SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — Among other things — like skiing, hiking, and national parks — Utah is known for being the modern-day hub of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , with the religion’s worldwide headquarters located in Salt Lake City .
According to a 2023 study, roughly 42% of the state’s population self-identified as a member of the LDS faith . Despite that fact, some people may not fully believe the rumors and whispers that Utah is home to a sphinx bearing the face of Joseph Smith, who was the founder and the first prophet of the LDS church .
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ABC4.com is here to tell you that the rumors are true — the Joseph Smith sphinx is real.
And, as it turns out, it’s not just a coincidence that the face resembles Joseph Smith — it was a completely intentional decision by Thomas Battersby Child Jr., who started the garden in 1945.
“The Sphinx represents Child’s belief that the answers to life’s great questions cannot be discovered with the intellect, but only through faith,” the garden explains.