South Ogden Heritage Trail: Four Granite Monuments Installed

South Ogden installed four granite monuments at Friendship Park in August, completing the first phase of the city's Heritage Trail project.

The monuments line the park's walking path and cover the area's geology, ancient peoples, early explorers and the fur trade. City Manager Matt Dixon said the project began in 2021 after a windstorm destroyed a Kit Carson monument that stood along Highway 89 near 40th Street.

"That started the conversation about historical monuments in South Ogden," Dixon said. "We decided to work with groups like the Sons of the Utah Pioneers to highlight the area's history."

The four monuments address Lake Bonneville and geography; the Shoshone and Fremont cultures; the fur trade and figures including Peter Skene Ogden and Miles Goodyear; and John and Jessie Fremont, the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition, and explorers Stansbury and Simpson.

South Ogden has ordered granite for Phase Two, which will cover early pioneers, the railroad, entrepreneurs including David Eccles and Thomas Dee, Utah Construction and water development. The city expects to install those four monuments in 2026.

The city raised nearly $200,000 for Phase One through donations from the Sons of the Utah Pioneers, Emma Eccles Jones Foundation, Goldenwest Credit Union, Bank of Utah, Weber County RAMP and city funding. The complete Heritage Trail will include 12 to 15 monuments.

Dixon said the city may add QR codes to the monuments to provide additional historical information. Teachers at nearby H. Guy Child Elementary School and South Ogden Junior High School could assign students to research the monuments.

The timeline for future phases depends on securing additional grants or donations. The city has funding through Phase Two.