CHAPTER 9
THE AGE OF JAZZ,
1920-1929 A,
.merica was changing from a rural to an urban nation at the turn of the twentieth century, and Utah was not far behind. By 1920, nearly half (48 percent) of the state's population was urban, and by the end of the decade the number stood at nearly 53 percent. 1 The construction and completion of the Utah C o u n t y C o u r t h o u s e (known locally as the City and C o u n t y Building) epitomized the mood within the county. Next to Salt Lake County's City and County Building, the edifice is perhaps the most elaborate and refined of Utah's courthouses. The neoclassic building's exterior is of white oolite from Sanpete County, with a raised foundation of granite. A statue of Justice is centered over the entrance, flanked by depictions of various arts and industries that reflect not only the history of the county but also the increasingly cosmopolitan nature of its residents. The interior of the building is ornate, with floors of Alaskan marble, staircase balustrades of pink marble, and lighting fixtures made of bronze. Utah County architect Joseph Nelson designed the building after taking a west coast tour with city officials to get ideas from civic buildings there. Construction started in 1920 and was completed in 185
