As students of Weber State College, most of us have had the interesting experience of living in and around Ogden, Utah. Along with that experience comes the pleasures of living in a small western city - open spaces and outdoor recreation, friendly people and beautiful scenery. All this makes the Ogden environment very conducive to higher education. True, Ogden is no Big Apple. There are no casinos or night clubs. Ogdenites opt for different types of entertainment such as western dancing perhaps skiing during the winter. Ogden is also a center of great historical interest. Even before the settlement by white pioneers, the area around the confluence of the Ogden and Weber rivers was considered by the Indians to be a prime area for gathering the necessities of life. Indians of several tribes often wintered here along the Wasatch Front. Later trappers and mountain men ventured through the area and enjoyed the plentiful game. One such mountain man, Miles Goodyear, decided this valley would be where he would settle down with his Indian wife. In 1985 he became Ogden's first year-around resident by construction. "Fort Buenaventura" which consisted of a small grouping of stockaded corrals, sheds and a main cabin. Goodyear's orginal home can still be seen preserved at LDS Temple Square in Ogden and also in reconstructed form at its original location west of Union depot. Of course, in 1847 Utah's history was suddenly changed. Brigham Young had led a group of Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake valley. The Ogden area became one of the major points for the expansion of the new Mormon society. Goodyear was brought out and a Mormon settlement established in 1848. In 1850 the growing community was named Ogden. The name came from a trapper for the Hudson's Bay Company, Peter Skene Ogden, who led a group of trappers through the Ogden Valley near present day Huntsville in 1826. Peter Skene Ogden in all probability never ventured down Ogden Canyon to see the western slopes of the wasatch front and the picturesque spot that now bears his name. Mormon settlement secured Ogden's place in Utah history, but something else etched the name of Ogden in the history of the nation - the iron horse. With the advent of railway transport, Ogden became a hub of commerce, trade and travel. In 1869, when the first transcontinental railroad was completed, Ogden lay directly in the path of the new track, which ran north of the more populous cities of Salt Lake and Provo. Around the new railway industry, Ogden grew into a larger and livelier town. The section of town close to the train station became known for its pool halls, taverns and even shadier entertainment halls. The Union Station and 25th Street are remnants of that rowdy era. 25th Street is currently under restoration to its original appearance, and the Union Station, having been obtained from the Union Pacific Railroad by the city of Ogden in 1977, has been totally refurbished. The station was built in 1924 after the old one burned. Since 1978 it has housed gun, automobile, and railroad museums, a number of meeting rooms, and an art a gallery, and it continues to function as a railway depot. A more modern structure is the L.D.S. Temple at 21st Street and Washington Boulevard. Built from 1969 to 1971 and dedicated in 1972, the Temple provides a place for the sacred functions of Ogden's Mormon community. The impressive golden steeple can be observed from almost any point in Ogden. Another structure that dominates the Ogden skyline is the City and County Building at 25th Street and Washington. The building was erected to house the many functions of city and county government. Of course, the Ogden City Police make their headquarters there along with the criminals housed in the Weber County jail found on the upper floors of the building. Shoppers in Ogden were pleased by the completion in 1980 of the Ogden City Mall which offers over 70 stores and shops to its customers. Everything from electronic games to elegant clothing, hot dogs to best-selling books can be found there. The Mall offers its own contribution to the look of downtown Ogden - an unusual and colorful spiral tower emblazoned with the words "Ogden City Mall." Ogden is truly a city with many things to offer the student of Weber State College. From the winter slopes of the local ski resorts to the summer fun of Pine View reservoir; from pristine mountain wilderness to historic city structures; from the fun of meeting friendly people to the security of receiving a fine education; there is something in Ogden for everyone. ?