pioneer Semi-Centennial (Pioneer Day) on July 24, 1897. The float itself is rather interesting as it is a replacement for a Chinese dragon from Rock Springs, Wyoming, that was originally planned. The Chinese dragon made an appearance the year prior, 1896. Read more about that here and here. 

Salt Lake City's Pioneer Centennial celebration on July 24, 1897.
Colored by author. Original from USHS.

The Chinese dragon never made it from Rock Springs, Wyoming, (the parade organizers didn't pay) so this float was made as a replacement. It was titled "the serpent of the Great Salt Lake" and was described as "It's gaudy trappings will be covered with drapery which will glisten with salt crystallizations.”

But more than just the story of the float, I like that it shows all types of people. The images below are detailed clips of people in the crowd.

Two Black women. They are dressed up with puffy sleeves and wearing nice hats.

A fellow with an interesting beard, maybe Chinese (it's hard to tell).

 Buffalo Soldier (Black Soldier) stationed at Fort Douglas.
His situational awareness training is evident as he is is looking directly at the camera 

Two Chinese individuals. They could be from the SLC Chinatown at Plum Alley or they could be from Wyoming- Rock Springs and Evanston both having a high number of Chinese residents.

A loving dad and daughter. A White family who are out to see the parade. Dad is wearing a bowler hat, a more expensive style than the utilitarian style hat of the man in the foreground.

Shoshone-Bannock individuals, probably part of the parade. Likely from Idaho.

Well-dressed White kids. Away from parental supervision. Perhaps friends, perhaps relatives.

An older White lady with a fancy hat. She does not appear to be very pleased.
It is likely hot and the sun is bright.

Inside the historic chapel at Holy Cross Hospital

Inside the Holy Cross Hospital Chapel, June 26 2024.

I recently toured the interior of the old Holy Cross Hospital Chapel, although now the hospital is known as CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital Salt Lake and is located at 1050 E S Temple SLC.

The chapel was built in 1904 and was severely damaged in the 2020 earthquake.

Thankfully the hospital has plans to repair (not demolish) the chapel and I was told that fundraising will start later this year or early next year. You can see some of the damage in these photos.

Interestingly, the windows in the chapel are not stained glass, rather they are painted. I have included a close-up image of the St. Patrick painted glass window (Image 2).

The interior painting of the chapel was done by Italian artisan, Achille Pertelli, and was completed in 1909.

The chapel was probably designed by Carl M. Nehausen, who also designed the Cathedral of the Madeleine and St Ann’s Orphanage (now a school).

Image 9 are historic photos. The top is the exterior from 1909. The lower one is the interior from 1904 at the dedication, note the lack of the Pertelli paintings. Images from USHS.

Painted window (not stained glass) depicting Saint Patrick.
Inside the Holy Cross Hospital Chapel, June 26 2024.

Inside the Holy Cross Hospital Chapel, June 26 2024.

Inside the Holy Cross Hospital Chapel, June 26 2024.

Inside the Holy Cross Hospital Chapel, June 26 2024. Note cracking damage from the 2020 earthquake.

Inside the Holy Cross Hospital Chapel, June 26 2024.

Inside the Holy Cross Hospital Chapel, June 26 2024.

Inside the Holy Cross Hospital Chapel, June 26 2024.

historic photos of the chapel. The top is the exterior from 1909. The lower one is the interior from 1904 at the dedication, note the lack of the Pertelli paintings. Images from USHS.

Fun photos found in the archive - 1970s

These are fun photos, ca. 1970. This little girl clearly wanted to be part of the archival record, hahaha!

These two houses were at 463 and 467 S. 300 East, respectively. Where the Salt Lake City Public Safety Building is now, east of the Salt Lake City Main (downtown) Library.

These two buildings were likely demolished soon after (a few years?) these photos were taken.

Photos from Utah SHPO building records, here and here.

House at 463 S 300 East, ca 1970s; now demolished.
Image from SHPO historic building files.

Detail of the girl in the above photo.

House at 463 S 300 East, ca 1970s; now demolished.
Image from SHPO historic building files.

Detail of the girl in the above photo.

SLC’s redlining map from the 1930s

SLC’s redlining map from the 1930s. Another interesting and important map.

Federal Home Loan Bank Board. Home Owners' Loan Corporation. 1933-7/1/1939.
From the National Archives.

Clip of the map legend. From the National Archives.

During the Great Depression, the Federal Home Loan Bank Board created residential security maps to indicate the risk of default on federally-backed mortgages.

Demographic information, such as race, was used to create these maps.

Green and blue neighborhoods were considered less risky areas to issue a mortgage and usually had majority-White populations. They were described as “best” and “still desirable” neighborhoods.

Often these neighborhoods had restrictive covenants that prohibited people of color from living in the neighborhood. The Westmoreland neighborhood of SLC is an example of this.

Yellow neighborhoods were designated as “definitely declining” and seen as places where “undesirable populations” may increase.

Red neighborhoods were “hazardous” and were associated with higher populations of people of color. Red neighborhoods were ineligible for federally backed mortgages making it difficult for residents in the neighborhood to become homeowners.

Thus, the term “redlining” refers to those red or “hazardous” neighborhoods that tended to have a higher percentage of residents that were people of color.

These maps recorded the existing conditions of the 1930s and then they were used to reinforce and perpetuate segregated neighborhoods.

This map is from the National Archives, direct link: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/85713738

I geo-referenced the redlining map and overlayed modern neighborhood boundaries using GIS. Even today, much of today's neighborhood boundaries align with the redlining map.

The 1930s SLC Redlining Map, with modern Community Council districts, overlayed. 

Detail clip of SLC's Redlining Map, showing Avenues, Downtown, Central City, East Central, University, and Liberty Wells neighborhoods.

Detail clip of SLC's Redlining Map, showing Rose Park, Fairpark, and Capitol Hill neighborhoods.

Detail clip of SLC's Redlining Map, showing Poplar Grove and Glendale neighborhoods.

Detail clip of SLC's Redlining Map, showing East Central, Wasatch Hollow, and Sugar House neighborhoods.  Note that the old State Prison (Sugar House Park site) is identified as "Yellow."

Detail clip of SLC's Redlining Map, showing Yalecrest, Foothill/Sunyside, and Wasatch Hollow neighborhoods.

WWI 1918 Military Draft Map of Salt Lake City

More map fun! This is a World War I (WWI) 1918 military draft map of Salt Lake City. This map shows men where they needed to go to register for military service, both citizens and non-citizens.

Clip of map from SL Trib 1918/06/04 Page 11

Detail of the same (above) clip of map from SL Trib 1918/06/04 Page 11

Of interest, the Japanese Association Headquarters building at 168 S West Temple is specifically noted and marked. The Japanese Association was the precursor to the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL).

The building at 168 West Temple was part of Salt Lake’s old Japantown which was mostly demolished for the construction of the Salt Palace in the 1960s.

Image 3 shows what the building looked like in 1918. The “Lodge Pool Hall” is the location of the Japanese Association. As it was mostly a fraternal association of men, it is sometimes identified as a Lodge.

I’ve denoted the approximate location of this building on the other images by using a torii gate icon in red.

Image of the building at 168 S West Temple in 1918. From USHS Shipler 18591.

Clip from a postcard of the Salt Palace in the 1960s

 Modern Google Maps showing the Convention Center in downtown Salt Lake City.

Maps by W.D. Rishel

Maps are fun! This 1917 map from the Salt Lake Tribune shows SLC as the Crossroads of the West, although the specific verbiage used in the description was “automobile touring center of the west.” Where the tourist must top for supplies and information… whether traveling east, west, north, or south.

This 1917 map was made by W. D. Rishel, manager of the Utah Automobile Association, and shows several travel routes. You will note that many of these routes eventually evolved into our Interstate Highway system while others (notably the Lincoln Highway through Fish Springs) were abandoned.

• Lincoln Highway

• Midland Trail

• Pike’s Peak Route

• Arrowhead Trail

• Evergreen Highway

• Yellowstone Highway

Source: Salt Lake Tribune 1917-12-30 Page 46