“It takes a small army of volunteers to plan, organize and execute this event,” said Lara Bangerter, director of the Lehi Historical Society and Archives. “We start planning at the beginning of each year. We pick a theme and go from there.”
Hundreds of Lehi residents and many from the surrounding area attended the annual Labor Day celebration. The afternoon began with the parade and Heritage Day Honorees program. Nine couples were honored, Kim Kent and Rebecca Kirkham Beck, Wesley and Geraldine Dalley, Bob and Verlyn Doyle, Bret and Janys Hutchings, Roy (deceased) and Lois Littleford, Duane and Linda Scadden, Phil Asay and Joyce Gruwell Wasden, Mike and June. Willes and Rick and Sandra Evans Worthen. Special bricks will be engraved with the honorees’ names and placed on the grounds of the Legacy Center.
During the program, held on the south lawn of the Legacy Center, Bangerter announced the introduction of Lehi’s historical marker program. He thanked the Hadfield family for a generous donation for the project, which will also be subsidized by a grant from Lehi PARC tax revenue. Thirty-six historical markers will be installed on Lehi’s sidewalks over the next several years. Nominations for sign locations can be made at lehiistory.com. A brief explanation of the reasons for the marker will be required.
The 2022 theme was Historic Homes of Lehi. Paintings of some of Lehi’s historic homes and memorabilia associated with each home were displayed in the Legacy Center. Members of the families whose homes were featured gave interesting details about their ancestral homes and who built and occupied the homes over the years. Many of the houses have been lovingly restored. Brenda Grant shared photos of her residence, formerly the Anderson home, which housed seven generations of the Anderson family. The house is a beautiful example of the craftsmanship of houses built over a hundred years ago.
Lehi resident Kathleen Lott said, “It was amazing to see how some of the houses had been restored. It was also fun to reconnect with old friends and share memories,” her husband, Bud Lott, had many tools of old farms exposed.
Bangerter mentioned Kay and Glade Peterson as tireless workers who spent countless hours making Heritage Day a success. “Every year, the number of attendees is getting bigger and bigger,” he added.
A popular show associated with Heritage Day was the car show held in the parking lot of the Senior Center. More than forty old and new vehicles were on display.
One car that got a lot of attention was a 2021 Ford Mustang Shelby owned by 21-year-old Jake Snape. Snape said he had been saving up to buy the car since he was 12 years old. Pickup trucks, Jeeps, a unique hearse, a 1921 Model T, a 1958 Thunderbird and an immaculately restored 1968 Dodge Charger. some of the most prominent.
According to Bangerter, “As Lehi grows, it’s important to pass on the history, peoples, places and practices of those who came before us so we can stay true to our roots.”
