Recreation Center for the Utah State Hospital facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Recreation Center for the Utah State Hospital
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Recreation Center for the Utah State Hospital, June 2018
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 Location in Utah
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1300 East Center Street Provo, Utah United States |
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| Area | 1.6 acres (0.65 ha) (within 309.55 acre property of the Utah State Hospital) |
| Built | 1936–7 |
| Built by | Works Progress Administration |
| MPS | Public Works Buildings TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 86000746 |
| Added to NRHP | April 9, 1986 |
The Recreation Center For the Utah State Hospital is a special old building in Provo, Utah. It's a historic amphitheater, which is like an outdoor theater. This cool place is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, meaning it's important to history.
Contents
What is the Recreation Center?
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This recreation center is located at 1300 East Center Street. It sits on the land of the Utah State Hospital, which is a hospital that helps people with mental health needs. Many people believe this amphitheater was one of the first and largest of its kind built in Utah.
How Big is the Center?
The recreation center covers about three acres of land. Its amphitheater and other rooms can hold up to 800 people. The outdoor theater part is built right into the hillside next to the hospital.
What Does it Look Like?
The building is made almost entirely of stone. It has attached rooms and two-story towers on its corners. These towers, along with the special railings that look like "battlements," make the whole building look like a castle!
One of the towers has a large room inside with a fireplace. Above this room, on its flat roof, there's another fireplace and an open area for people to gather. Stone ramps on both sides help people get from the grassy play area to the amphitheater.
Who Designed It?
Lavar S. Morris was the person who drew up the plans for the center. He also watched over the building work to make sure everything was done right. Even though there were plans to build more fun places like tennis courts and gardens, this recreation center is the only one that was built near the hospital.
Past Events at the Center
For many years, from 1971 to 1997, the center was home to the annual Haunted Castle event during the Halloween season. The Recreation Center for the Utah State Hospital was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 9, 1986.
Why is This Place Important?
The Recreation Center for the Utah State Hospital is important because of its history, especially during a tough time called the Great Depression.
Utah During the Great Depression
The Great Depression was a time when many people lost their jobs and money. Utah was hit very hard by this economic crisis. In 1933, about 36 out of every 100 people in Utah didn't have a job. This was one of the highest unemployment rates in the entire country. From 1932 to 1940, about 25 out of every 100 people were unemployed on average.
Because Utah was struggling so much, it received a lot of help from the national government. In fact, Utah received the 9th highest amount of federal money per person among all 48 states during the 1930s.
Building Public Works
With this money from the government, many public buildings were constructed. The Recreation Center for the Utah State Hospital was built between 1936 and 1937. It is a great example of how government programs, known as the New Deal, helped states like Utah during this difficult time. It shows how these programs made a big difference in people's lives.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Utah County, Utah
- Utah State Training School Amphitheater and Wall in American Fork, also built with government help and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
