The Kaysville Fruit-Heights Museum of History and Art, in partnership with the Weber State University Storytelling Festival, presented the Bicentennial Art 1976 Historical Exhibit, on Nov. 2, 2023 with a beautiful reception to introduce the exhibit. This unique exhibit features the work of multiple Utah artists, including LeConte Stewart, B.Y Andelin, Farrel R. Collett, and Mary R. Warnock, among others. The paintings were originally commissioned in 1976 by William J. Critehow III, and feature four primary subjects: Trappers and Mountain Men, Native Americans, Settlers, and Pioneers. Each piece has been carefully curated to not only highlight the historical events depicted but also to demonstrate the enduring impact of these events on our present-day lives.

“Kaysville is growing so much, there’s so many people who don’t know the history and legacy,” Fawn Morgan, Chairperson of the Kaysville-Fruit Heights Museum of History and Art, said.

The paintings were originally hung in the Education Department at Weber State University and used in a special project with the Storytelling Festival where storytellers from across the country read aloud the history behind each painting. 

“Once we started learning about the artists, we realized families needed to see these,” DeeDee Mower, a member of the Weber State Storytelling Festival, said.

The video of these recordings is also part of the exhibit, as well as written histories for viewers to read about the events depicted in each painting. 

The exhibit is a visual and educational feast, with each piece telling a story of Utah's rich history and cultural heritage. The museum is committed to providing engaging and educational experiences for visitors of all ages, and this exhibit is no exception. Many of the paintings depict events from Kaysville and surrounding areas, making them even more special to residents. 

“I’ve lived in Kaysville/Fruit Heights my whole life, and this is important to me; to a lot of people,” Judy Rigby, Treasurer of the Kaysville-Fruit Heights Museum of History and Art, said.

The exhibit is part of a larger effort to preserve and celebrate Utah's history and cultural heritage, with future projects planned for the paintings. One such project is an “outdoor museum” where the paintings and their historical contents will be used on trailhead and park signs at the locations they depict. More information on the project can be found at the Kaysville Fruit-Heights Museum of History and Art’s website. 

“I just think we need to be grateful,” Morgan said. “If they [the people before us] hadn’t persevered, we wouldn’t get the advantages of living in this beautiful place.”

The exhibition will be featured at the Kaysville Admissions Building from November into December during regular hours 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Thursday and Friday 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. before moving to the Fruit Heights City Hall building in January 2024. The Kaysville Admissions Building is located at 23 East Center Street, Kaysville and Fruit Heights City Hall is located at 910 South, Fruit Heights.