Heritage Associates Open House

Heritage Associates is located in Salt Lake City

W. Dee Halverson of Heritage Associates recommends that his clients use their history. Taking his own advice, Dee celebrated the 25th anniversary of his public history company with an open house.

Dee and Marty, ready to party.

It was an event for the history books! Displays of his work were arranged on tables and bookshelves. The associates themselves were amazed at the variety of stories they've told!

Second floor of the historic Judge Building

Historic photos of places—Las Vegas, Nevada to Bzianka, Poland—companies, such as Bonneville Corporation, Yesco, and Ireland Bank, and other clients (Stephen Bechtel, Fraser Bullock, Lou Callister and Rod Brady to name a few) decorated the walls. Original architectural plans for the LDS Conference Center, Trolley Square and the Armstrong Mansion were also on display.

(Help yourself to refreshments!)

Dee's inspiration board

Because Dee does on-site work (archive management, organization and oral interviews) or original research, many of his long-time clients have never seen his office. It was fun to guide them through his collection of artifacts and point out pieces on his bulletin boards.

Old friends

In twenty-five years, Heritage Associates has produced over fifty major books and twenty booklets, plus museum displays, plaques and other historical accounts. The open house was a giant show and tell.

British LDS Historical Sites, Preston England

The real fun, however, was celebrating with friends who knew Dee back in the day.

Before he was an historical artifact himself!

Want to celebrate your life's history?

Contact W. Dee Halverson

wdh@heritageassociates.com

Open house photos by Marta

Dee's photo by Christie

Book Designs

All art work is from the book: The LDS Conference Center

When Dee Halverson studied architectural preservation in York, England he became acquainted with what has become a favorite quote by John Ruskin:

"When we build let us think that we build for ever. Let it not be for present delight, nor for present use alone; let it be such work as our descendants will thank us. Let us think, as we lay stone on stone, that a time is to come when those stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them, and that men will say as they look upon the labour, 'See! This our fathers did for us.'"

Heritage Associates originally produced The LDS Conference Center: The Story of Its Construction to honor Legacy Constructors and more than 4,000 workers, who built the magnificent edifice in just over 1,000 days. That book was edited and reworked for the public, and is now available again in a new edition.


Amy Robinson is a freelance graphic artist and an associate of Heritage Associates LLC. She has laid out each of the books and talks here about her craft:

"The Conference Center is a beautiful and modern edifice in historical downtown Salt Lake City. Standing across the street from the Salt Lake Temple built by pioneers, this new building is a testament to the longevity of faith and tradition amongst an ever changing world. I wanted to celebrate this notion in the design of the 2nd edition.

"One of the first things I like to design is the book's cover. A unique, interesting cover draws readers to a book. I want it to say something even before you read the words.

"For various projects I've searched for inspiration in old photos, a family's heritage, or, as in the case of the LDS Conference Center, architecture. Once I have a theme I carefully select fonts to carry a certain style throughout the book. I want each of the books I design to reflect the character of the stories inside.


"My work is in the details: the font, the colors, borders, text flow and pictures. I love to personalize all of these details to create a certain feel for a book. With the LDS Conference Center book, I wanted to create a feeling of reverence and beauty while celebrating the modernity of the building's design.

"I used contrasts to create a tone. For instance: a classic font contrasting with a very modern font throughout the book creates a juxtaposition between old and new. The same thing happens when you mix bright, vivid, digital images with old black and white photographs. We feel a sense of time and timelessness in this marvelous building.

"Themes and ratios from the building's architecture inspired borders, titles and textures within the book. We kept much of the text and many of the same images used in the 1st edition, but with the advances in printing and designing software, the 2nd edition has an elegance and style that was lacking before. We tightened the kerning of the text, and used high quality digital images to create a more streamlined effect."


Amy's training as an art historian benefits her work. "Studying classic and modern art has given me the eye of an artist. Learning about shape, line, texture, and color through the eyes of Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Mondrian has aided me when creating my own projects. The many different styles of art throughout history has opened my eyes to ways to display feelings and thoughts. This variety helps me create a custom design fitting the needs of my clients."


"I did not set out to be a graphic designer. I went to college and studied Art History. After graduating, I knew I needed to learn a profitable skill and graphic design was a perfect fit! My brother, Peter, took me under his wings and taught me all that he knew. His training and a lot of trial and error has brought me to the point I'm at now. There is always more to learn, since the technology is always advancing."

Amy Robinson

Amy is a mom with three young daughters, whom she home schools. Volunteering in her church and neighborhood keeps her busy. "Every day is a struggle to balance the many roles I play. I feel lucky that I can stay home with my children. Before I had them, graphic designing was my identity. Now, it has been labeled my "profitable hobby." When the kids are playing or sleeping, I sit down at my laptop and have a little fun designing. I like the feeling of being productive through my creative outlet. I create invitations, scrapbook pages, flyers and other smaller projects for clients when I'm between books."

Heritage Projects appreciates Amy's talents.

The LDS Conference Center

The LDS Conference Center 2nd Edition

Heritage Associates originally published The LDS Conference Center in 2000 to correspond with the opening and dedication of the building. W.Dee Halverson compiled dozens of interviews with the major players who conceived, designed, built and finished the majestic edifice in record time.

The story is told using personal experiences, magnificent photographs, and structural information unavailable elsewhere. In fact, the text of the book forms the basis of the narrative given by over 900 volunteer guides who lead thousands of tours every year in Salt Lake City.

The first 10,000 books sold rapidly and The LDS Conference Center has been out-of-print for several years. Due to high demand, Dee has prepared a second edition, with additional information and photographs in an updated format. This book is going to print immediately and will be available to the general public soon.

"The book is one-of-a-kind. I'm asked about it wherever I go, and am pleased to offer it again as a tribute to the vision of President Gordon B. Hinckley and all those who were part of the creation of the LDS Conference Center," said Dee Halverson.

Often Dee's projects are researched and written for specific clients. This book was prepared for everyone who believes (or wants to believe) in miracles.