Disclaimer: UPAN does not provide medical or legal advice. Information on this site is for general educational and advocacy purposes only. Please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use for more details.

Utah Prisoner Advocate Network

UPAN | A nonprofit community advocacy group supporting the families of Utah inmates.


All of our important links are now in one place! https://linktr.ee/utahprisoner  Follow UPAN on Linktree


Recent News

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
Image attachment
Image attachment

Photos from Rocky Mountain Innocence Center's post ...

18 hours ago
View on Facebook (opens in a new tab)
Share
Share on Facebook (opens in a new tab) Share on Twitter (opens in a new tab) Share on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab) Share by Email (opens in a new tab)

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Before Sugar House Park became a place for afternoon walks, family picnics and winter sledding, the property held Utah’s territorial penitentiary. For nearly a century, prison walls stood on land that would eventually become one of Salt Lake City’s most familiar gathering places.

Construction finished in late 1854, and the prison opened in 1855. Its beginnings were far smaller than the imposing complex shown in this historic photograph. As the institution grew, its ownership changed: federal authorities assumed control in 1871, and the prison became a state institution after Utah achieved statehood in 1896.

By the early 20th century, Salt Lake City’s growth was bringing more people and development toward the prison. State lawmakers authorized a replacement in 1937, but World War II shortages delayed construction at the new site near Draper.

On March 12, 1951, 575 incarcerated people were transferred by bus from the Sugar House prison to the newly completed Utah State Prison. Removing the old complex proved difficult. According to Utah Corrections, nine sticks of dynamite had little effect on its heavy walls, and many sections had to be dismantled stone by stone.

The property’s next chapter took years to take shape. Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County acquired the former prison site, and in 1957 they placed the park property in trust with the newly formed Sugar House Park Authority. The landscape gradually developed into the public park we know today.

This archival photograph captures a very different Sugar House—one whose stone walls and towers have disappeared, but whose history remains beneath a familiar neighborhood landscape.

Did you already know a prison once stood here, or does this change how you see Sugar House Park?

#SugarHouse #SaltLakeCity #UtahHistory ...

18 hours ago
View on Facebook (opens in a new tab)
Share
Share on Facebook (opens in a new tab) Share on Twitter (opens in a new tab) Share on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab) Share by Email (opens in a new tab)

1 CommentsComment on Facebook



About UPAN

The Utah Prisoner Advocate Network (UPAN) is dedicated to supporting families and loved ones as they navigate the challenging journey of incarceration. When a friend or family member is incarcerated, it can be an overwhelming experience, as supporters face the complex rules, regulations, and restrictions of life separated by bars. UPAN works to make this transition less complicated and isolating by providing resources and support for families while also advocating for better conditions and fairness within Utah’s correctional facilities. Please visit our About Page to learn more.

Follow UPAN on Linktree
All of our important links are now in one place! https://linktr.ee/utahprisoner

Associations

UPAN is a proud coalition member of People Not Prisons, a group of advocacy groups working on behalf of people with mental health conditions, people recovering from substance use disorders, and men and women caught up in Utah’s criminal justice system.

Donate | Federal EIN Number: 90-1021189

The Utah Prisoner Advocate Network (UPAN) is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Your contributions are tax-deductible and directly support our mission to create positive change. Information about an UPAN’s tax-exempt status and filings can be found on the IRS website. To make a donation and join our efforts, please visit our Donations page.

Contact us

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 464
Draper, UT 84020

Leave Us a Message

Make a Donation