EXHIBITS

Fate of the Buildings

The buildings were left to deteriorate after Intermountain closed. Many were vandalized, and ghost stories and urban legends sprang up around them. A golf course was built on the property and a developer turned some of the buildings into townhomes. The rest sat exposed to the weather. 

By the time Utah State University (USU) began negotiations to purchase the property in 2010, most of the remaining buildings were past saving. Though the school tore down the dilapidated buildings, they made an effort to save some of the artwork and to commemorate the events that took place on the site. In agreement with the Utah State Historic Preservation Office, USU administration arranged to construct a commemorative walking trail through the site explaining its significance. In addition, the university facilitated the creation of this digital exhibit, ensuring that even when the dust from the ruined buildings settles, the important stories of what happened in this place will endure.

Intermountain Indian School painting restoration and preservation

This video shows the deterioration of the Intermountain School buildings after decades of neglect, as well as attempts to save some of the unique murals painted by students, and possibly teachers like Allan Houser, on the walls of the buildings.

Natalie Crofts, “Man salvages Intermountain Indian School Mural, shares with alumni,” KSL News, (Salt Lake City, UT), June 3, 2015, https://www.ksl.com/article/34907867/man-salvages-intermountain-indian-school-mural-shares-with-alumni.
Carlos Junior Guaddarama, “Uncovering the Mysteries of the Intermountain Indian School,” Folklife, Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage,  November 15, 2018, https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/uncovering-the-mysteries-intermountain-indian-school.
Jennifer Jones, Ghosts of Ogden, Brigham City, and Logan (The History Press, 2017).