Mission
Preservation Utah is a nonprofit that champions the protection, restoration, and celebration of our state’s historic architecture and places. Through advocacy, education, and collaboration, we inspire and empower individuals, organizations, and communities to sustain Utah’s heritage.
Our History
In 1966, a group of concerned Utahns saw historic buildings being torn down without any documentation, discussion, or hesitation. They realized someone needed to speak up. So, they created the Utah Heritage Foundation, the first statewide nonprofit for historic preservation in the western United States. It began as a volunteer, grassroots effort to address a problem no one else was tackling.
Sixty years later, that group is now called Preservation Utah. The belief that places matter and that the stories inside buildings are worth protecting still guides everything we do.
The decades since then have been busy. We helped save the Salt Lake City and County Building from demolition, supported the Brigham Young Academy in Provo, and worked with communities to protect the Heber Tabernacle, the Cache County Courthouse in Logan, and historic bank buildings that shaped downtown Salt Lake City. Our efforts go beyond famous landmarks. You can see our impact in restored Main Streets, preserved historic districts, and neighborhoods across Utah where the original character remains because someone spoke up for it.
Our programs have expanded to meet the growing need. We offer a preservation easement program to protect historic properties forever, a revolving loan fund to help make restoration possible, and annual recognition for Utahns who quietly care for these places. Each year, we co-host a conference that brings the state's preservation community together to learn and connect. We also manage Memorial House in Memory Grove Park, one of Salt Lake City's favorite historic venues, and publish Utah's Most Endangered list every year to highlight what could be lost if we don't act.
After sixty years, we are still the first organization Utah's preservation community turns to.
The Work Ahead
Utah is growing faster than it has in decades, and this rapid change leaves little time for careful choices. Historic neighborhoods in Salt Lake City, Ogden, Provo, and many smaller towns are feeling the strain from new development that often sees older buildings as problems instead of valuable parts of the community. The buildings most at risk are not always the famous landmarks. Often, it’s the everyday houses, small commercial buildings, and other structures that may not be on the National Register but still help keep a community’s memory alive.
Preservation Utah responds to this pressure as it always has: by being present, making our case, and building the relationships needed to protect historic places before demolition is even considered. We work with property owners before they run out of options, get involved in planning early, and help communities see that what they already have is often more valuable than anything new that could take its place.
We also know that preservation only succeeds when the tools, tax credits, designation steps, and legal protections are clear and easy for people to use. That’s why education and technical help are at the heart of our work. They aren’t just extras; they are the foundation of our advocacy.
The next phase of Preservation Utah’s work will be guided by the same questions as before: What are we in danger of losing? Who should know about it? And what can we do now to make sure these places are still here for the next generation?
If these questions are important to you, we would love for you to join us.