The John Pack home played a significant role in the development of Salt Lake City. The home is where the first classes of the University of Utah were held. It was the first dance hall, home to the first mercantile store (Livingston and Kincaid), and even one of the first taverns (Pack Tavern) in Utah.
It took the family association five years to raise the $250,000 to build the replicated John Pack home. The JPFA even went so far as to furnish the shrubbery and items in the home such as vintage photographs of John Pack's eight wives and 43 children, John Pack's blanket that he brought across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley, a pioneer shawl and pioneer doll blanket. They are all framed and on display in the home.
The JPFA even made a quilt to raise money - if you contributed $1,000 you were able to have your name on the quilt, which is also hung in the home. In other words, a lot of effort, time and money went into the planning to replicate the John Pack home.
The 2,000 John Pack descendants hold a reunion in the home every summer. Volunteers spruce up the home, and the JPFA has paid workers to refinish the doors and woodwork. The JPFA even received help from University of Utah students who helped clean and paint the picket fence at the home.
When the replicated home was first built it was used for meetings of such groups as the University of Utah trustees; dancing and music were performed in the home; puppet shows were held in the home as well as birthday parties that involved dressing the children in pioneer outfits, playing pioneer games, and receiving a beehive birthday cake and a birthday gift.
Now the home is seldom used due to the lack of activities scheduled at the park. It is so sad to see so much effort put into restoring and maintaining this home that now sits unused. I am sure this is the case with most of the homes at the park. The docents or actors at the park are all volunteers and committees like ours help maintain the homes. So where is the money going that was given to maintain the park?
The JPFA committee attended a meeting with park executives to discuss some ideas on how to improve the park - the committee suggested arts and craft markets, a petting zoo, pony rides, bank robberies, etc., relating to our pioneer ancestry days.
Other suggestions included having the park open year-round and coordinating a ticket pass for both the Hogle Zoo and the park. We were also informed that the park does not have adequate liability insurance for the pony rides and action events. This limits activities.
If commercial development proceeds with the land, the ambience of the entire park will be compromised. The Division of State Parks and Recreation has the final say, and its members will vote April 19. If you would like to sign the petition and cast your vote against commercial development please visit http://www.thepetitionsite.com/ takeaction/475793339?ltl= 1175697425
We need to step in and save this very important historical park. What a shame this would be if the park fell into ruins. I don't think we can place the blame on those directly involved, but I do feel that the Utah citizens should recognize this would be a big defeat.
Where is the help from our state Legislature and even the LDS Church? There are a lot of meetings being held about the park's current situation, but nothing is getting done.
I have traveled the world and have visited many other historical villages and we do have a terrific historical village but need the funds, new ideas and proper ownership for the park to be preserved for us and our posterity.
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* JO ANN MERRILL is editor of the John Pack Family Association.
