Random Rambler: South Cottonwood Campground Old Rock Granary

Hidden in the back corner of an LD$ church in Murray is an old historic granary. About 600 feet to the north of it was a campground that was about halfway between downtown Salt Lake City and the Temple Quarry at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. So eventually the granary was built. I love neat old buildings so when I heard about this, I added it to my list of things I would like to come see sometime. And well, we had a day full of mini adventures in the area, so I figured why not add this quick one on top as well. So here we are.

Quick Details:

Length: NA
Trail Type: Get out and see
Difficulty: Get out and see. DR1
Elevation Gain: NA
Restroom: No. You will need to find a gas station or other business nearby.
Dogs? No. Big Cottonwood Canyon is watershed.
Other Info:

To Get Here:

From State Street, take 5600 South west for about 9/10ths of a mile, turn right on Vine Street. The immediately left into the parking lot for the LD$ Church. It is in the back southeast corner of the parking lot.

5650 S Vine St, Murray, UT 84107

The Trail:

The neat old building.

Little closer.

There is a gate that opens, so we were able to get in a little closer.

North side.

The back of the granite monument has a list of contributors.

The front of the granite monument.

“South Cottonwood Temple Granite Rest Camp

Since 1848 this area has been known as South Cottonwood and was one of the early religious and social centers for the pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley. Approximately 600 feet north of this site, was the campsite used by stone haulers who transported large granite blocks to the Salt Lake Temple. These sturdy men moved many tons of stone with horses and wagons until a narrow gauge railway was constructed from the quarry into Salt Lake City.

The wagon displayed here is a replica of similar wagons used then. On it is a stone from the old narrow gauge railway as well as large stones found along the wagon trail. from the Sandy area farm of John Smart. Marks of the rock drill are still plainly visible.

Relief Society Granary

The old Rock Granary exterior has been preserved as closely to it’s original construction as possible. As early as 1845, the pioneers we advised to store grain. On December 14, 1876, Bishop Joseph S. Rawlins asked the Relief Society sisters living in this area to store wheat. Mary Rawlins was appointed chairperson of the granary building committee. Donations were received and a temporary wheat bin was built. Young men gathered the rocks, much of it from the granite quarry at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon, and the rest from stones found in this area. On May 17, 1878 the granary was completed, ready to store it’s first deposit of 195 bushels of wheat.”

It’s super old, but we have seen older. Also, we learned just today at Murray Park that this area was called South Cottonwood.

Neat engraving of the Salt Lake Temple.

You can see the drill marks from when the stone was quarried.

Back to the granary.

The front.

I mentioned that it was a little weird that there were no windows, but Landis reminded me that it is basically a storage building and doesn’t need one. Oh.. yeah that makes sense.

“The Old Rock Granary

As early as 1845 Brigham Young advised the Saints to store grain. December 14, 1876 Bishop Joseph S. Rawlins asked the sisters living in this vicinity to store wheat. February 8, 1877 the first donations were received. A temporary bin was built later, a tract of land 20 rods wide was given for the granary. On July 13, 1877 Mary Rawlins was made chairman of the building committee. Some of the young men were asked to haul the rock. On may 17, 1878 the granary was completed.

South Cottonwood Camp Salt Lake County”

Basically the same info as above.

“South Cottonwood Campground

This area, 56th South and Vine Street, known as South Cottonwood, was one of the early religious and social centers for the Church in the Salt Lake Valley. To the north of here about 600 feet was a campground used by the stone haulers for the Salt Lake Temple, the site being approximately halfway between the quarry and the temple ground.

Also, may it be remembered that for those sturdy men who struggled here; the summer heat, spring and fall mud, and inadequate equipment made the task difficult. But they prevailed.”

Also, same info as above.

The south end.

The back or east side.

Reproduction wagon with quarry stones on it.

Neat old lamp. I wonder if there is a story behind it.

Another informative sign (which solidified that we were allowed in here). Sadly it is super super faded. However, fortunately I recently discovered hmdb.org which is a page dedicated by nerds like me that like history. So from their page (outside link):.

“On this historic corner once stood the hub of the South Cottonwood community. The first settlers were principally Mormon convents from the southern states under the leadership of Amasa M. Lyman. On Thursday October 19, 1848 the company arrived in Great Salt Lake City and before the end at the month the company had settled in this area. Most of these families sheltered from the winter storms of 1848-49 in tents made from canvas wagon covers with oil walls reinforced with mud and timber or in dugouts excavated into the slope of a hill. One of the pioneers of that time was John Benbow who arrived with the Brigham Young Company of 1848. As near as can be determined, the John Benbow dugout was in the small embankment approximately 30 feet south of the rock granary.

On February 16, 1849 the South Cottonwood Ward was organized with William Crosby as its first bishop. In 1851 most of the original settlers were called to accompany Elder Lyman on the mission to establish the city of San Bernadino, California. With the arrival of additional settlers to South Cottonwood an adobe meeting house was constructed on this comer in 1856. The

original structure was added onto in 1869, in 1927, in 1941 and in 1969.
Located on this same corner, south of the meeting house also stood a cooperative store built in 1872 and operated by Richard Howe and his wife Ann. The store also served as post office to the community. At one time the ward owned a dairy, a hospital, a school, a stable, a park and a cemetery. Of the buildings of that era that once occupied this corner, only the rock granary survives - a reminder of the industry and faith of the pioneers of South Cottonwood.”

The best determined location of the John Benbow dugout appears to be in the yards of some houses just to the south. I guess it was not important enough to preserve.

The reproduction wagon again.

Quarried stone, with drill marks.

Another granite stone.

The northeast corner of the granary and the neat old lamp.

Northwest corner.

Outside of the fence.

Well, that was a fun little add-on for the day! We both love old buildings and history so it was fun for both of us. Not a whole lot to it, but still neat all the same. 7 out of 10 squirrels.