Gilgal Sculpture Garden marks 10 years as public park

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah's unique Gilgal Garden is celebrating its 10th year as a city park.

Named for the spot where ancient Israelites crossed the Jordan River in the Middle East, Gilgal Garden contains a dozen original sculptures with biblical themes. More than 70 engraved stones contain quotes from hymns, scriptures, poets and philosophers.

Tucked away in a residential neighborhood near Salt Lake City's downtown, the garden's best-known sculpture is an Egyptian sphinx with the face of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints founder Joseph Smith.

"It's such a testament to one man's vision," said Cindy Cromer, who helped organize a celebration at the garden Sunday to mark the anniversary.

Stonemason Thomas Child Jr., a Mormon bishop, carved the quartzite and granite sculptures with help from Utah sculptor Maurice Brooks between 1945 and 1963, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

After Child's death, his widow sold the garden to neighbors because of the demanding upkeep. When the half-acre was later slated for sale for a condominium development, the group Friends of Gilgal Garden raised $600,000 to buy the land along with three adjacent homes.

The property was donated to the city for a park in 2000.

Friends of Gilgal Garden now serves as curator of the sculpture garden and continues to raise funds to restore and maintain it. The Salt Lake County Master Gardeners Association adopted the park as a community project, creating and maintaining a lush border garden.

David Sucec, a co-founder of Friends of Gilgal Garden, said Child's art is universal.

"This transcends the local culture," he said of the sculptures. "All good art transcends the local culture."