Pub. 2 2021-2022 Issue 1

17 labor and materials were to be used as much as possible for construction. 1 Marble was also part of the construction material. 2 An architect’s sketch for the coming new building that appeared in the Salt Lake Telegram on May 13, 1935 only captures some elements of the overall look of the building when it was completed. Key parts of the conception changed before construction. For example, the tower-like center section was eliminated, as well as the eight lateral protruding extensions on Main Street. See https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/ s61271rf/16393241. This architect’s sketch of the coming building reflects much more of an Art Deco style, with its emphasis on vertical lines, and stylized, geometric ornamentation, rather than the Art Moderne style, with its emphasis on horizontal lines, and sleekness, a style that the building displayed when it was completed. This is indeed an interesting micro-moment or shift in architectural history, captured in the documentary record of a local city newspaper and a few Bray photographs. A Schramm-Johnson Drug store was scheduled to move into the new Salisbury building, and the drug store was to be the largest “of its kind” in the Intermountain region. This chain of local stores was affiliated with the Walgreen Drugs Company chain. The store was planned to be four times as large as the one that previously was at the location. 3 A Salt Lake Telegram article on July 18, 1935, noted that a building permit application had been filed (number 13363) for the construction of the two-story Salisbury building, to be built of brick and concrete, and that the cost of construction would be $280,000, which in today’s dollars (adjusted for inflation) would be $5,275,000. 4 The permit application notes the dimensions of the building were to be 186 feet long by 141 feet wide. P. J. Walker, the general contractor, filed the application. 5 The new Salisbury Building contained more than just the Walgreen Drugs store — there was also a shoe chain store called Fashion Bootery. Mr. Siegel, president of the chain, visited Salt Lake City on February 15, in preparation to open the chain’s new store, the eleventh for the chain, which had its other stores in Washington, Oregon, and California. 6 The new building held its grand opening on Friday, February 21, 1936, with the Walgreen and Schramm-Johnson Drugs store as its flagship business. It was an air-conditioned building and, at that time, the largest drugstore in the entire nation. The building had three floors, which included a basement, with a second floor that was used for office space and storage space. 7 An extremely large illuminated, mural map of the world rested on the main floor’s east wall. There were thirty-three dining booths that could seat one hundred sixty people. $100,000 of merchandise was available in the store for sale. The director of the Walgreen Drug(s) company, Joy H. Johnson, attended the grand opening. 8 With its extensive interior neon signs, salmon-colored and buff terra cotta, and stainless steel trimming enhancing the streamlined horizontal lines, it was more than just a drug store. It was a shopping and dining mecca for the working and service classes — for in that era such stores, and especially this flagship one, were replete with a range of options more akin to a mini Fashion Place Mall. Thousands of people visited the building on its day-of-grand opening. 9 Old black and white photographs, like these of the exterior of Salisbury Building, and the interior, are artifacts that capture and reveal little facets of their place in space and time, but require a little diligent research to place in a more complete context. They provide indelible insights into the history of the public social fabric of metropolitan Salt Lake City at one brief moment in time, and are a most valuable part of the Utah State Historical Society’s image collections. About the Utah Division of State History: In 1897, public-spirited Utahns organized the Utah State Historical Society to expand understanding of Utah’s past. Today, the Utah Division of State History administers the Society as part of its mission to preserve and share Utah’s past. The Division collects materials related to the state’s history; assists communities, agencies, and building owners with archaeological and historical resources; administers the ancient human remains program; manages a specialized research library; offers extensive online resources and grants; and administers the National Register of Historic Places. For more information, please go to history.utah.gov. b Footnotes: 1 May 1 13, 1935, Salt Lake Telegram, page 5 2 December 2 5, 1935, Salt Lake Telegram, page 24 3 May 3 16, 1935, Salt Lake Telegram, page 7, https://digitalnewspapers.org/ 4 https://www.usinflationcalculator.com 5 July 5 18, 1935, Salt Lake Telegram, page 10 6 February 6 8, 1936, Salt Lake Telegram, page 2 7 February 7 20, 1936, Salt Lake Telegram, page 7 8 February 8 20, 1936, Salt Lake Telegram, page 17 9 February 9 21, 1936, Salt Lake Telegram, page 24 Map in Walgreens Drug Store, May 1936