Park City History, Art & More...
This town is full of history and I'm trying to learn as much as possible. Today, I began my day sitting at a sidewalk cafe, people watching and sipping coffee.
In 1888 the Park Record reported, “Miss Lizzie Barbee has been appointed librarian for the Ladies Library Association library.” Park City had a library before Utah had statehood. In February 1889 the Park Record listed the 82 new books the library had received. The paper reported that the books had “cost the ladies upwards of $75”, bringing the total number of books in the Library to 327. This first library was created in a room in the basement of the Congregational Church and was open to all who wanted to use it.
From 1917 to 1982, the Library occupied this building right on Main St. Over the years it grew until there were over 5,000 volumes on hand in addition to popular magazines and periodicals. Volunteers from the Woman’s Athenaeum and other civic organizations staffed the library and aided the librarian in keeping the books bound and in repair.
On September 6, 1982, 78 years after the Miners Hospital first opened its doors to injured miners, the building was rededicated as the Park City Library. The “Book Brigade,” a human chain of over 750 people, passed approximately 5,000 volumes three-quarters of a mile from the former Library on Main Street to the new Library at the Miners Hospital.
Located in Park City City Park (we chuckled), the seeming unique location for a library, the Miners Hospital (1904), was built for the sum of $5,000 raised by local businessmen and the Western Federation of Miners Local #144. In its first year, six thousand miners were treated for “Miner’s Consumption”, or silicosis.
The Library's final stop was the Park City High School (1927) that was abandoned as a school in 1981. Since 1993 it has been the Public Library and what an exceptional place it is.
This bus stop, in front of the current library, is one of the many Public Arts around town. It's called "Under the Cover of a Good Book". Perfect for its location.
As I wandered, I kept discovering new things that were amazing. Titled, "Unlocked Secrets", this Piano Art was part of an installment of decorated and working pianos, just out in the public for all to play. Fun.
I discovered this image by Bansky, the mysterious artist who produces art all around the world and you never know where the next one will be, and was impressed. There are two Banksy paintings here, which first appeared in 2010 when Banksy was in town for the debut of his documentary, Exit Through the Gift Shop, at Sundance. At first some townsfolk were outraged at the "unauthorized" art but soon the city embraced the murals, now among the most-photographed sites in town.
I have always admired the Mormon dedication to genealogy. With time to kill, I found myself in the heart of historic Park City, at the Family Tree Visitors' Center. A really wonderful Elder help me learn more about my ancestors. I could have stayed for days. It was quite poignant for me- Learning my own history while learning the town's. Very, very cool. It was a great day of discovery!
1 comments:
Honestly, you can cram more interesting visits in a day than anyone I know!
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