We had several hours before K & T's flight arrived so off we went to explore this unique city.

The Salt Lake City Union Pacific Depot was built in 1908-09, it dates back to the more prosperous era in the history of American railroad travel. This is what brought us to town today because it supposedly is the inspiration for Disney's Depot. Regardless, it was iconic and neat to see.
We spotted this Chihuly sculpture at Abravanel Hall from across the street. Titled "The Red Tower" it seemed to fit the theme for the 2002 winter Olympics, Light the Fire Within.
We enjoyed the outdoor art everywhere.
The spring flowers were in bloom and beautiful.
And how thoughtful that we were reminded to look both ways on every corner.
We returned to Temple Square to explore more and discovered the Deuel Log Cabin, one of just two existing pioneer homes built in 1847- the first year the Mormons arrived in the Salt Lake Valley.
Salt Lake City was founded on July 24, 1847 by a group of pioneers led by Brigham Young. Construction of the Temple began in 1853, but the building was not completed until 1893. The lengthy construction time was due to limited transportation for materials and a desire to make the temple perfectly beautiful and strong.


We then enjoyed a concert, performed on the 11,623 pipe organ, in the Tabernacle, as a reprieve in the afternoon. Completed in 1875, the Tabernacle was built as a place for Church members to gather and hear the words of their leaders. Brigham Young directed the building should be designed so people could see and hear the speaker without impediment. To do this successfully, bridge-building techniques were used to construct the Tabernacle roof so that support pillars were not needed. It was truly incredible.
Wanting to see an overview of the city, we headed to the top of a local hill. We were amazed by the State Capitol which has been one of Utah’s most prominent landmarks for a century. 
Being it was Sunday, and that most restaurants were closed, we were beyond delighted when we discovered this cool place and dined on the patio. It was perfect.

Okay, so we just had to stroll through the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Approximately 120,000 persons are buried in this vast place. Many religious leaders and politicians, particularly many leaders of The Church, lie here. It encompasses over 250 acres and contains 91⁄2 miles of roads. It is the largest city-operated cemetery in the United States.
The first burial occurred on September 27, 1847, when George Wallace buried his child, Mary Wallace. The burial was two months after the Mormon pioneers had settled the Salt Lake Valley.



Our last stop was Fort Douglas, established in October 1862 as a small military garrison. It was built with the purpose of protecting the overland mail route and telegraph lines along the Central Overland Route. The fort was officially closed in 1991, and most of the buildings were turned over to the University of Utah. Why I wanted to see it was the fact that during the 2002 Winter Olympics this is where 4,000 Olympians lived. So cool.

What a great day of discovery! We really like Salt Lake City. Tonight, Park City!