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Beneath the shadow of the old Lehi Sugar Factory smokestack, a new memorial tells visitors about the sugar beet industry and its impact on the community's economy at the turn of the 20th century.
The memorial cast in bronze depicts the factory during its most prosperous time, the early 1900s, and reviews the history of the sugar beet industry.
President Stan Smith of the Lehi Stake of the LDS Church gave the dedicatory prayer on the cold and windy Saturday afternoon with approximately 100 people joining in the "amen."
DeVere Fowler, Lehi Chapter Sons of the Utah Pioneers president, conducted the program, and numerous dignitaries sat on the podium stand including Max Evans, director of Collections and Research at the LDS Church History Department, Tony Peck whose Thomas J. Peck & Sons company donated the site for the memorial at 850 East and approximately 650 South, city representative Councilman Johnny Barnes, Lehi historian Richard Van Wagoner who wrote the memorial sugar factory history and Stan Russon who drew the memorial art.
On the program pamphlet for the dedication were short memory vignettes of working at the Lehi Sugar Factory.
One was of a challenge told by Mel Anderson. Morris "Morrie" Clark gave to his workers to carry a 100-pound sack of sugar from the warehouse to Clark's house, a 1.75 mile distance, without having to stop and shift the load to get the bag of sugar free. At least two workers took the challenge and won.
The John Hutchings Museum director Susan Whittaker is seeking additional tales about the sugar industry that was located in Lehi. Those who have recollections of that time can reach Whittaker at 768-7180, Tuesday through Friday. |
