| Description |
6245 Salt Lake Theatre (about 1902)-bore the title: "Cathedral of the Desert." Dedicated March 6, 1862, costing $100, 000. This famous theatre delighted pioneer audiences with the world's greatest talent. From the time it was built, Salt Lake City became known as a center for music and drama. It was one of the greatest factors in establishing high standards for amusement among the people. Its stage was as large as that at Covent Garden, and the interior was reminiscent of the old Drury Lane theatre until the Orpheum Theatre opened in 1903. Torn down in 1928 to make way for progress. U.H.S. Collection (1 copy & neg.) From Art Work of Utah. Stone and brick work demonstrated Elias Morris' craftsmanship. Alfred Lambourne painted scenery forstage effects. Northwest corner at State Street and First South- Rich in history was the Salt Lake Theatre. The nucleus of the theatre building fund was procured from the resale of goods purchased by Hiram B. Clawson from an auction sale of army goods at the time Camp Floyd was abandoned by Johnston's Army. Tents, stoves, sugar, and groceries were sold at a good profit. The glass, nails, and other building materials were saved for the theatre. Most of the people who worked on the building were paid in promises of tickets to the theatre when it opened. Nearly every family in the community was represented on the work rolls. The men sawed and hauled wood; excavated, quarried, and hauled stone; moulded an d hauled abobe bricks; manufactured nails; did carpentry work; lathed and plastered; and painted. An old water wheel on City Creek operated a winch to lift the stones and beams. The auditorium had a parquette and four circles-a seating capacity of 1,500 persons. Brigham Young would have no tragedies played at the theatre. His contentention was that life held too much tragedy. He wanted the people to be amuse and entertained. Money was scarce in pioneer days and, according to Artemus Ward, the receipts at the theatre box office for one day amounted to ""twenty bushels of wheat, five of corn, four of potatoes, two of oats, four of salt, two hams, one live pig, one wolf skin, five pounds of honey in the comb, sixteen strings of sausages, and one cat. |
