Sugar House (Salt Lake City)
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Sugar House (also spelled Sugarhouse) is one of Salt Lake City, Utah's oldest neighborhoods.
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Location
The neighborhood is located roughly from 500 East at its western edge to 2000 East at the east and 1300 South to about 3300 South north to south. Many local businesses, although not strictly located within the bounds of Sugar House, use the name because of the area's name recognition. See also: Grid system
About the neighborhood
In many ways, Sugar House is like its own small town, with 2100 South filling in for Main Street, with businesses at the curbside, and the community council mostly shunning big box stores. While the neighborhood is home to some big box retailers like bookseller Barnes & Noble and clothing retailer Old Navy, Sugar House is also home to many small businesses including: independent clothing and shoe stores, music shops, artist studios and public art galleries, and a great coffee shop.
Each Independence Day Sugar House is host to one of Salt Lake's biggest fireworks shows at Sugar House Park, as well as a street arts fair.
The neighborhood's name is officially two words: Sugar House, although it is often written as one: Sugarhouse.
Sugar House is also the site of Westminster College, Salt Lake City.
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History
Sugar House was officially established in 1853, six years after Brigham Young led the Mormon settlers into the valley.
Despite its name, not a single cube of sugar has ever been produced in the area. The name came as a suggestion from Margaret McMeans Smoot, and was inspired by the sugar mill being built at the time in the area. The mill was never finished, due to problems with materials never arriving from Arras, France and the project was scrapped, leaving the area with its name. The mill did produce unrefined molasses, however.
The first Utah state prison was located in Sugar House during the 19th century, but all the buildings have been torn down, and the land converted to Sugar House Park.
In 1928 at the dedication ceremony of the Sprague library Mayor John F. Bowman suggested Sugar House from then on be referred to as "South East Salt Lake City". This suggestion was thouroughly rejected.
During the early 20th century the corner of 1100 east and 2100 south was known as "furniture row", due to there being three furniture stores on the corner. However, due to economic reasons, and the influx of large box stores and furniture chains only one, Sterling Furniture, will remain when Granite Furniture goes out of business after more than 80 years in 2004. The Southeast Furniture building remains, but has been converted into multi-use office and retail space.
During the 1980s, Sugar House had become run-down and crime-ridden. Sugar House Park was notorious for drugs, crime and illicit rendezvous. An effort to revitalize the area was undertaken during the latter part of the decade, and today Sugar House is considered by many to be one of Salt Lake's most desirable neighborhoods.
External Link
- Sugar House Community Council (http://www.ccnc-slc.org/SugarHouse/index.htm)