Anderson Tower (2) Markers

For nearly fifty years a stone tower stood watch over Salt Lake City from the Avenues. Robert Anderson, a Scottish immigrant, built it in 1884, modeling it on the ornamental "follies" he had seen as a boy in Scotland — a round, three-story shaft of gray granite from the same quarry that built the Salt Lake Temple, fifty-four feet high, with a winding stair to a telescope-topped observation deck. Anderson charged a small fee for the climb and the view; when that failed, he opened it free, until vandals forced it shut. It came down in the 1930s.

What the plaque says

Anderson Tower was built in 1884 by Robert R. Anderson (1848-1935) a pioneer of 1867, and one of the original settlers on the north bench of Salt Lake City. The tower was patterned after similar towers Mr. Anderson had seen in Scotland as a young boy. They were known as "follies". It was constructed of gray granite from the same quarry used to supply granite for the Salt Lake Temple. The circular three-story structure, located at 303 A Street, was 54 feet high and 25 feet in diameter. Inside the austere tower was a winding stairway that led past numerous windows to the observation deck equipped with a telescope. People were charged a small fee to climb to the top for the view. The venture was unsuccessful, and Anderson opened the tower free to the public until vandalism forced its closure. For forty-eight years, Anderson Tower stood as an imposing, picturesque landmark on the Avenues, visible from many parts of Salt Lake Valley. This ended in November of 1932 when the tower was razed and the land leveled. This monument stands approximately where the tower stood, and the base is built with granite blocks originally used in the tower.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Salt Lake City — 0.5 mi
  Utah's capital and largest city — where the Wasatch Range meets the Great Salt Lake.
• Temple Square — 0.6 mi
  The spiritual and architectural heart of Salt Lake City
• Ensign Peak — 0.9 mi
  A short hike to the spot where Brigham Young surveyed the valley
• Liberty Park — 2.2 mi
  Salt Lake Citys beloved 80-acre urban park since 1882

More markers nearby

• Korean War Wall of Honor — steps away
• Utah World War I Pagoda Memorial — steps away
• Medal of Honor Recipients Monument — steps away
• Pearl Harbor Memorial — steps away