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About 80 people attended this year's first Historic Homes Walking Tour in Pleasant Grove this week.

Courtesy photo

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Laura Giles

Courtesy Jeremy Hall

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Most of us have probably wondered about historic homes and other buildings in our communities. How old are they? Who built them and lived or worked in them? What are their stories? Historic walking tours, which are available in many communities, are a fun way to find the answers to these questions.

The annual Historic Homes Walking Tours have begun again in Pleasant Grove, a sure sign of summer. The walking tour series first began in the summer of 2019, but it was not held again the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The series started up again in the summer of 2023.

This past week, as part of the city’s Strawberry Days festivities, the Pleasant Grove Historic Preservation Commission’s Historic Walking Tours were kicked off with a tour of some of the oldest homes in the city located along Locust Avenue.

But if you didn’t make it, there will be other opportunities. The series will continue on July 21 with a tour featuring the homes on 200 South from 400 East to 200 East. Those who want to join should meet on the sidewalk in front of the historic marker at 455 E. 200 South at 7 p.m. The tour is free, but an optional walking tour booklet is $5 via cash or Venmo. Follow the Pleasant Grove Historic Preservation Commission on Facebook for details about its August walking tour in the Monkey Town neighborhood of 500 East and 500 North on Aug. 18.

Pleasant Grove isn’t the only local city where historic walking tours happen. An interactive walking tour of historic downtown Provo from the Provo City Center Temple past the site of early public buildings to the last of Provo’s historic department stores can be accessed through the Provo Historic Tours app. This can be another fun way to learn about local history while walking and enjoying the summer weather.

At americanfork.gov, a map and information can be downloaded and printed to use for a walking tour of that city’s historic downtown. Visit places such as the Alpine Tabernacle, which was built in 1909, or the Harrington School, which was originally built in 1860.

Other historic walking tours can be accessed through the Preservation Utah Tours app. This app features downloadable walking and driving tour guides, private tours of iconic landmarks and guided tours led by professional volunteer tour guides as well as seasonal events.

Check your own city’s website for information about historic homes and buildings or possible walking tours. It’s an entertaining way to learn about and connect with those who were here before us.