ZCMI Co-Op Building, Sandy Co-op (2)

Sandy grew up as a smelter town, where ore came down from the Cottonwood mines to be melted and shipped, and this building anchored its commercial row. Put up in 1889 with a brick second story added soon after, it housed the Sandy Co-op Mercantile — the town's cooperative store — until 1908. After that it passed through several hands and served for thirty years as the Knights of Pythias lodge. It is the last two-story commercial block left from Sandy's original main street, a survivor of the mining-and-smelting decades before the town turned to farms and suburbs.

What the plaque says

This two-story, one-part commercial block building was constructed in 1889. The second story brick addition dates from c.1890. Both were built during Sandy's first major period of development known as the "Mining, Smelting, and Small Farm Era, 1871-c.1910". The "Sandy Co-op" sign panel was located below the corbelled brick cornice with alternating rows of dog tooth coursing. The relatively simple design and bilateral symmetry of the building is expressive of the aesthetics employed on commercial structures in Sandy. It is important as the only two-story commercial block building remaining from the City's original commercial district. The Sandy Co-op Mercantile and Manufacturing Co. occupied the building until 1908 when it changed hands several times before being purchased and used by the Knights of Pythias between 1912-1943. The main floor was reportedly used for the sale of general merchandise and the upper floor as a meeting and dance hall. The building was converted to serve as Sandy City's fire station between 1943-1984. In 1988, it was restored to house the Sandy City Museum.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• International Peace Gardens — 9.1 mi
  A hidden garden where 28 countries are represented in miniature
• Gilgal Sculpture Garden — 10 mi
  A surreal and eccentric sculpture garden hidden in a residential neighborhood
• Liberty Park — 11 mi
  Salt Lake Citys beloved 80-acre urban park since 1882
• This Is The Place Heritage Park — 12 mi
  A living history village at the mouth of Emigration Canyon

More markers nearby

• Sandy City Bank — steps away
• Early Sandy Schools & Church Takes Root (2) — steps away
• Mingo Smelter — 0.4 mi
• Sandy-Alta Railroad — 0.4 mi