Seagull Monument

The Seagull Monument displays two bronze gulls perched on a granite column made from stone quarried at Mount Airy, North Carolina. The birds face outward toward the surrounding plaza, with the sculpture reaching a notable height above ground level.

Dedicated in 1913, the monument commemorates an 1848 event when California gulls arrived and consumed insect swarms threatening farmers' crops. The rescue became embedded in Mormon community memory as a defining moment of early settlement.

The monument honors a moment when gulls saved early Mormon settlers' crops from crop-destroying insects, a story understood by many visitors as a sign of divine care. Today, the site remains one of the few places in America built specifically to remember birds as rescuers.

The monument is currently inaccessible through 2026 due to renovations affecting the Assembly Hall and surrounding Temple Square grounds. Check ahead before visiting to explore other areas of the plaza or plan your tour accordingly.

The original monument site contained a pool with water lilies and goldfish, later replaced by rainbow trout when the gulls kept eating the fish. This adjustment reflects the practical challenges of maintaining a natural feature alongside wild birds.

GPS coordinates: 40.76976,-111.89283

Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:04