Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum

Family Reunions

Facilities

  • POD – A multipurpose building with basketball hoop, cafeteria tables and a small kitchen. Can be slept in, but has a hard floor.
  • Concrete Areas – may use propane stoves, barbecue grills and Dutch ovens
  • Lawn Area – with picnic tables and open grass, portable fire pits available
  • Museum – Tour Utah’s Territorial Capitol built in 1852-1855.

Fees:

POD Rental – $30/hr, $150/day, $10/roller skating
Museum Entrance – $2/person, $1/kids, seniors & w/groups over 20
Pioneer Activities – $100/activity – Each activity lasts about 2-3 hours and includes museum entrance.

Tent Rental -$50 per night

PIONEER TASKS & TRADES

Gain insight into the tasks and trades pioneer men, women and children performed. These hands-on activities allow everyone to dig in and get a taste of pioneer life, along with making a few souvenirs to take home. This program is a great activity for family reunions or other groups. The program includes museum entrance and is 2-3 hours long. Reservations and a $100 fee are required. It is available upon request.

Stonework                        Woodwork                    Rope making
Rug Loom                         Quilting                          Wool Carding & Spinning
Schoolhouse                      Spin toy                         Candle making

PIONEER GAMES

Pioneers worked hard for sure, but they also knew that recreation was important too. Join in and play some pioneer games. These activities are great for family reunions or other groups

Rounders is always a big hit. This early form of baseball uses homemade bats and balls, with no mitts. The rules allow for a crazy game, where any hit ball is fair. The runner gets out, by being tagged, pelted or when the ball is caught on the fly or first bounce. All batters on a team have to get out before the inning is over. This is fun for the young and the old, the skilled and not-so-skilled players alike.

Croquet – In the 1850s, croquet was gaining popularity, especially with the youth, as it was the only game that young men and young women could play together. It is told that young men often hit a young lady’s ball into the brush, so they could help her go find it.

Graces involves throwing and catching a hoop using sticks and gets fun as skill levels increase and the distance between partners increases.

Rolling Hoops is always a challenge, as the hoop rolls fast and the person has to keep up with it.

Stilts – These pioneer toys offer a challenge as the heights increase.

This fun program is 2-3 hours long depending on how intense the Rounders games get and includes entrance to the museum. Reservations and a fee of $100 are required.

PIONEER CHALLENGES/FRONTIER SETTLING

This is a fun program that focuses on several challenges early settlers in Utah faced, building shelters/homes and obtaining water.

Cabin Building Challenge – Race, with a 2-man saw, to cut a log and build a log cabin with giant building logs, reminiscence of the pioneer’s race to build cabins & shelters for their families before the bad weather hit.

Water – Always a Challenge in Utah. Play water games & relays while learning about the struggles pioneers faced while trying to take care of their daily water needs and help Utah to “blossom as a rose”. Wear clothes that can get wet as water issues often lead to “fights”.

This exciting program is 2-3 hours long and includes entrance to the museum. Reservations, warm weather and a fee of $100 are required.

OLD TIME DANCE

Youth Groups
Discover why dancing was so popular in pioneer times. Bring your youth group to one of the best dance halls in early Utah, the Territorial Statehouse Museum. Dance where Brigham Young and other pioneers danced. Wear sturdy shoes, because pioneers danced for exercise along with social reasons and your feet will appreciate good shoes. Dance instruction and music will be provided as you learn: reels, marches, polkas, and schottisches. Brigham Young thought that the waltz was risque, but we’ll dance a couple of those anyway, just like the youth of his day. We will use dance cards and games to choose partners. Water and cookies are provided. This 3-hour program is best in the evening. Reservations and a $100 fee are required.

Family/Young Groups
This is also a fun interactive experience for family reunions. In pioneer times the whole family attended and they danced late into the night and sometimes even till breakfast. This program gives a glimpse into the past when dancing was an important part of life. Small children love to dance with a parent, grandparent, sibling or other family members. A dance isn’t normally a family reunion activity, but an Old Time Dance isn’t a normal dance and is a great activity where young and old alike can join in and enjoy each other’s company. Dance instruction and music are provided, along with cookies and water. This 2-hour program for families or young groups is great anytime. Reservations and a $100 fee are required.