The beginnings of Salt Lake’s Liberty Park – on Independence Day; Plus, small S.L. private cemeteries

LIBERTY Park is one of the gems of Salt Lake City. It is also the oldest park in Utah, opening in 1882.

Located between 900 and 1300 South and 500 East and 700 East, this 80-acre paradise is Salt Lake City’s second largest park, ranking only behind Sugarhouse Park (110 acres).

“Liberty Park” was a headline in the Salt Lake Herald newspaper of June 29, 1881 and also one of the first known printed references to the park.

The Herald stated that the area was formerly the Mill Farm. Salt Lake City purchased the land for $21,009.

A committee appointed by the Salt Lake City Council to study the park and its development had discussed what to name the facility and Liberty Park is what was decided. The fact that a program was planned for July 4, 1881 – Independence Day -- at the new park site also likely helped decide its name.

A year later, in 1882, the park had picnic and other facilities and offered a slice of nature at the southeast end of downtown.

-Heber C. Kimball, prominent Mormon pioneer and early LDS Church leader, is not buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Like Brigham Young, his burial site resides elsewhere downtown.

“The Kimball Cemetery” was a June 21, 1890 headline in the Deseret Weekly newspaper. On the July anniversary of the birthday of Heber C. Kimball, family and friends met at the small cemetery to pay their respects.

This Kimball Cemetery is located at the rear of the original Kimball family homestead, near the head of Main Street. Under a perpetual grant, the Salt Lake City Council allowed cemetery to be located there.

Originally, it was enclosed by a picket fence. In 1890, the Deseret Weekly story stated that an ornamental fence now enclosed the sacred ground.

The story stated that the only large monument remaining at the time was that monolith for President Kimball – in the center, the others having been removed. The ground had been recently leveled on all sides and lawn planted.

The Kimball family was renovating the Cemetery back then. Some of the inscriptions of various graves had already crumbled to dust.

Today, the Kimball Cemetery is located just northeast of the Kimball Condominiums, 180 North Main Street. A small, narrow entrance heading off the sidewalk, north of the Kimball, leads back to the Cemetery. Thirty-three total Kimball family members are buried there, along with 13 Whitneys and 10 others.

                                 Brigham Young's "grave."

-Like Heber C. Kimball, Brigham Young is not buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. President Young is buried in a separate small cemetery at 140 E. First Avenue. Eliza R. Snow, former LDS Church Relief Society President is also buried there.

There is also a pioneer monument on the site.

However, the actual grave location there of President Young – despite the monument -- isn’t publicly known. This has been kept secret to help insure that he one disturbs his final resting spot.