Tucked away on Salt Lake City’s East 500 South, the Gilgal Sculpture Garden is a small public park bursting with symbolic artistry and spiritual resonance. Created between 1945 and 1963 by Thomas Battersby Child, Jr.—a mason, LDS bishop, and visionary—this hidden gem disrupts conventional garden aesthetics with powerful stone sculptures, engraved boulders, and a boldly personal narrative.

🏛️ A Bit of History

From the age of 57, Child poured heart and soul into transforming his backyard into a sacred landscape. He sourced massive boulders—some weighing up to 62 tons—from across Utah, machining and sculpting them on-site in his fully equipped outdoor workshop. Among his 12 original sculptures and more than 70 engraved stones, themes of scripture, poetry, and existential reflection abound.

Following Child’s death in 1963, the garden fell into private hands and suffered neglect. It faced potential redevelopment until the Friends of Gilgal Garden (FOGG) formed in 1997. Their efforts, along with funding from the LDS Church, Salt Lake County, and private donors, secured its restoration and public opening in 2000. In 2020, it was recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a “Distinctive Destination”.

🌳 What Makes Gilgal So Unique

• Unconventional but Accessible: Many describe it as “weird” or “bizarre”—from brick-patterned pants to disembodied limbs—but these elements all reflect Child’s sincere and singular vision.
• Symbolism at Every Turn: The sphinx with Joseph Smith’s face is perhaps the most iconic—combining ancient Egyptian form with Mormon significance, compelling visitors to pause and ponder.
• Quiet Contemplation: Urban nutty though it seems, many note its garden beauty—flowers, birdhouses, intimate benches—and its meditative calm.
• Modern-Day Use: It’s still a venue for personal events like weddings and thoughtful strolls, with nearly 4,000 annual visitors savoring its offbeat charm.

✨ Why This Matters Today

Gilgal Sculpture Garden encapsulates a traditional reverence for craftsmanship, storytelling, and spiritual inquiry—all deeply rooted in Utah’s history. It isn’t polished, curated art; it’s a man’s heartfelt monument to his beliefs, played out in stone. In an age dazzled by slick aesthetics and social media moments, Gilgal offers a genuine counterpoint: raw, contemplative, and unscripted.

Child once admitted, “You may think I am a nut, but I hope I have aroused your thinking and curiosity. Today, that legacy endures—homemade yet haunting; modest in size yet monumental in meaning.

🎯 Final Thoughts

For those who cherish tradition, story, and substance over spectacle, Gilgal Sculpture Garden is a rare find—a place where a man’s labor of love remains open, uncurated, and resonant. Visit, reflect, perhaps question your own assumptions—and let these stones speak.

✍️ Visitor Tips & Logistics