I remember walking through this little byplace way back in the olden days, the barefoot, braless (yeah, I said it) 70s, when I lived in Sugar House...my foray into the adult ritual of moving away from one's childhood home. It was just hiding right there in plain sight; at first appearance, a mere driveway off busy 13th street. Step two feet into the driveway, and watch out Alice! You've dropped through the looking glass into a colorful and quirky homage to creatures most fowl.
"Dr. George Allen was a physician from Chicago, Illinois, who moved to Salt Lake City in 1921. In the late 1940s, his fascination with birds coalesced into the Allen Publishing Company, which produced The Pheasant Fanciers, Game Bird Breeders, and Aviculturist's Gazette, a publication devoted entirely to birds. He was also instrumental in establishing the Tracy Aviary, still in operation in Salt Lake's Liberty Park. Dr. Allen's home and its surroundings, Allen Park on 13th East in Salt Lake City, is still a local attraction. " UofU Marriot Library Special CollectionsAND WHAT AN ATTRACTION!
Proverbs, poetry and other musings carved into stones all along the road, up and down and around every turn.
It's quite a bit more rundown now, and of course it was old in the 70s since it was established decades before that. There's something very compelling about driving down into that gulley-like little niche, even today. Maybe it's all the no-trespassing signs posted on the fences, warning of camera surveillance. That old 70s rebelliousness coming back like last night's canned spaghetti and orange juice. The heart goes pitty-pat, I jump out of the car barefooted, (no, that's all--just barefooted because my feet were hot in the car) click here, click there, look around to see no one is hollering at me and I drive on to the next little gem.
My really new and little Costco Nikon digital doesn't do justice to the look of the place. It actually doesn't look this nice and instead looks kind of scary. Quite tattered and gypsy-esque.
Wait. What? Where'd this come from? Right there in the middle of Allen Park turnaround in front of a dried-up creek bed. A wonderful seque into my next post about another stone-carving enigma in Salt Lake City.
1 comment:
AHH! Say, I remember you taking me there when I was _much_ younger and it was so terrifyingly exciting. I would imagine a European esque Pilgrim running out with a Smith and Wesson to chase us away from his wishing well and peacocks... Felt like there were eyes everywhere. Felt like a fuzy dream. Cuh-ree-pee
Well! Great pictures!
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