BRIGHAM CITY – Downtown historic Main Street in Brigham City is a goldmine for people looking for early Utah historic buildings.
One hundred years ago Brigham City’s Main Street was vibrant and a vital part of the city’s economy and identity, especially during the Christmas season.
Daniel Kennedy, a financial advisor and native of the city, wanted people to know about his hometown’s rich history.
When he returned to his hometown for work, he wanted to be involved in preserving some of the historical significance of the city founded in 1851 by Mormon pioneers.
He was lucky enough to have his office on Main Street in Brigham City.
Kennedy asked the city if he could revitalize the Christmas Village located on Bill of Rights Square adjacent to the Box Elder County Courthouse located at 1 South Main Street Brigham City. He felt the village was in disrepair and needed a little love and attention.
“They gave me the okay to work on the Christmas Village,” he said. “After they saw what I was doing they asked if I would take care of it.”
He organized the Brigham City Christmas Village Restoration Committee as a 501-3c.
The Christmas Village vignettes were built about 60 years ago. They had David Hamberger elves in them. Kennedy built one of them about 30 years ago. The first thing he did was turn the Christmas Village Church into a replica of the Tabernacle. That was six years ago.
That building project opened the gates for more historical replicas, some of the original buildings are gone and others are still standing.
The also added a large Christmas Tree to the village.
One building replica they built was the Academy where Willam Christensen and his brothers Lou and Harold learned to dance. The brothers went on to produce the Nutcracker for the first time in the United States and became a national Christmas main stay.
Many of dioramas have large windows with elves inside doing different things. That’s what they are trying to turn all the replicas into, historic buildings.
They made replicas of the old Brigham City Fires Station/City Hall/ Chamber of Commerce building, Barron Wollen Mill, Carnegie Library, Merrill Planning Mill, the Wilhelm Knudsen Cabin (the first log home built in the city) and more.
“We like to do what we can to tell the historical significance of each building,” he said. “We have plaques with a picture of the original building and a description the building attached to one of the outside walls.”
Kennedy said his small committee of four works on a shoestring budget, most of what pays for the work comes from donations.
“Surprisingly many people who haven’t see the replicas for a while don’t realize what the Christmas Village has become in the last few years,” Kennedy said. “We are trying to get the word out that it has changed.”
Kennedy would like to continue to build more historical dioramas if they can find the space.
The Christmas Village is lit up day and night.