State Street Tour

Like its neighbor Main Street, State Street was a residential area that rapidly developed into an urban center during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But the two streets differ significantly: Main Street focuses more on Salt Lake’s retail and financial sectors, whereas State Street offers a more varied history. State Street has been the setting for important, fluid relations among immigrants, the mining-rich bourgeoisie, federal authorities, LDS Church leaders, investors, and new developments by private individuals and large institutional corporations. This 90-minute tour explores the social, cultural, political, and architectural history of downtown State Street, one of Salt Lake City’s most famous districts. We'll talk about the many waves of people who have lived and worked in this area, as well as how tensions between modern development and preservation played out as the neighborhood transformed. Originally built as a residential and entertainment district, State Street has evolved again and again to become the commercial, political, retail, and high-rise neighborhood we see today. In addition to examining major 20th-century buildings along State Street, we'll also discuss what happened to important 19th-century buildings that once stood here and why. The tour focuses on appreciating an important Salt Lake City street in new ways. Major landmarks on the half-mile tour include the Alta Club, Belvedere Apartments, Federal Reserve Bank, historic Edison Street, and Brooks Arcade.