On May 12, 2025, the Kaysville - Fruit Heights Museum of History and Art officially launched its new Outdoor Historical Markers Project, bringing local history out of the archives and into the community. The first marker was unveiled at the historic Rock Loft in Fruit Heights with more installations planned for nearby trails, sidewalks, and parks. 

The project will include nine interpretive signs, each telling a unique story from local history. These markers are designed to be accessible to walkers, runners, cyclists, and outdoor enthusiasts who might not otherwise engage with history in a traditional museum setting. The museum is currently seeking donations to fund the fabrication of the remaining markers.

“May was chosen for the project’s debut to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the historic Encounter at Mountain Green – a pivotal 1825 meeting between rival fur-trapping companies that historians later deemed internationally significant,” said Museum Chair Fawn Morgan. This event, which led to American trappers gaining exclusive access to the Wasatch Mountains, is featured on one side of the marker at the Rock Loft site.

To further commemorate the anniversary, Morgan and Museum Board member Brad Timothy – a Fort Buenaventura Mountain Man reenactor – presented a living history lesson to Jeff Johnson’s fourth grade class at Burton Elementary. Students learned about Native American beading, played historical games and dressed up to reenact the historic encounter. “One little boy kept raising his hand,” Morgan said. “He was thrilled when the Mountain Man told him he might make a good reenactor one day.”

The museum hopes the markers will inspire a deeper appreciation of the area’s past. “We’re taking history outside the museum walls and putting it along the trails and sidewalks people already use,” Morgan said. “We want to turn expectations upside down and reach people where they are.”

Each metal sign features images and historical narratives, mounted in locations chosen for both accessibility and historical relevance. The first four marker locations announced include:

• Trappers Winter Camp – Western trailhead of Gailey Trail (single-sided).
• Encounter at Mountain Green & Bair Canyon Enterprises – Rock Loft property, corner of Mountain Road and Green Road (double-sided).
• Bunting Family Cabin & Ward Orchards and Brickyard – 400 North Mountain Road (double-sided).
• Harvey Pond – Near the Harvey Park sign at Fruit Heights City Hall (single-sided).

More markers are on the way, pending community support and fundraising. The museum invites residents, businesses, and history lovers to contribute to this innovative effort to keep Kaysville and Fruit Heights’ heritage alive and visible for generations to come.