Mountain Monograms...U Ever Wonder Y?

Mountain Monograms!

Pleasant Grove's "G" with Mount Timpanogos looming above.

For as long as I can remember, the big white "G" on the mountainside east of my hometown of American Fork, Utah has been a part of the landscape of my life.  Every time my parents would take us on a drive we watched for the "G" that presided over the neighboring town of Pleasant Grove.  I always wondered what it meant.  What did that big "G" stand for?  One late summer night I looked out the window and was amazed and enchanted...the "G" was all aglow. That was when I learned that the "G" stood for Pleasant Grove High School and that it was all lit up for Homecoming.

The "G" from the hiking trail.

According to Wikipedia, in 1921, a group of seniors put a block letter "G" on an unnamed peak west of Mount Timpanogos.  The first time it was lit was in 1929.  There was once a Pleasant Grove holiday called "G Day" when the letter would be lighted and the townsfolk would celebrate.  The holiday was discontinued due to revelers causing damage to the football field.  Recently students raised $5,500 in a "Light the G" fundraiser to keep the icon lit on special occasions such as homecoming and graduation.

Why a G instead of a P?
It bothered me a lot back then, that Pleasant Grove used a G instead of a P.  It just didn't make sense to me.  I was doing some research online today and I think I may have come across the answer.  In the high school's early years, their mascot was known as the Pleasant Grove "Grover."  in 1959, the mascot was changed to the "Valkyrie" and eventually became the "Viking" which is the mascot today.

Distribution of Mountain Monograms Across the West

Notice the line of dots along the I-15 Corridor.

Mountain Monograms
The hillsides and mountainsides of Utah and other western states are adorned with big block letters...like the Block U of the University of Utah and the giant Y above Brigham Young University. Lately I have wondered why there are so many of them?  I wasn't even aware there was a term for such things...Mountain Monograms.  A definition from Wikipedia states "Hillside letters or mountain monograms are a form of geoglyph (more specifically hill figures) common in the American West. These are typically created and maintained by schools and towns.  Ranging in size from a few feet to hundreds of feet tall, they are an important part of western culture, symbols of school pride and community identity.  Water towers play a similar role in other parts of the country.  There is a popular myth that hillside letters were built so that early pilots could identify towns from the air in order to drop off "air mail."

The Big "C" in Berkley, California

Berkley's Big "C"...The First Mountain Monogram
According to online sources, the first three mountain monograms erected were due to class rivalries at universities.  The first letter was built in 1905 on Charter Hill overlooking the UC Berkley campus as a means of ending an unruly rivalry between the classes of 1907 and 1908.

The "Block U" of the University of Utah.

Size...a little over 100 ft. tall.

The "Block U."
A few weeks following the (1905) building of the Berkley "C,"  class rivalry between the sophomore and freshman classes of the University of Utah produced a hillside "U."

Students Repainting the "Block U."

The "Y" of Brigham Young University

The "Y" is 322 ft. in height and 120 feet wide.

"Y Mountain."

The following year, 1906,  Brigham Young University proposed the first 3-lettered hillside emblem, "BYU." After building the letter "Y", the school decided that it would be too much work to build the remaining letters.

Students apply hot lime...1908

Dr. Harvey Fletcher, the renowned scientist who graduated from BYU in 1907, wrote about the first Y Day in 1906, "The students stood in a zig zag line about 8 feet apart stretching from the bottom of the hill to the site of the Y.  The first man took the bag of lime, sand or rocks and carried it 8 feet and handed it to the next man.  The second carried it another 8 feet and handed it to the third man and thus the bag went up the hill, each man shuttling back and forth along his 8-foot portion of the trail."

This year Brigham Young University finally became the owner of Y Mountain.  Representative Jason Chaffetz sponsored a bill that was passed by Congress, allowing BYU to purchase the 80 acres surrounding the "Y."

Hillside Letters Across the West...

Even the fictional western town of Radiator Springs has a mountain monogram.

Closer View.

Hillside letters have been a part of my life for so long that I really didn't pay much attention to them any more...until recently.  Pulling out of the drive-thru of the Boulder City Mickey D's, I noticed this on a rocky mountainside:

Boulder City, Nevada.

It was like a bolt out of the blue...there had to be a story in these letters that seem to be everywhere! On my drive home I noticed letters on the hillsides of Parowan, Beaver, Fillmore, Nephi and Payson...and there are many more.  There are an estimated 72 hillside letters, messages and acronyms across the state of Utah...over 500 across the West and Canada.   For example, there are 81 in California, 45 in Nevada, 59 in Arizona and 34 in Idaho.  The densest concentrations are found along the Mormon Corridor in Utah, Idaho and the Los Angeles Basin.

Hole N' The Rock...tourist attraction near Moab.

On your next vintage vacation in the Old West, keep your eyes peeled for hillside letters.  They could be found in any little town with a big hill or mountain nearby.  I can't wait for my next car trip!

Vintage Vacation...Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake!

Antelope Island...

A Home Where the Buffalo Roam...

It rained practically every day in May, so we were so happy to have a sunny Saturday near the end of the month.  One of the reasons that I enjoy writing my blog so much, is that it gives us an excuse to go exploring close to home, whether it be in the old mining towns or a visit to the largest island on the Great Salt Lake.  Antelope Island State Park is very unique.  Prehistoric people inhabited the island more than 6,000 years ago.  Explorers Kit Carson and John C. Fremont made the first known Anglo exploration of Antelope Island and named it after the herds of pronghorn antelope they observed grazing on the grassy range lands.

Map of the Island...

You won't need a boat or a ferry to get to the island.  There is a two-lane road built on a causeway that takes you to the north end of the island.  The water is fairly shallow in that part of the lake.  In fact, the water level is very low right now. We are in the midst of a drought...tell that to the rainy month of May!  Antelope Island is 15 miles long and 4.5 miles across at it's widest point.  Frary Peak is the highest point on the island and is 6,596 feet above sea level.  The island is the perfect place to camp, cycle, hike or explore on horseback.  We went for the wildlife.

The Causeway.

This road enables visitors to drive to the island.

The Inhabitants...

An Eligible Bachelor...

The males hang out together in separate herds.

We saw only a couple of antelope (230) on our visit, but the most popular residents of the island are it's 500 to 700 buffalo or bison.  Mule deer (500) and California big horn sheep (120) are also to be found there, along with predators such as coyotes, bobcats, badgers and birds of prey.  Large populations of small mammals such as jack rabbits, cottontails, pocket gophers and kangaroo rats provide prey.  For such a small island, the animals were very good at keeping out of sight on our visit.  People report sightings of the various animals at the Visitor's Center...a chart there can tell you where you might catch a glimpse.

There is plenty of water to support the wildlife with 40 major freshwater springs, most of which are on the eastern side of the island.  The Fielding Garr Ranch has a spring which helps to account for the green wooded area around the ranch buildings.

Cows and Calves...and their Uncles.

Over 700 bison call the island home.

Most of the bison calves are born in April and May, so we were lucky to see the babies playing alongside their grazing mothers.  The older bulls who no longer breed stay with the cows and calves. The mature males range together in "bachelor" herds.  A bison round-up is held annually to control the size of the herd.  They are weighed and vaccinated and checked for pregnancy.  Excess animals are sold, then the rest are released.

Chukars are one of the many species of birds.

Handsome Gopher Snake.

None of the Island's snakes are venomous.

Fielding Garr Ranch

Ranch Outbuildings.

Fielding Garr established the first permanent residence on the island in 1848, which...according to the brochure...is Utah's oldest Anglo-built structure still standing on it's existing foundation.  The ranch complex consists of an adobe house, bunk house, spring house, sheep shearing barn, blacksmith shop and corrals.  The home and bunk houses are still furnished with family possessions.  I liked how the kitchen was stuck in the 1950s with a dinette table and other vintage accessories.  It wasn't like a museum display, but a house that still appeared to be inhabited.  It reminded me of the homes on Heritage Street in the Clark County Museum in Las Vegas.  It was an odd combination of pioneer life and suburbia, where a vintage tricycle sits next to an old wagon wheel.  It has a comfortable "go ahead and touch" kind of feeling.  Under the trees are picnic tables, which makes it a lovely shady place to have a picnic lunch.

Fielding Garr Ranch House

The rooms are still furnished with family possessions.

Bunk House...steps lead down to root cellar.

Bunk House sleeps four.

Sheep Camp Wagon.

I've always wanted to look inside one...would love to see it restored.

Farm Truck...

The ranch looks like they simply parked their truck and tractor and just walked away.

Miscellaneous Images of the Ranch

Swimming in the Great Salt Lake...

The Great Salt Lake.

When I was young I always wanted to go swimming in the Great Salt Lake.  I couldn't swim then...and I can't swim now.  But it was said you couldn't drown...you would only bob on the surface like a cork.  There were several resorts on the shores of the lake, but they were mostly abandoned by the time I came along.  Saltair was the most famous.  It was known as the Coney Island of the West. Old post cards show a hustling bustling resort that I wish I could have seen.  A version of the Saltair Pavilion still exists...used mostly for rock concerts and other events.  My mother talked about going swimming when she was a girl at a place called Black Rock Beach.  That, too, is gone.

Great Salt Lake is the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River.  It is a remnant of pre-historic Lake Bonneville, which covered more than 20,000 square miles during the Ice Age.  My town of Highland, sits on one of the lake's old shorelines. The lake is very salty due to the fact that it has no outlet; water leaves only by evaporation...high concentrations of salt and other minerals are left behind.  The salinity is too high to support fish...brine shrimp, brine flies and algae thrive in the lake and are the primary food sources for millions of migrating birds.

How salty is the Great Salt Lake?

Salinity levels vary depending upon which part of the lake you're on.  Farmington Bay is 5%, the South Arm is  8-15%, and the North Arm is 28%.  The differences are due to fresh water flowing into the southern part of the lake and not being able to flow freely into the North Arm due to the railroad causeway.  I used to believe that Utah was just like Israel. Great Salt Lake was the Dead Sea,  while Utah Lake was the Sea of Galilee.  We also have the River Jordan which flows from Utah Lake into our Dead Sea.  I'm sure my devout scripture-reading pioneer ancestors thought of that before I did...lol!

On the northwest end of Antelope Island are some very nice sandy beaches, with picnic areas and outdoor showers.  There is even a cafe called The Buffalo Grill if you are in mood for a burger...either beef or bison.  I've had a Buffalo Burger before and it was pretty tasty...not gamy at all.

Hope you enjoyed this Utah Vintage Vacation!

Before you go...I scanned some of my Great Salt Lake postcards to share with you.  

Enjoy!

Fairyland Park...and the Carousel of Happiness!

Fairyland Park...
Do you remember Fairyland Park?  You do if you were a child growing up in American Fork, Utah in the 1960s and 1970's.  The park was a magical place filled with giant fairy tale and storybook figures.  The picture on the left shows the Pied Piper of Hamlin. It was located on the campus of the Utah State Training School...now called the Developmental Center...a school for the developmentally disabled.  The superintendent of the school, Dr. Vernon F. Houston, believed in doing everything possible to enhance the lives of the residents.  He developed a campus recreation program, with dances, outings and other sports.  The park was created during his tenure.  When it was complete, it contained both a miniature railroad...complete with a tunnel...and the merry-go-round from the old Saltair Resort.  Grateful parents erected a bronze statue of Houston at the park entrance.

A schoolhouse and castle.  Swings in the background.

I have so many fun memories of visiting Fairyland Park.  Grandma Zetta worked in the laundry at the school, so we came quite often.  I have had a real hard time finding photos of the park.  With the help of some of the members of the American Fork Facebook Group, we managed to come up with a few.  Recently I found the grainy photos in my high school yearbook.  The student body officers were photographed goofing around on some of the attractions.

This was Peter Pumpkin Eater's house.

Giant wedge of swiss cheese. 

I was afraid of getting stuck in the holes.

Not for the claustrophobic!

The Old Woman's Shoe was a slide.

A few people have mentioned that it "smelled funny."

Probably like feet!

I am having a hard time remembering all the structures in the park.  Besides the ones pictured...my favorite (for a scary shiver) was Red Riding Hood's Grandmother's house.  When you looked in the window, there was the wolf in Granny's nightgown.  Terrifying!  If you are from American Fork and can remember other storybook items...please let me know in the comments.  Do you have photos you could share on the Facebook group?  I know everyone would love to see them.  There is nothing left of Fairyland Park now but the sign.

Everyone's favorite was the carousel. 

It has a long history all it's own.

A fairy tale of sorts...

"The Carousel of Happiness"

Charles I. D. Looff

Once upon a time there was a man named Charles I. D. Looff, a master carver and builder of hand-carved carousels and amusement rides in America.  According to Wickipedia, Mr. Looff...who was born in Denmark...built the first carousel in Coney Island in 1876.  During his lifetime, he designed and manufactured over 50 carousels, several amusement parks, numerous rollercoasters and Ferris wheels.  He built California's famous Santa Monica Pier and was known for creating the Coney Island style of carousel carving.



Saltair Resort...located on the Great Salt Lake outside of Salt Lake City, Utah.

In a 2006 article in Carousel News and Trader Magazine, Roland Hopkins writes, "In 1910, Charles Looff delivered the grand 4-row carousel to the Saltair Park outside of Salt Lake City.  The park was built on a pier over the Great Salt Lake and proudly referred to by its owners as the 'Coney Island of the West.'  Thus it was fitting that they would choose a Looff carousel, as it was Looff who produced the first carousel for New York's Coney Island amusement park in 1876."

The Saltair Looff Carousel...

"The grand Saltair carousel was placed prominently on the pier to be the first attaction people would see as they arrrived at the park by train.  This proud placement may very well have saved the ride from the numerous calamaties to come."

Carousel Riders...

From the Carousel of Happiness web page:  "During its 49 years of operation, the Saltair carousel survived fires and windstorms.  Once, it was the only attraction to survive a devastating park fire unharmed.  After a windstorm, during which the roller coaster was blown over onto the carousel, it was rebuilt with 2 rows of animals from the original carousel.  In 1959 the park was declared bankrupt and Utah's governor gave the Looff carousel to the Utah State Training School in American Fork not far away."  Residents of the school and nearby communities enjoyed the carousel for another 27 years.

In 1976, the horses and carousel were repaired and restored.

In 1975-76, the carousel was completely renovated and its animals repaired by the staff and students of the vocational training section of the school.  The students stripped up to 30 layers of paint from the animals and found one horse with the date "1872" engraved in the wood.  The last time I rode the carousel was in 1972 at a Drama Club party...George and I shared a "romantic" ride just before a rousing game of "Kick the Can."  The restoration hadn't been done at that time.

Disassembly!

In 1986, a buyer purchased the ride to sell its animals at auction.  The school's residents were devastated as the ride was dismantled and taken away.   Luckily, a man named Scott Harrison was on hand to purchase the carousel frame.  He wanted to take it to his hometown of Nederland, Colorado and restore it to glory.  Harrison made no effort to recreate the original animals, but spent over two decades carving a fanciful menagerie of 38 wooden animals.

The "Carousel of Happiness" in Nederland, Co.

Museum of Idaho

Museum of Idaho

If you enjoyed learning about the history of the "Carousel of Happiness" and you live in the Mountain West, the Museum of Idaho, in Idaho Falls is currently hosting an exhibit called "Carousels: Art and History in Motion."  The exhibit runs from Jan. 25 to May 27.  My granddaughters have seen it and loved it...especially loved riding the full-size carousel!

I love visiting the museum at Christmas...they do a vintage Christmas display and have a room filled with gingerbread houses!

Thanks for letting me share my childhood memories!