Summarized by Rosemary Pollock

Group Seeks To Protect Historic Mormon Fort
Ogden UT Standard-Examiner 7Jun00 D6
By David Troester: Standard-Examiner staff

OGDEN, UTAH -- Friends of Bingham's Fort, a non-incorporated association of local Ogden, Utah history buffs and residents, asked the City Council Tuesday for a six-month moratorium banning development on 40 acres of vacant land situated where the Mormon fort once stood. Seeking to gain time for historical studies and plans for preservation, the group hopes to head off encroaching development.

Anna Keogh, chairman of Friends of Bingham's Fort said, "We just think it's really important to preserve it now." "If we don't take action....this will be destroyed this summer," she added.

Bingham's Fort was built by Erastus Bingham in 1853, under the direction of President Brigham Young. Bingham was among the first permanent settlers to Ogden. The fort was built for protection from area Native Americans.

City officials expressed hesitation at imposing the moratorium and will refer the matter to Mayor Matthew Godfrey. "You may have an impact that results in some damage claims if a moratorium were imposed," said Norm Ashton, City Attorney. "To take it to its logical conclusion, you may need to compensate people to acquire property."

The group proposes a walking trail with markers indicating significant pioneer sites. They hope to bring the original log cabin back to the site from Lagoon, were it was moved in 1954. Keogh owns a section of the farm, with the rest owned by five of her relatives.

"There's not much left for us to grab hold of and cherish and I think we need to really grab hold of this thing and follow up," said Gordon Jones, a member of Friends of Bingham's Fort.