Riverton Elementary School - Riverton, UT
N 40° 31.080 W 111° 56.346
12T E 420447 N 4485676
Riverton Elementary School operated from 1927-1995, and is now home of the Riverton City Offices.
Waymark Code: WMB6VK
Location: Utah, United States
Date Posted: 04/12/2011
Views: 7
The property where the Riverton Civic Center stands has been home to education/civic buildings for more than 100 years.
The first Riverton School House at this location housed grades 1 through 8. As Riverton’s school age children continued to increase the need for more school rooms brought the construction of an additional north school house in 1909. In 1927 a new Jr. High replaced the 1892 south building. At this time the 1909 Elementary was being remodeled caught fire and was destroyed. A new matching elementary building was constructed and both buildings comprise today’s Civic Center.
The north and south portions of the Riverton Elementary School were designed by architects Scott and Welch and built during 1925-1927. The gymnasium was designed by another prominent Utah architectural firm, Ashton and Evans in 1930. the Riverton Elementary School is a significant example of educational architecture and shows the efforts during the early twentieth century to provide appropriately-sized and wholesomely-designed spaces for children. When it was constructed, the school was described as a credit to the board of education and Jordan School District as "a monument in the foreground of Utah's education field."
The Civic Center North Building, constructed in 1927, housed elementary classes. The South Building housed Riverton Jr. High Buffalo pupils from 1927 to 1958. The Sandra Newman Lloyd Performing Arts Center was constructed in 1930 as the gymnasium, lunchroom and vocational shops.
The buildings served as Elementary and Jr. High School facilities until 1958 when Riverton Jr. High age children were bussed to the new West Jordan Jr. High. Elementary children continued attending school here until 1995 when a new Riverton Elementary was constructed a few blocks south.
An estimated 10,000+ local area students have received education in these buildings. Utah Governors, officials, LDS Church Presidents and General Authorities have conducted meetings and business affairs in these building. Funerals, weddings, town board meetings, countless plays, productions, dances and recitals have happened within its walls.
Riverton Mayor Sandra N. Lloyd’s administration negotiated the purchase of the Riverton Elementary and surrounding 9 acres for $225,000 with vision the buildings had many more years of potential service to yield the community. Lloyd organized the Riverton School Preservation Society in 1996.
Annual improvements to the property gained the support of citizens. Volunteer public committees and professional consultants concluded restoration of the buildings filled community meeting space needs and made economic and sentimental sense.
April 6, 2005 the Riverton School was rededicated as the Riverton Civic Center after a multi-million dollar restoration project bringing the buildings to earthquake-safe and historic code standards.
Today, it houses Riverton City Offices and personnel. The Sandra N. Lloyd Performing Arts Center is booked solid for community arts programming, functions and family rental space.
The Riverton School landmark has served as a focal point and community gathering place for well over a century and will likely serve another hundred years as the heart of the community.
Address:
12830 S Redwood Road
Riverton, UT USA
84065
Web Site: Not listed
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