Ogden High School

 Ogden High school is a really unique high school. It is a rare Art Deco style building built in 1936 designed by the architectural firm of Hodgson and McClenahan. It it one of 3 significant art deco style buildings in Ogden. Leslie S. Hodgson studied under famous architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Richard K. A. Kletting. I wouldn’t normally post about a school, but this building is really neat!

This was an add-on to our random adventure along Ogden’s 25th Street. I was originally going to include it there, but that ran a little long, and well, this is a bit away from that area so I decided to separate it.

Quick Details:

Length: NA
Trail Type: Get out and see.
Difficulty: DR1, get out and see
Elevation Gain: NA
Restroom: No
Dogs? Dogs are allowed on city sidewalks, leashed. Please clean up after your furry friends!
Other Info: Best to visit in the summer when school is not in session. It is still an active school!

To Get Here:

Take highway 89 to Harrison Boulevard in Ogden to 29th Street.

2828 Harrison Blvd, Ogden, UT 84403

The Adventure:

Just look at this amazing building!

South end.

Marquee.

It is an Art Deco style building built in 1936.

To the south again.

Panoramic.

The front.

Closer.

Detail.

I love the archways over the windows and doors.

Off to explore some more.

Chalk art.

South side.

Panoramic.

Trophies in the window.

Heading around to the south side (PSP).

Again (PSP).

Here we found the dedication stone.

“Ogden High School

Federal Emergency Administration of public works project 1423

1936

Board of education Fred M Nye President James H. Riley Gerrit J. Kruitbosch M. Spencer Stone Albert B. Foulger W. Karl Hopkins Superintendent

George A. Whitmeyer and Sons Contractors

Leslie S. Hodgson &  Myrl A. McClenahan Architects.”

The south entrance.

Above.

View west.

The building (PSP). I love all of the layers. All of the schools I went to were nondescript buildings built in the 70’s and 80’s. In fact one of my high schools was recently rebuilt, and the other one is now a freaking burger joint.

Swinging around to the north side (PSP).

The north side  (PSP).

Neat art deco sign (PSP).

Random smoke stack (PSP).

Breezeway (PSP). It leads to Plaza Del Tigre.

The smokestack again (PSP).

Heading around the east side (PSP).

The smokestack again (PSP).

One of the many sportsball fields as we swing to the south side again (PSP).

Well, that was fun! Not too bad of a detour from what we were doing earlier too. I really, really like the art deco style, and this architectural firm did amazing work that held up almost a 100 years later so far! Talk about a legacy! As mentioned, this is the time of year to see it since school is out. 9 out of 10 squirrels, taking one since it was a little weird to get in and see some bits of it.

As for difficulty, it is just get out and see. DR1.

Dogs are allowed on city sidewalks. Not sure how much they would like this though.

South Salt Lake Water Tower

 The South Salt Lake Water Tower is a really, really tall water tower in South Salt Lake. You can see it from miles away. It always catches my eye when we drive past it, and well, today was no exception so I decided we should go check it out. Yeah yeah yeah, it’s just a water tower. But I think it is neat.

Quick Details:

Length: NA
Trail Type: Get out and see.
Difficulty: DR1 get out and see.
Elevation Gain: NA
Restroom: No
Dogs? Dogs are allowed on city sidewalks, leashed.
Other Info:

To Get Here:

Take i80 to State Street heading south. Turn right on 2700 South. Turn right on West Temple go about 2/10ths of a mile. You can’t miss it. 2500 S. West Temple. Right next to Level Crossing Brewing Company.

The tower from the freeway (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP)). From earlier today.

Homing in on it (PSP). I knew the general area it was, but not the actual address, so we just kind of wandered around until we spotted it, and then tried to make our way to it.

Neat jellyfish art (PSP).

The Adventure:

I purposely parked a little bit away because it is so big I wanted to really take it in. But, you can park right in front.

Closer.

With Level Crossing.

Another neat mural. South Salt Lake is known for it’s murals. In fact they do a mural fest, that I missed again. We have passed by a bunch of them along Parleys Trail just to the north though.

Speaking of, here is a flag for Mural Fest. It was just a few weekends ago.

The water tower again.

Fun murals on Level Crossing.

The tower.

It is 162 feet tall. and was built in 1949. In trying to find some information on it, I learned it is apparently named the Horton Tower after Horace Ebenezer Horton, the founder of The Chicago Bridge and Iron Company who built the tank.

Makers mark. I am not sure where on the tower this is. *Image from the South Salt Lake FB page.

It used to say City of South Salt Lake on it. I'm not sure why they decided to cover it. Or maybe it just faded awat *Image from the South Salt Lake FB page.

Closer.

She tall.

They are building a new public works campus around it. From a quick skim, it looks like they are keeping the water tower, and even building a little community plaza around it. Fun!

Tower.

Getting closer.

You cannot currently go directly underneath since it is behind a fence. But you can get pretty much right next to it.

More shots.

Under the ladder.

The fence.

Side.

The ladder again.

I didn’t get many pictures of the lot, because, well, it’s just a sad old cracked concrete pad. But I wish I had because like I said, it sounds like they are going to do something nice with it soon.

But he is a screen grab from google maps.

Murals on Level Crossing again.

The tower again.

Fun old train crossing sign.

Neat old sign (PSP). I swear it feels like bowling alleys are becoming rare.

The tower again (PSP).

Little bit of a sunset (PSP).

I am glad we finally went to check it out. And I am happy to hear that they are turning it into a fun community space. I look forward to that! This was a good quick add on stop as we were leaving the downtown area. I am not sure if I would have made a special trip for it. But again, I think it is neat. 8 out of 10 squirrels.

As for difficulty, it really is just a get out and see. DR1.

Dogs are allowed on city sidewalks, leashed.