1939 - Sugar House Station Post Office - Salt Lake City, UT - Dated Buildings and Cornerstones on Waymarking.com

"The May 7, 1936 edition of the Sugar House Bulletin reported a "rousing talk" by local Postmaster Smoot that was a 'call to arms' to members of the newly-formed Sugar House Rotary. Mr. Smoot stated that a new federal building was seriously needed to handle the sixteen percent increase in mail during just the preceding twenty months. 4 In 1937, U.S. Representative J. Will Robinson requested that a building for Sugar House be included in the application to Congress for $23,000,000 by the postal department. An immense lobbying effort by members of the Sugar House Rotary Club and the Business Men's League of Sugar House insured community enthusiasm and business support.

On March 19, 1938, the Salt Lake Tribune announced that the House Appropriations Committee had approved $150,000 for a new Sugar House Postal Station, and Congressmen Robinson reported that the building was included in the House's recommended $70,000,000 building program. Two sites were under consideration for the postal station: one south of the existing 1928 Sprague Library (located at 2131 South 1100 East still in use and NR eligible) costing $17,875; and another site on the east side of 1100 East between 2100 South and Ramona Avenue costing $29,900. Public opinion favored the location next to the library, which was eventually purchased in May 1938.

The building was designed by Louis A. Simon, Office of the Supervising Architect and the architect of record for several contemporary postal facilities in the state. W.J. Dean and Sons secured the contract for the construction for $78,276 and construction began in 1939. The building was completed in 1940 at a final cost of $85,976 and the Salt Lake Tribune announced that a crowd of 2500 people attended the dedication ceremony on November 16, 1940. According to the post office inspector in charge of the Denver district, "very few places the size of Suaar House have been granted a substation as large as the one now being dedicated." The new station
began operation the following Monday, November 18, 1940.

The building adequately served the community until 1962 when a two story addition was built on the east end of the building to house a variety of staff and mechanical spaces and an improved loading dock facility. The U.S. Postal Service continued operation of the building until it was replaced in 1991 by a new building located about two blocks to the north." (visit link)

"Sugar House (Salt Lake) was established in 1853, six years after the arrival of the Mormon Pioneers. It is located west of the mouth of Parleys Canyon, and encompasses the approximate area southeast of Salt Lake City: 1700 South to 2700 South and 700 East to 2000 East. The name was suggested by Margaret McMeans Smoot inspired by the local sugar mill. However, the sugar mill project never got off the ground. An earlier attemt to produce paper also failed. However, in recognition of the beet sugar manufacturing effort, a monument in the form of an obelisk was erected in the center of town where Highland Drive and 2100 South meet.

The area includes the following schools: Dilworth Elementary, Highland Park Elementary, Clayton Middle School, Highland High and Westminster College. Sugar House Park and Highland High School now dominate a large section of land previously occupied by the Sugar House State Prison. The prison closed in 1951 and the 400 resident inmates were moved to the Utah State Prison in Draper. Another nearby park is Fairmont Park with lots of shade trees, picnic areas, playgrounds, ball fields and other amenities.

Today, Sugar House is a thriving community with old buildings being replaced by modern structures. Some enduring landmarks such as the Granite Furniture store, the attractive todor style public library and the old Irving Jr. High School facade remind of other times.

There is currently (2008) an effort underway to bring additional public transportation into the area by way of a trolley system which would follow the old Union Pacific corridor which runs along 2300 South." (visit link)

Year of construction: 1939 Cross-listed waymark: [Web Link] Full inscription: JAMES A FARLEY POSTMASTER GENERAL JOHN M CARMODY FEDERAL WORKS ADMINISTRATOR W ENGLEBERT REYNOLDS COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS LOUIS A SIMON SUPERVISING ARCHITECT NEAL A MELICK SUPERVISING ENGINEER 1939

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   03/04/2021 lesdubois visited it 05/12/2011 Chasing Blue Sky visited it

View all visits/logs