Nearly 100 people gathered on August 5 to unveil a new historical marker celebrating the People’s Co-op and its legacy of enterprise, innovation, and community in Lehi, according to a August 13 report.
The marker, located at 151 E. State St. in front of the Osmond Designs building, commemorates the People’s Co-operative Institute, which operated from 1872 to 1937.
The People’s Cooperative Institution served as Lehi’s largest mercantile enterprise. It was known for introducing early modern conveniences to the area, including telephone service, electric lighting, concrete sidewalks, and a pneumatic tube system.
Susan Colledge, a member of the Lehi Historical Marker Unveiling Committee, stated that the marker aims to help residents and visitors appreciate the historic buildings and the people whose foresight helped transform the frontier town into a thriving commercial center.
During the program, Geralee Ekins Smith, a member of the Lehi Historical Society and great-great-granddaughter of the cooperative's first president James W. Taylor, shared a business sketch of the early institution. Mont Peterson, Taylor’s great-great-grandson, provided stories regarding Taylor and the early economic development of Lehi.
The ceremony included remarks from City Council member James Harrison, who spoke regarding the importance of preserving local history and the value of a community's cultural return. Harrison noted that historic preservation helps anchor community stories to real people and places.
Musical performances were provided by a barbershop trio consisting of Nephi Burrows, Joe Broderick, and Chris Jones.
The marker's inscription notes that the 22,000-square-foot structure, built in 1903, anchored a network of businesses including a blacksmith shop, a hotel, a drugstore, a lumber yard, and a theater.
This unveiling marks the 22nd marker in the Lehi Historical Society’s Historical Marker Program. The program receives funding from the John David and Danaca Hadfield family of HADCO Construction, Lehi City PARC grants, and 2026 sponsors Strata Networks and SIRQ Construction.
The next unveiling in the program is scheduled for Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. to honor the North Branch Meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 1190 N. 500 West.
