One joy of traveling through the vast array of communities in America has been discovering the many small sculpture gardens hidden in many of the towns. Each one is unique. Each one also provides an artistic look inside the mind of the community. What has this group decided to be worth immortalizing in stone (or other material)? Each one holds its own surprises.
Today, this quest brought me to the Gilgal Sculpture Garden in Salt Lake City. This garden was created by Thomas Child back in 1947. Gilgal is the name of a city and a valley in The Book of Mormon, which would most likely be what brought Child to choosing this name. Interestingly, the name “Gilgal” is also sometimes translated to mean “circle of standing stones,”. How appropriate for a garden of stones.
Child’s goal was to create a sculpture garden that would be a “retreat from the world and a tribute to his most cherished religious and personal beliefs.” This was well accomplished, with many of the sculptures relating to stories from the LDS Church and select scriptures inscribed in some of the rocks.
I really enjoyed relaxing in this park. It is small, quaint, and hidden. As it used to be a back yard, it seems as if not many people know of its existence. That leads to an empty spot begging for meditation or yoga. If that’s not your speed, there are plenty of trees offering shade to get lost in a book.
Closest Supercharger Salt Lake City UT 4 mi
2312 State St, South Salt Lake, UT 84115
Gilgal Sculpture Garden
749 E 500 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84102
