In the Egyptian Theater you will find Egyptian art with lotus flowers, gods, and hieroglyphics. Built in 1924, the Egyptian Theater helped shape Ogden into a unique and diverse city through architecture. In the 1920s, fancy movie theaters were known as “Movie Palaces.” They created a sense of community as people went out and watched movies together. Business Developers Harman W. and Louis H. Peery along with architect Leslie Hodgson wanted to create a movie theatre that would amaze everyone. This unique building drew in the Ogden community and many visitors that visited Ogden. From 1924- 1950 the Egyptian Theater was a symbol of economic success to the community of Ogden. In 1975 business at the Egyptian Theatre dropped and in 1984 the Egyptian Theater closed. In 1997 the Ogden community restored the Egyptian Theater to its former 1920s glory.

The Ben Lomond Hotel was originally built in 1889 and was known as the Reed Hotel. In the 1920s, the hotel was updated by the architectural group Hodgson and McClenahan. Their goal was to make the hotel more modern and to hold more railroad travelers visiting Ogden. The hotel was reopened on March 3rd,1927 as the Bigelow Hotel. Hodgson and McClenahan added eleven floors, 350 rooms, dining rooms, ballrooms, lounges, shops, and a bank. The remodeled rooms were the height of modern comforts and luxury. There was a Japanese-styled dining room, a Roman-themed ballroom, a coffee shop designed after the architecture of the Middle East, and a ladies parlor room designed to look like the 18th-century British Georgian style. In 1933, the Bigelow Hotel became the Ben Lomond Hotel, and is currently an apartment building today. The Ben Lomond Hotel is a legacy of modern change and business growth in Ogden.

This stop is unique, currently you are standing where the Orpheum Theatre would have been located if it had not been torn in 1983. Built in the 1890s, the Orpheum Theatre was a grand building and was first named the Grand Opera House. The theatre hosted vaudeville shows and stage plays. The Orpheum Theatre also hosted the Moroni Olsen Players during the 1920s. This group of actors was led by the well-known actor and local Ogdenite, Moroni Olsen. Olsen was born on June 27, 1889 in Ogden and in the 1920s he began his Broadway Career. Around that same time, he organized the Moroni Olsen Players. The acting group became well known as one of the best touring groups in Utah. The Moroni Olsen Players performed many shows, including William Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew" all over Utah. Moroni Olsen would later make a name for himself in theatre roles such Buffalo Bill in "Annie Oakley" and in Walt Disney’s "Snow White" as the voice of the Magic Mirror in 1937. Moroni Olsen is one of the many important people that contributed to the unique history of Ogden’s community, innovating the art scene around Utah.

There are many different communities in Ogden, and they all work together to create a unique city. One of these communities is the Jewish community of Ogden. Between 1870 and 1920, many Jews left Europe to escape oppression. Some Jews came to Ogden where they raised families and kept traditions alive. In 1920, there were thirty to fifty Jewish families in Ogden. They created new businesses, served in the armed forces and joined the Red Cross. Some Jews in Ogden held important positions as doctors, teachers, and engineers. The Jewish community in Ogden worshipped together often. The Jewish community in Ogden called themselves the Congregation Brith Sholem. The Congregation Brith Sholem built a permanent synagogue in 1921. This was important because the synagogue is a place the Jewish community can worship and gather together. Over 2,000 people gathered for a cornerstone ceremony to celebrate the new synagogue. Simon Bamberger, the first Jewish governor of Utah spoke at the cornerstone ceremony. Other religious leaders from different faiths attended and celebrated with the Jewish community. The Congregation Brith Sholem is one of the oldest and continually operated synagogues in Ogden.

The railroad brought many people to Ogden, creating a diverse and unique city. Ogden and Salt Lake City had the largest population of Black communities in Utah. During this period, people were divided by their skin color and race, known as segregation. Segregated housing rules did not let Black people live in newer white neighborhoods. The Black population lived in a 12-block area between 24th and 30th Streets and Grant and Wall Avenues. These blocks held homes, churches, Black-owned businesses, and employment for the Black community. Places like the Embry Chapel of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Wall Avenue Baptist Church, the Porters and Waiters Club, and the Royal Hotel were important gathering places for Ogden's Black community. Some of the first Black teachers in Utah were at the Pingree School in built in these blocks. Despite segregation, the Black community of Ogden created a thriving community. The Black community and businesses innovated the economy and unique culture of Ogden. Photo: "The Chaperones," singing at the Porter & Waiters Club. L to R: Joe Weakley, Richard Barlin, Frederick Brown, David Fisher, Edward Taylor

Did you know that the Union Station has gone through many phases of its life? The building you are currently standing in front of now was built in 1924. A fire in 1923 destroyed the Union Station. After the fire, the Union Pacific Railroad refused to fix the building. Change did not occur until an employee named Frank Yentzer was killed by the unsafe conditions. After Yentzer’s death, the community of Ogden gathered and pushed the Union Pacific Railroad to build another Union Station. The community won, and the Union Pacific Railroad agreed to build a new Union Station. The new Union Station was dedicated on February 22, 1924 with excitement from the community of Ogden. The building was designed by John and Donald Parkinson, a father and son architect team. During the 1920s, Union Station was in its prime with over sixty passenger trains coming through the station a day. Rail travel was at its peak carrying not only people but new ideas and cultures to Ogden. This created a unique community and modern changes that set the city of Ogden apart. While you might not be able to board a train at the Union Station today, you can explore the history and innovation of Ogden through the museum exhibits within the Union Station.