William Stuart Brighton

The resort at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon takes its name from a Scottish immigrant. William Brighton was born in Scotland in 1829 and reached Utah about a decade after the first pioneers; in 1874 he built a hotel high in the canyon, at the edge of the alpine basin around Silver Lake, and travelers began coming up for the cool air and the mountain scenery. The place became known simply as Brighton, and it is a ski resort by that name today. He died in 1895, up in the country he had opened.

What the plaque says

Erected 1962 to William Stuart Brighton Born in Scotland, Sept. 24, 1829. Arrived in Utah 10 years after first Mormon pioneer company. Built a hotel here in 1874, establishing the area as a mountain resort, which has since been identified with his name. Died April 28, 1895.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Brighton Resort — 0.3 mi
  The Salt Lake Valley's longtime local ski hill — big snow, lots of night skiing, and high-speed quads to everything.
• Solitude Mountain Resort — 0.9 mi
  The uncrowded, Alterra-owned resort at the head of Big Cottonwood Canyon, with Honeycomb Canyon's bowls and a quiet village base.
• Alta Ski Area — 3.2 mi
  One of America's oldest and snowiest ski areas — ski-only, fiercely independent, and built on an old silver camp.
• Snowbird — 4.1 mi
  The aerial-tram resort of Little Cottonwood Canyon, with steep terrain, deep snow, and one of the longest seasons in the country.

More markers nearby

• The First Statewide Pioneer Day Celebration — steps away
• St. Mary's of the Assumption (3) Markers — 5.3 mi
• Park City Community Church — 5.4 mi
• Grappa Restaurant Building — 5.4 mi