The Utah State Training School amphitheater is significant because it helps document the impact of the New Deal Programs in Utah. It was built in 1936-1937 as a response to the dire economic needs of this area at that time. In 1933 Utah had an unemployment rate of 36%, the fourth highest in the country. This continued for some time. The period of 1932-1940 Utah’s unemployment rate averaged 25 percent. Because the depression his Utah so hard, federal programs were extensive in the state. More than 240 buildings were constructed in Utah during the 1930’s and early 1940’s under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and other New Deal programs.
The amphitheater is one of the several constructed throughout the state during the 1930’s, all of which use local stone laid in a cement structure. It is akin to the one at the state Hospital in Provo. This amphitheater provides physical evidences of federal efforts and local participation to alleviate the social problems created by the financial devastation of the Depression.
The amphitheater remains an important feature in Utah and continues in use for both Training School and community-wide programs.