Capitol Hill, Salt Lake City facts for kids

Capitol Hill in Salt Lake City is a special neighborhood. It gets its name from the huge Utah State Capitol building. This famous building sits high up, looking over the whole downtown area. It's a very important place in the city!

Exploring Capitol Hill: Where is it?

Capitol Hill slopes down towards the south. This means it has amazing views of downtown Salt Lake City. That's why the Utah State Capitol was built there between 1912 and 1916. You can drive up State Street (U.S. Route 89 in Utah) to reach Capitol Hill. Main Street also goes up the hill, just one block to the west. From the top, you can see the entire Salt Lake City area. You can even spot the Great Salt Lake far off to the west!

This hill is home to many old and interesting buildings. The side of the hill that slopes to the west is a diverse neighborhood. It's called "Marmalade Hill." This is because its streets are named after different fruits. These fruits are often used to make marmalade jam. The east side of the hill drops sharply into City Creek Canyon. Across this small canyon is another Salt Lake City neighborhood. It's called "the Avenues." North of the Capitol building is the Wasatch Springs area. It's named after natural hot springs nearby. The south side of Capitol Hill is sometimes called "Heber's Bench." This name comes from Heber C. Kimball, who used to live there. He was an important leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Marmalade District is a small, unique area. Its boundaries are generally 300 North to the south and 500 North to the north. Center Street is on its east side, and Quince Street, which is like its main street, is on the west.

The Capitol Hill Historic District is a special part of the hill. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized for its important history.

The Sweet Marmalade District

The western slope of Capitol Hill is known as the "Marmalade District." It's named after marmalade fruit jam. This is because the streets here are named after fruit trees. Trees like apricot, quince, and almond were brought and planted there long ago. Most streets in Salt Lake City are named after directions. But the Marmalade District is different. Its roads are uneven, narrow, and steep. This makes it a unique part of the city.

This district is known for having many different styles of buildings. It's one of the most architecturally diverse neighborhoods in Utah. You can see early examples of Utah's local building styles. Next to them are different turn-of-the-century styles. For example, there's a church building with a Russian-influenced "onion dome." You can also find Gothic revival homes and large Victorian mansions. Many houses are a mix of adobe, brick, and wood.

Famous Places and Buildings on Capitol Hill

Capitol Hill is home to many important and historic sites.

• Utah State Capitol - This is the main building for Utah's government. It's where laws are made.
• Salt Lake City Council Hall - This building used to be Salt Lake City's City Hall. It was moved to the hill from the downtown area.
• White Community Memorial Chapel - This chapel was built in 1883. It was a church meeting house. It was later rebuilt across from the Capitol building. Now it's used for services for all faiths.
• Pioneer Memorial Museum - This is the main museum for the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. The front of the building looks like the old Salt Lake Theatre.
• Mormon Battalion Monument - This monument honors the members of the Mormon Battalion.
• Kimball-Whitney Cemetery - This is a small cemetery. It's the final resting place for members of the Kimball and Whitney families. Heber C. Kimball is buried here.
• Dickson-Gardner-Wolf Home - This is a large, beautiful mansion built in 1905. It's in the Classic revival style. It was built for William H. Dickson, a United States Attorney.
• Alfred McCune Home - This grand mansion is at 201 North Main Street. It belonged to Alfred W. McCune. He was a successful businessman in railroads and mining.
• Ashby Snow Home - This home was built in 1909. It's in the prairie-style. It was built for an important church leader.
• Woodruff-Riter-Stewart Home - This mansion was built in 1906. It's in the second renaissance revival style.

Special Spots in the Marmalade District

• 19th Ward Meetinghouse - This church building has a unique "onion dome" steeple. It shows Russian influence.
• 19th Ward Relief Society Hall - This is the last separate hall of its kind. Today, both the 19th Ward Chapel and Relief Society Hall are home to the Salt Lake Acting Company, or SLAC. This is a professional theater company in Utah.
• John Platts Home - This is a very old house built in 1856. It was made of adobe. A second story of fired brick was added in 1860. Bricks had just become available in Utah then.
• Morrow-Taylor Home – This Victorian Italiante home was built around 1868. It is believed that church president John Taylor once lived here.
• Richard Vaughen Morris Home - This adobe house from the 1860s belonged to Richard Vaughen Morris. He was a member of the Nauvoo Legion.
• Thomas Quayle Home - This Gothic mansion was built in 1884. It was moved to this spot in 1975 from downtown.

Other Places to See

• Memory Grove – This is a park that opened in 1920. It honors the people who were victims of World War I. Memory Grove is in a small canyon right next to Capitol Hill.

Fun Events on Capitol Hill

Cool Things to Do

Every year, from June to August, there's a fun event called "Movie Under the Stars." This is an outdoor movie series. They show different kinds of movies. In past years, they've shown movies like Kung Fu Panda, My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding, and Iron Man. The movies are shown on a big inflatable screen. You can watch them on the south lawn of the Capitol Building.

During the summer, there's also Capitol Discovery Day. This is a day to visit and tour the State Capitol Building. You can enjoy games and activities. Bands play and choirs sing inside the building throughout the day.