The Avenues in Salt Lake City in Salt Lake County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Anderson Tower
Photographed By Andrew Johnson, October 2, 2018
1. Anderson Tower Marker
Inscription.
Anderson Tower was built in 1884 by Robert R. Anderson (1848-1935) a pioneer of 1867, and one of the original settlers on the north bench of Salt Lake City. The tower was patterned after similar towers Mr. Anderson had seen in Scotland as a young boy. They were known as "follies". It was constructed of gray granite from the same quarry used to supply granite for the Salt Lake Temple. The circular three-story structure, located at 303 A Street, was 54 feet high and 25 feet in diameter. Inside the austere tower was a winding stairway that led past numerous windows to the observation deck equipped with a telescope. , , People were charged a small fee to climb to the top for the view. The venture was unsuccessful, and Anderson opened the tower free to the public until vandalism forced its closure. , , For forty-eight years, Anderson Tower stood as an imposing, picturesque landmark on the Avenues, visible from many parts of Salt Lake Valley. This ended in November of 1932 when the tower was razed and the land leveled. , , This monument stands approximately where the tower stood, and the base is built with granite blocks originally used in the tower.
Anderson Tower was built in 1884 by Robert R. Anderson (1848-1935) a pioneer of 1867, and one of the original settlers on the north bench of Salt Lake City. The tower was patterned after similar towers Mr. Anderson had seen in Scotland as a young boy. They were known as "follies". It was constructed of gray granite from the same quarry used to supply granite for the Salt Lake Temple. The circular three-story structure, located at 303 A Street, was 54 feet high and 25 feet in diameter. Inside the austere tower was a winding stairway that led past numerous windows to the observation deck equipped with a telescope.
People were charged a small fee to climb to the top for the view. The venture was unsuccessful, and Anderson opened the tower free to the public until vandalism forced its closure.
For forty-eight years, Anderson Tower stood as an imposing, picturesque landmark on the Avenues, visible from many parts of Salt Lake Valley. This ended in November of 1932 when the tower was razed and the land leveled.
This monument stands approximately where the tower stood, and the base is built with granite blocks originally used in the tower.
Erected 1992 by Salt Lake North Company, Daughters of Utah Pioneers. (Marker Number 463.)
Location. 40° 46.586′ N, 111° 53.027′ W. Marker is in Salt Lake City, Utah, in Salt Lake County. It is in The Avenues. Marker is on A Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Salt Lake City UT 84103, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . Atlas Obscura. Link tells the story of the tower and has a photograph of the standing tower. (Submitted on October 3, 2018, by Andrew Johnson of Salt Lake City, Utah.)
Photographed By Andrew Johnson, October 2, 2018
2. Anderson Tower Marker
Photographed By Andrew Johnson, October 2, 2018
3. Anderson Tower Marker
The marker overlooks the Utah State Capitol building.
Published by T.W. Ingersoll, St. Paul, Minn. (image courtesy of the Library of Congress), 1897
4. Salt Lake City - from Anderson's Tower
This is the right half of a stereoscopic view of Salt Lake City from the tower.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 3, 2018, by Andrew Johnson of Salt Lake City, Utah. This page has been viewed 1,554 times since then and 73 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on October 3, 2018, by Andrew Johnson of Salt Lake City, Utah. 4. submitted on October 3, 2018. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.