Vernal Walking Tour

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13 Destinations

1. Utah Field House of Natural History, Dinosaur Gardens, and Northeastern Utah Visitor Center: (496 East Main). Open daily except Sundays; hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum, which opened in June 2004 displays vivid murals and tile floors to help visitors connect geological time to real-time places in Vernal. Life-size replicas of dinosaurs sneak into the museum through windows looking out onto our Dinosaur Gardens. Located inside are the Northeastern Utah Visitor Center for information, maps, and brochures of tourism and recreation opportunities.

2. Vernal City Park: Relax or picnic in the shade. The playground is available.

3. Uintah County Library and Regional History Center: (155 East Main). Hours 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday – Thursday; 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday. Center of History for northeastern Utah.

4. Wilcox Academy: (65 East 100 North). Site of an early 1900s missionary school for children from various religious faiths. The school was sustained by national Congregational Missionary funds until 1922, after which the building was returned to the Community Church of Vernal. The Kingsbury Community Church later remodeled the building to meet its ecclesiastical needs.

5. Bank of Vernal: (Zions First National Bank. 3 West Main). Bank Building was built with bricks mailed to Vernal by parcel post from Salt lake City via D&RG Railroad to Mack, Colorado, then over Douglas Pass on narrow gauge Uintah Railroad to Watson, then to Vernal by horse-drawn freight wagons. As a result of this expensive mailing, the postal service changed parcel post regulations.

6. Cobble Rock Park: Vernal City purchased property downtown with the intent to build an urban park. A committee met with an architect to design the park. The Vernal City Council approved the plans in the fall of 2001. The park has the Cobble Rock archways that were a local feature at this site for many years. The park also has an amphitheater, fountains, and landscaping making it a feature attraction for Old Town Vernal.

7. Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention Bureau: (134 West Main). Hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

8. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and the Old County Hospital: (226 West Main). Small-town parish church designed in the Gothic Revival style; built-in 1909. The adjacent building was the St. Paul’s Lodge, also built in 1909 by the Girls’ Friendly Society of New York as a home for girls who came to Vernal to attend school or to work. This building eventually became the major hospital in Uintah County for several years in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

9. Western Park Convention Center, indoor Arena, Outdoor Arena, Museum, and Outdoor Amphitheater: (302 East 200 South). Home of Uintah Arts Theater productions, Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo, and the Western Heritage Museum with the First Ladies of the White House Doll Collection. Unique Bicentennial doll collection designed by sculptress Phyllis Park from Murray, Utah, and costumed by women of Uintah County. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

10. Vernal Utah Temple: (198 South 500 West). L.D.S. Tabernacle renovated to Temple. L.D.S. President Joseph F. Smith dedicated the tabernacle on 24 August 1909; the building stood as a memorial to the pioneering spirit of Ashley Valley’s Mormon settlers. In May 1995, the renovation from Tabernacle to Temple began. Work was completed in the spring of 1997 and the new Temple was dedicated by L.D.S. President Gordon B. Hinckley on November 2, 1997.

11. Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum: (200 South on 500 West). Hours: Summer only, 11:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. A splendid display of pioneer relics and the history of the settling of this area. Was the location of the Vernal Tithing Office of the L.D.S. Church, built in 1887.

12. Former L.D.S. Seminary Building: Constructed in 1937, the building served for many years as the site of the unique and comprehensive program of religious education initiated by the L.D.S. Church. The building then housed the Family History Library where genealogical work is carried out which has since moved to a larger building located at 480 W 500 N.

13. Ashley Valley Community Park, Sports Complex, and Walking Park: (corner of 500 North and 900 West). Popular park area for picnics, sports activities, and community outdoor events. The gazebo located at the north end of the park was made from the L.D.S. Tabernacle cupola, removed as part of the renovation work mentioned in #10 above.