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Brigham City lies at the northeast corner of the Great Salt Lake in Utah. It’s a short drive from Salt Lake City and great for outdoor activities.
Introduction to Brigham City
After spending some time in Ogden, we drove through nearby Brigham City. The town is named after Brigham Young (1801–1877), who gave his final public address there in 1877 before his death.
The area was first explored by Mormon pioneer William Davis in 1850. He returned with his family and a small group a settlers the following year to build permanent homes. In 1853, Brigham Young sent Lorenzo Snow (1814–1901) with an additional group of settlers to develop a self-sufficient town. They named it Box Elder in 1855, and when the town was officially incorporated on January 12, 1867, it was changed to Brigham City.
The economy boomed during World War II, when the federal government opened Bushnell Hospital to treat wounded soldiers. In 1950, the hospital buildings became the Intermountain Indian School, a Native American boarding school that operated until 1984. Some buildings have since been converted into condos and offices while the remainder were demolished.
Home to around 20,000 people (as of the 2020 Census), the town attracts visitors for outdoor activities, especially birding, hunting, and fishing in the nearby Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.
Main Street
The small downtown is situated along the heart of Main Street, from Forest Street in the north to 100 S. You’ll find a few shops and restaurants.
Brigham City Archway Sign
The arch spanning Main Street, installed on September 6, 1928, proclaims the city as the “Gateway to the World’s Greatest Wild Bird Refuge”. It’s made of opalite glass with 12-inch-high (30 centimeter) lettering.
Capitol Theatre
One building that caught my eye is the Capitol Theatre. W.R. Dredge of Brigham City and W.H. Shurtliffe of Ogden opened it as the Elberta Theatre on March 12, 1917. It was the second movie theatre in town and its name was chosen through a contest. The theatre originally had seating for just over 500, divided into two sections by a center aisle. It was renovated in 1926, reopening on June 30, and was renamed the Capitol Theatre the following year.
The Capitol Theatre closed on July 14, 1984, when a chunk of plaster measuring 2 x 3 feet fell from the ceiling, injuring local housewife Eva Chappell. It’s currently operated by Walker Cinemas.
Box Elder County Courthouse
Box Elder County Courthouse stands north of downtown at Forest and Main. Originally built in 1857, it was expanded in 1910 by local architects Andrew Funk and Carson Wells in the Neoclassical style.
Brigham City Utah Temple
To the south are two LDS buildings. The Brigham City Utah Temple is on the west side of the street. Groundbreaking took place on July 31, 2010, and it was dedicated on September 23, 2012. FFKR Architects designed the building with two attached end spires, using a design inspired by pioneer-era temples.
Box Elder Stake Tabernacle
The Box Elder Stake Tabernacle, built in 1897, is across the street. It replaced an older building completed on October 28, 1890, that was destroyed by fire in 1896. The tabernacle, which seats about 1,600, is open for tours during the summer.
Brigham City Museum of Art and History
There are two museums in town. The Brigham City Museum of Art and History, established in 1970, is a few blocks west of Main Street, just north of Forest Street. Admission is free (as of September 2025) and it’s open Tuesday through Saturday.
In addition to the permanent exhibition on the town’s history, there are five to six temporary history and fine arts exhibitions throughout the year. You’ll also find limited items from the collection of the Box Elder Museum, once a standalone museum in town, including fossils found in Box Elder County.
