"When the Blocks reached out to me about fixing this mural, I jumped at the chance to help revitalize this historic alley. Because of fading, and graffiti damage, we had to repaint every square inch. I was grateful for the opportunity to restore this mural and honor some of Utah's most iconic species."
-Chris Peterson
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County
July 2024
In celebration of the
Bison, Native Bees,
Moose & Grizzlies
Originally commissioned by the BLOCKS SLC, Salt Lake Downtown Alliance & SLC RDA in 2019, this Chris Peterson Studio mural was in rough shape after the construction of the new State Liquor Store across the street. In support of investing in our downtown landmarks, the BLOCKS and partners contracted with the artist in July 2024 to restore this mural. We are grateful for this reinvestment and commitment to Salt Lake's downtown arts district.
This mural was originally designed around the history of Edison Street as the first street in Salt Lake to receive electricity. The string of electric lights evokes that history, while also serving as a compositional tool to unite the long and low wall shape. "In my mind", according to Peterson, "I imagine the first lights flickering on back when the city limits were closer, the hills were still fairly wild, and wildlife may have been watching on the outskirs.
The large old-timey font- "Edison and Broadway" is lit up with bulbs, with the red bulbs on Broadway as a nod to the once-upon a time red light district on the street. The downtown vignette includes the spotlights across the sky from SLC's lit-up skyline. Originally, the fourth panel included a graphic silhouette of Big Cottonwood Canyon with some snowflakes spray-paint stenciled by members of the public at the mural unveiling in 2019. For this repaint, we updated that panel with a snowy skyline portrait of one of the most scenic local peaks, Mt. Timpanogos.
Finally, with four of Utah's wildlife species featured - we decided to include this mural in the Utah Wildlife Walls project with a qr code directing viewers to this information page.
Originally featuring bison, honey bee, moose and black bear, the repaint has given me a chance to update the bee to a native Utah bee (vs farmed non-native honeybees) and the black bear to a grizzly bear, in honor of the work we're doing to highlight Bart the Grizzly Bear and Old Ephraim with murals in Heber and Logan this year.
American Bison
American bison are the largest mammals in North America. Millions of bison once inhabited Utah’s grasslands, until they were hunted to near extinction in the 1800s.
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Utah now has about 1,300 wild bison that can be found in Antelope Island, the Henry Mountains, and the Book Cliffs.
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Male bison, called bulls, weigh up to 2,000 pounds and stand 6 feet tall, while females, called cows, weigh up to 1,000 pounds and reach a height of 4-5 feet. Bison calves weigh 30-70 pounds at birth.
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An entire herd can stampede if it is startled, and bison can run up to 35 miles per hour.
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An interesting fact about bison is that both the males and females of this species have horns. Bison have excellent senses of hearing, vision, and smell.
Encounter Bison at Antelope Island
One of the best ways to see bison is to visit Antelope Island State Park. Hike, mountain bike, or ride horseback on the park’s backcountry trails to enjoy amazing views of the lake and islands. Camp under the stars at one of the primitive campsites, relax on sandy beaches and take a dip in the salty lake, or visit the historic Fielding Garr Ranch.
Native Utah Bees
"Why not honeybees?"
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Utah's nickname, the "Beehive State," originates from the early Mormon pioneers who valued hard work, cooperation, and productivity. The beehive symbolizes the “industrious spirit” and perseverance that they felt they shared with the honeybees, and it remains an emblem of the state today.
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Although honeybees have become a major symbol and part of Utah’s identity, it is very important to understand that honeybees were imported from Europe, and not native to our state.
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The placement of honey bee hives on public lands can bring millions of these non-native bees into the territories of native bees. The honey bees outcompete the native bees for pollen and nectar, and transmit diseases to the native bees.
There are over one thousand native bee species in Utah, and it's crucial to conserve their diversity and role in local ecosystems and biodiversity.
An organization working to protect the habitats of native bees and sustain their diversity is Project Eleven Hundred. Check out their website to learn more about this important cause!
Learn More!
Moose
Utah has a population of 2,500 to 3,000 moose!
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Moose are the largest member of the deer family. Adult moose can weigh 800 to 1,200 pounds, and the adult males, also called bulls, may be up to 6 feet tall at the shoulder.
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Usually, moose are seen alone or in small groups.
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They are found in the mountains of the northern and northeastern areas of the state, and even along the Wasatch Front. Forested areas with streams and ponds are ideal moose habitat.
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Moose can be very aggressive when they feel threatened and often use their antlers and hooves to defend themselves from predators like bears and wolves.
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Learn more about Moose at WildAwareUtah.
Moose can be spotted in many areas up Big Cottonwood Canyon, such as The Silver Lake Loop Trail, which follows a boardwalk around the wetland environment that moose frequent. Other places to encounter and learn about moose include the Swaner Nature Preserve and the Ogden Nature Center.
If you encounter any moose, it is very important to give them space, stay calm, keep any dogs leashed and under control, and back away slowly.
Encounter Moose in Utah
Grizzly Bear
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Grizzly bears are large and range in color from very light tan (almost white) to dark brown.
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They have a dished face, short, rounded ears, and a large shoulder hump. The hump is where a mass of muscles attach to the bear’s backbone and give the bear additional strength for digging!
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They have very long claws on their front feet that also give them extra ability to dig after food and to dig their dens.
Grizzly bears once roamed throughout the entire western United States. As their habitat was destroyed and they were excessively over-hunted, their population declined. Grizzlies continued to inhabit Utah up until 1923 when the last wild grizzly bear, Old Ephraim, was shot in Logan Canyon.
Grizzlies in Utah
Utah's most famous Grizzly Bear is Bart the Bear!
Bart starred in many movies and films, including "The Bear", "White Fang", and "The Edge". He was trained by Doug and Lynne Sues in Heber City, Utah!
Keep an eye out for an upcoming Wildlife Wall in Heber that will commemorate Bart's legacy!
Learn More!
In Bart's honor, Doug and Lynne Sues started the Vital Ground Foundation to protect and restore North America’s grizzly bear populations. Check out their website to get involved!
Thanks to our Partners!
Utah Wildlife Walls is a grassroots arts and engagement project that is only made possible through key partnerships. Big thanks to our partners on this project!
