By Zach Collier
Tonight, Downtown Provo’s Rooftop Concert Series will be highlighting the music of the late David Bowie. For those of you who have already spent plenty of time on Center Street and University and are looking for some cool things to see before showtime, check out the following sights that are all within walking distance of the concert. Grab some ice cream and get out there!
Hines Mansion
Not many people know about the historic Hines Mansion. Located at 383 West and 100 South, the mansion was built in 1895 by Russell Spencer Hines and his wife, Kitty. It’s believed to have been designed by Utah architect Richard Kletting, who also designed the Utah State Capitol building. One of the first homes to be built by Provo’s first generation upper-class, the Hines Mansion is among Utah County’s most historical residential landmarks. Today, it operates as a bed and breakfast, with nine themed rooms located throughout the building.
Provo City Center Temple
The Provo City Center Temple was built from the ashes of the old Provo Tabernacle, which caught fire in 2010. After extensive construction and repair – which included putting the surviving exterior brick walls on 40-foot-high stilts – now, the Provo City Center Temple is a fully functioning house of worship for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While the building is not open to the public, its beautifully manicured grounds are. Come enjoy the fountains, gardens, and magnificent 19th century restorationist architecture, just a block away from the Rooftop stage.
Provo Library
The old The Brigham Young Academy building was originally constructed in 1892. Brigham Young Academy was the predecessor of Brigham Young University and Brigham Young High School. After Brigham Young High School was closed in 1968, the building stood vacant for over 20 years and fell into serious disrepair. When the buildings were slated for demolition, the Brigham Young Academy Foundation spearheaded the an effort to save the building. Provo City required that the Brigham Young Academy Foundation raise $5.8 million to cover the costs of renovating and bringing the building up to code. The funds were raised and the project went forward. The building, located on University Avenue, is now a beautiful landmark and home to the Provo City Library.
Splash Pad At Pioneer Park
The weather forecast for today says it’s supposed to be partly cloudy with a high of 87°. If you want a place to cool off downtown, head over to Pioneer Park, located just five blocks west from Rooftop. The 4.3 acre park features pavilion seating, a playground, restrooms, open fields, and a community water feature. The Splash Pad, as it is called, runs seven days a week from 10AM to 8PM. The water jets shut down every hour for about 15 minutes to monitor the filtration system, so if it’s not on, give it a sec! It’ll kick right back up again. Great place to take kids and dates.
Einstein Mural
This stylized mural of famed scientist Albert Einstein is painted on the side of Tute Genomics headquarters, located at 150 South and 100 West. It’s in very close proximity to the post office and the south side of the temple. The mural was painted by Reid J. Robison and Mario Lemus in 2014 and is a perfect spot for a memorable selfie. Tute Genomics was founded in 2012 to bring genome analysis to the masses. They are a technology/health company that provides cloud computing, genomic data storage, genome interpretation, and sequencing informatics medical institutions across the country. For those of you who don’t know what genomes and sequencing informatics are, that’s okay – there’s a reason why Einstein is painted on the building.
Remember, Rooftop Concert Series starts at 7:30PM tonight downtown. Make sure to like Rooftop Concert Series on Facebook for updates on future events, and check out the making of the Einstein Mural in the video below.
Provo Music Magazine 