Driving Through Time: The Springville Historic Sites Tour

by Lori Collins

Springville isn’t just a place to live; it’s a living museum. While the bronzes on Main Street often steal the spotlight, the best way to see the "bones" of the city is to take the Historic Sites Driving Tour.

This route takes you beyond the modern storefronts and into the stories of the pioneers, entrepreneurs, and families who built "Art City" from the ground up. Grab a coffee, roll down the windows, and let’s hit the road.

Stop 1: Springville City Cemetery (200 West & 400 South)

The tour begins at the Springville City Cemetery. While it might seem like a somber start, this is where the city’s lineage is written in stone.

The Highlight: Look for the headstone of Edwin Whiting, a prominent early settler whose family nursery business essentially "greened" the valley.
The Connection: The trees you see lining Springville’s oldest streets often started as saplings in a Whiting nursery over a century ago.

Stop 2: The "Big House" Site & The Red Juniper (435 South Main)

Leaving the cemetery, head to Main Street. At this location, a massive Red Juniper tree stands as a silent witness to history.

The Story: This was the site of the "Big House," a sprawling adobe structure built by the Whiting family.
Look Closer: Nearby sat the original Little Red Schoolhouse, where the city’s first generations of children were educated. Though the buildings are gone, the scale of the property gives you a sense of how central this hub was to early Springville life.

Stop 3: Springville Museum of Art (126 East 400 South)

You can't do a historic tour without stopping at this 1937 masterpiece.

The Architecture: It’s a stunning example of Spanish Colonial Revival, built during the Depression as a WPA project.
History Note: Before it was a museum, this land was part of the Whiting family’s extensive nursery and apiary (beehives). It’s fitting that a place that once grew trees now grows the city’s cultural soul.

Stop 4: Contractor Legacy Park (50 South 100 East)

This stop honors a unique piece of Springville’s identity: its reputation as the "Contractor Capital of the World."

The Legacy: In the 1950s, Springville reportedly had more general contractors per capita than any other city in the U.S.
The Monument: The stone monuments here tell the story of the men and women who helped build the nation's highways, bridges, and even the transcontinental railroad bed.

Stop 5: The "Twin Houses" (112 & 136 East 200 North)

As you wind through the residential historic district, keep an eye out for the Crandall Houses.

The Sight: These are two virtually identical "twin" homes built in 1900 for the Crandall family.
Why It Matters: They represent the prosperity Springville found at the turn of the century—moving from humble pioneer cabins to elegant, brick Victorian-style residences.

Tips for the Road

The App: If you want a deeper dive, download the Preservation Utah Tour App. It provides GPS-led narrations for many of these stops.
The Pace: This tour takes about 45 to 60 minutes, making it a perfect Sunday afternoon activity.
The Photo Op: The view of the mountains from the Evergreen Cemetery (the final stop on the extended route) is one of the best in the valley.