SALT LAKE CITY — A pair of wigs are among the few items left of what was once called “The Cathedral in the Desert.”
They’re among the pieces of Utah's past are stored in the basement of the Rio Grande Train Station in Salt Lake City.
The Utah Divisions of History and Art have amassed a combined total of 1.8 million items of cultural and historical significance. They carefully curated collection fills the basement of the old Rio Grande Train Station in Salt Lake City, where the Utah State Historical Society has a research center on the main floor.
The public has never had access to the basement, and following the earthquake which struck Salt Lake City in March, the entire building is now closed for repairs.
In an effort to share a bit of Utah history, FOX 13 teamed up with the Utah Divisions of History and Art. Experts with those organizations will be showing us some of their favorite pieces from the permanent collection. We’ll be showing one each day from the 4th of July through the 24th of July.
The wigs are made of real human hair, a sign of professionalism and isolation in pioneer-era Utah.
Watch FOX 13’s Good Day Utah in the 8 a.m. hour each day for the next item or visit fox13now.com/news/whats-in-the-basement as new installments will be posted each day until July 24th.
