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Summarized by Rosemary Pollock
Group Seeks To Protect Historic Mormon Fort
Ogden UT Standard-Examiner 7Jun00 D6
By David Troester: Standard-Examiner staff
OGDEN, UTAH -- Friends of Bingham's Fort, a non-incorporated
association of local Ogden, Utah history buffs and residents, asked
the City Council Tuesday for a six-month moratorium banning
development on 40 acres of vacant land situated where the Mormon fort
once stood. Seeking to gain time for historical studies and plans
for preservation, the group hopes to head off encroaching development.
Anna Keogh, chairman of Friends of Bingham's Fort said, "We just think
it's really important to preserve it now." "If we don't take action....this
will be destroyed this summer," she added.
Bingham's Fort was built by Erastus Bingham in 1853, under the direction
of President Brigham Young. Bingham was among the first permanent settlers
to Ogden. The fort was built for protection from area Native Americans.
City officials expressed hesitation at imposing the moratorium and will
refer the matter to Mayor Matthew Godfrey. "You may have an impact that
results in some damage claims if a moratorium were imposed," said Norm
Ashton, City Attorney. "To take it to its logical conclusion, you may need
to compensate people to acquire property."
The group proposes a walking trail with markers indicating significant
pioneer sites. They hope to bring the original log cabin back to the site
from Lagoon, were it was moved in 1954. Keogh owns a section of the farm,
with the rest owned by five of her relatives.
"There's not much left for us to grab hold of and cherish and I think we
need to really grab hold of this thing and follow up," said Gordon Jones, a
member of Friends of Bingham's Fort.
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