Salt Lake's Secret Garden

Some call it Salt Lake's secret garden. Others call it weird.

The quirky Gilgal Sculpture Garden, located northeast of Trolley Square at 749 E. 500 South, has its fair share of rumors and stories. The creation of former LDS bishop Thomas B. Child Jr., the unique and unusual sculptures can't be seen anywhere else. Scattered body parts of a biblical giant, a sphinx with the face of LDS Prophet Joseph Smith, four 45-ton books and a faceless warrior are some of the 15 sculptural arrangements.

But no matter what people think of Gilgal, Hortense Child Smith, one of the last surviving relatives of Child, hopes people remember the garden for what Child intended it to be: his love and devotion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"The story of the garden cannot be told without his testimony," Hortense said from her Salt Lake home. "This is one of my great concerns . . . the message might be lost. And most people will not take the time to get to the heart of it."

Child's passion for his religion is just one of the themes expressed in the folk art, created during the '50s. A love for his family, respect for the masonry trade and an appreciation for art have drawn crowds to the public city park for years. But many Utahns remember the days when the park was locked behind heavy gates, overgrown ivy crept up the sculptures, and the only way to see the park was during odd Sunday hours. It was still tucked between residential homes and behind businesses, but without the signs alerting the public where and when they could visit the garden.

"A lot of people would spend their time trying to get into the garden," said Cathy King, a member of the non-profit group, Friends of Gilgal Garden. "It really works on so many different levels — spiritual, intellectual, religious. It's open to interpretation."

Creating a sanctuary

At 86 years old, Hortense still remembers her time in Gilgal Garden with her father-in-law Child.

"Those were great days," she said, smiling between memories of "Thomas B." or "Grandpa." After marrying Child's only son, the late Robert Rumel Child, Hortense served as Child's secretary, writing down his thoughts, memories and history.

"He was probably the foremost masonry contractor in the Mountain West," she said, adding that Child's stone work is on This is the Place Monument and LDS temples in Los Angeles and Idaho Falls. Thomas learned the masonry trade from his father, who co-owned the masonry contracting business Thos. B. Child and Son together. "During his time, he probably had brick work in every Salt Lake City block."