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Dick Marriott discusses the history of Marriott-Slaterville and his family's ties to the area on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021. (Tim Vandenack, Standard-Examiner)

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A historical marker stands outside City Hall in Marriott-Slaterville on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021. (Tim Vandenack, Standard-Examiner)

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A map showing the location of 13 new historical markers around Marriott-Slaterville, formally unveiled on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021. (Image supplied, City of Marriott-Slaterville)

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Dick Marriott discusses the history of Marriott-Slaterville and his family's ties to the area on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021. (Tim Vandenack, Standard-Examiner)

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Posters depicting new historical markers for Marriott-Slaterville are displayed Monday, Aug. 23, 2021. (Tim Vandenack, Standard-Examiner)

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MARRIOTT-SLATERVILLE — It all started when Dick Marriott, pedaling around Marriott-Slaterville on a visit to the city, hit dead end after dead end while trying to track down the site of his dad’s old home.

“He couldn’t find his dad’s birthplace and he called me,” said Bill Morris, city attorney in Marriott-Slaterville and Marriott’s cousin. That was about five years ago and, by then, many of the settlement’s original buildings had long been demolished.

What resulted was a dive into the history of the city, efforts to track down the locations of some of the landmarks key in Marriott-Slaterville’s development and, on Monday, a ceremony dedicating 13 historic markers placed around the city.

“They’re up. I think it’s wonderful,” said Marriott, on hand for the ceremony. He’s one of the sons of J. Willard Marriott, the founder of what eventually became Marriott International, the hotel company, and a key operator in the business’ holdings himself.

The new markers note the locations of the original homesites of some of the founding pioneers, schools and other buildings that were key in the area’s development and more. No other locale in Weber County, Morris said, has anything so extensive detailing local history.

“We’re the first,” he said.

Dick Marriott said the markers provide “visual evidence” of some of the landmarks of the zone. Visitors with roots in the area sometimes pass through, wondering about the local history, and now they’ll have a means to get some of the information they seek.

Marriott-Slaterville was formally incorporated as a city in 1999, but the history of the settlements that eventually led to incorporation date back to the days of the pioneers.

The Marriott name is key to local history, and Dick Marriott’s great-grandfather, John Marriott, founded what became the Marriott settlement in the 1850s, maybe as early as 1849.  “That’s when it was first permanently settled,” Morris said.

A man named Richard Slater founded the settlement that would eventually become Slaterville, the other half of Marriott-Slaterville.

Marriott-Slaterville mayor Scott Van Leeuwen, who has lived in the city about 30 years, making him a relative newbie, is excited about the signs.

“I’m kind of a history signs buff,” he said. When he comes upon one while on the road, “I love to get out and take a picture and read it. For me, it touches my heart.”

Russ Marriott, one of Dick Marriott’s cousins, helped come up with the text on the historic markers, working with Morris’ late mother, Sherry Morris.