PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE BUILDING AT GZ CLOSES AT 5:00 PM, SO START THIS CACHE EARLY AND GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME!
One of Utah's significant symbols is the beehive, which represents industry and teamwork. If ever there was a "Big Beehive" full of hustle and bustle, it is the Utah State Capitol Building. For nearly a century, the Capitol Building has been one of Utah's most prominent landmarks. This geocache is designed to lead you on a tour of the Capitol Building where you will look for clues that will provide the coordinates to the final cache and log at another location.
In 1888, anticipating the Utah Territory would soon become a state, Salt Lake City donated 20 acres of land for the construction of a statehouse. However, funds were not available to proceed with the project until 1909. This was made possible by a large inheritance tax collected at from the Union Pacific RR after its president, E.H. Harriman passed away. This sum, along with another million dollars allocated by passing of a bond by the state legislature, got the project underway.
Under the direction of Utah architect, Richard K.A. Kletting, construction began in 1912 and the new capitol building was completed and dedicated in October, 1916.
As you tour this magnificent building, you will certainly enjoy the informative exhibits on the first floor and marvel at the beautiful statues and works of art in the Rotunda on the second floor. Be sure to stand in the middle and look up at the ceiling! Floors 3 and 4 offer a breath-taking view from the balconies and house the offices of the state government, along with busts of famous Utahns and informational displays.
Keep your eyes open for symbols throughout the building which are incorporated into the design, such as
Laurel wreaths - symbolic of victory, vitality and success
Lions - symbolic of pride, strength, authority and protection
Beehives - Utah's state emblem, symbolic of industry and unity
NOW ON TO THE GEOCACHE!
As you enjoy this beautiful building, find the answers to the questions below, then replace the letter with the corresponding number to arrive at the coordinates to the final location and the cache. Two answers are found outside on the east side of the building. The rest are on various floors inside the Capitol itself.
You will need to visit the Utah State Capitol Building during these hours: M - F 7am-8pm; Sa, Su & holidays, 8am-6pm.
The final location is open during these hours: M-F 9am-5pm, Sat. &Sun 10am-5pm until May 30; From June on, 9am-6pm.
The final location of the cache is at
N 40° A B. C D E W 111° F G. H I J
The clues below follow an order that will prevent you from backtracking throughout your tour. If you miss one you might guess where to find it by looking close to the previous or following clue."
While touring the state capitol, replace the letters above with numbers by answering the following questions:
1. Outside, on the east entrance to the Capitol Building stands a large bronze statue of Massassoit, the Wampanogas chief who greeted the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts. It is a copy of the statue erected at Plymouth, Mass., in 1921. The artist for this work was Cyrus E. Dallin, who also created the sculpture of Angel Moroni atop the Salt Lake Temple located at Temple Square. A plaque on this statue says the statue was presented to the state of Utah in the year 1 9 __ 9. ANSWER = C
2. How many lions guard the east entrance of the Capitol Building? ANSWER = H
3. Passing the Lions, you will enter the building on the 1st floor. Here you will find a large marble-tiled reproduction of the Governor's Great Seal of Utah on the floor. On the seal, there are two dates. The first, 1847, is the year Brigham Young led a small pioneer band into the valley, began settlement and organized the Territory of Deseret. The second is the year Utah became a state. That year was 1 8 9 __. ANSWER = B
4. You are now standing in the "Governors' Hall" where you will find the portraits of all of Utah's state governors. This does not include Brigham Young and those who followed him as governor of the Territory of Deseret, but only those who served AFTER Utah was made a state. Utah's first governor was Heber Manning Wells. Portraits of the governors following him hang on the wall IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SERVED, going clockwise. By starting with Wells and counting the portraits, you should be able to determine the answer to the following question: Joseph Bracken Lee was the __th governor of the state of Utah. ANSWER = E
5. A bell familiar to every U. S. citizen is the "Liberty Bell," which was cast in commemoration of our country's official declaration of independence from England and inscribed with the lettering, "Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof," a Biblical reference from the Book of Leviticus (25:10). The bell originally hung in the steeple of the former Pennsylvania State House (now renamed Independence Hall) but resides today in the Liberty Bell Center in Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. In its early years, the Liberty Bell was used to summon lawmakers to legislative sessions and to alert citizens to public meetings and proclamations. A reproduction of the Liberty Bell is on display in the Governors' Hall. According to the information plaque, this bell is one of __ 3 copies that were cast in France in 1956. ANSWER = F
6. Take the elevator up to the second floor. How many petals are on each copper sego lily flower in the elevators? ANSWER = A
7. This floor is often called "the main floor." In one hallway you can view the state reception room, called the Gold Room. How many brocade chairs are seated around the rectangular conference table in "The Gold Room"? ANSWER = I
7. IF THE GOLD ROOM IS CLOSED: Here is an alternate question. the answer can be found in the Hall of Governors. Governor George Dern was the ___th governor of Utah. ANSWER = I
8. Move now into the large open area flanked by marble staircases and balconies. This is called the Rotundra. It is often used for special public events such as political receptions and high school proms. You need to stand in the very center and look up 165 feet to the spectacular dome, painted with seagulls, Utah's state bird. Here you will also see statues and murals related to Utah arts and history. One such painting is entitled, "Peter Skene Ogden at Ogden River, 1828. It depicts several "mountain men" or fur trappers. How many fur trappers are depicted in this mural? ANSWER = D ?
9. Located in the hallways of the upper two floors are the offices of the state government. Often, the rooms to the House of Representatives and the Senate are open and the "worker bees" running the state government can be seen at work. The Senate Gallery is located in Suite __70. ANSWER = J
10. Busts and informational plaques in the upper hallways honor important and famous Utahans. David Abbott Jenkins is one of the these and has been honored with a bronze bust. Having begun as a professional race car driver, "Ab" Jenkins' interest in motorsports began with racing motorcycles on dirt tracks and cross country. This led to a desire to become "the fastest man alive on land," a feat he accomplished driving specially-designed race cars on the Bonneville Salt Flats and for which he achieved world-wide recognition. Due to his repeated success at setting speed records, Jenkins not only became famous, but also, instrumental in establishing Bonneville as a location for such events, and in attracting overseas drivers such as George Eyston and Sir Malcolm Campbell to compete there. The pinnacle of his speed record setting career came when he hit the 24-hour record of a 161.180 mph (259.394 km/h) average, a record that lasted for 50 years (until 1990). Having successfully achieved his goal, he retired from the speed record circuit and ran for mayor of Salt lake City, an office he held from 1940 - 1944.
The plaque on Jenkin's bust gives the name of his famous car, the Mormon Meteor __. ANSWER = G
Once you have your coordinates, proceed to that location, which is also an important historical building in Utah history. Go inside the front door, and look for a magnetic key holder on the underside of a metal box on the immediate right side of the back door. This will provide you with a final clue to locate the cache, and the key to open it. Be sure to put the key back when you are done with it!