Utah history

LAYTON — City officials think there is a future for the historic train station downtown.

OGDEN — Weber State University’s Stewart Library collections department is looking for photographs of Ogden and Historic 25th Street.

After wandering through Jim Whetton’s book about working for Howard Hughes, I have to say that I’m glad it was Jim and not me.

Hughes was rich, but when you worked for Hughes, you worked by Hughes’ rules: late nights for weeks on end, 3 a.m. phone calls, meeting impossible demands, always at his beck and call.

Jim loved it. He has nothing bad to say about the man.

OGDEN — Mark Stuart, a seminary and institute instructor for more than 37 years, will be the guest speaker today at the Ogden Family Search Library at 539 E. 24th St.

Stuart’s speech, “Mormons and the Transcontinental Railroad,” is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in Room 12.

Stuart said he developed an interest in trains and the events that they brought to the Top of Utah while listening to stories told by his grandfather. He has maintained a lifelong interest in the subject, as well as Native American cultures and the Morrisite War.

PROMONTORY SUMMIT — A plume of white steam brought out the bright beauty of the red-and-maroon-trimmed No. 119 locomotive Saturday at the Golden Spike National Historic Site.

“Listen to that,” said Ron Wilson, train engineer, who spoke as the Union Pacific No. 119 locomotive chuffed down the tracks with its own distinctive motion. “She’s talking to me.”

The Winter Steam Festival gives visitors a chance to see the steam locomotives in action in the same place where the transcontinental railroad was completed in May 1869. It’s also a great place for people to take out-of-town relatives, said Tammy Beason, U.S. National Park Service chief ranger for the historic site.

Click here for more information

OGDEN — Nino Reyos used his music and his dance Friday to tell Ogden-Weber Tech students the ancient stories of his people.

Reyos, an American Indian with roots in the Ute and Pueblo tribes, appeared as part of the college’s Native American Heritage Month.

“I hope the students can gain a better understanding and appreciation of the culture,” said Reyos, of Salt Lake City. “But we don’t just celebrate our heritage one month a year. I hope people can use this month as a way to begin to understand and appreciate.”