Lara Bangerter did not set out to become a historian. She wanted meaningful part-time work, and a job posting in her ward led her to the Lehi Historical Society — a nonprofit founded in 2016 by John H., who loved Lehi and collected anything and everything related to the city. John passed away approximately one week after Lara joined. Their one conversation consisted of him cheering her on: 'However you do it will be great.' She took that charge seriously. Over seven and a half years, Lara has transformed the Society into a functioning archive with 7,000+ personal files on Lehi residents, a growing online digital library at lehihistory.org, a team of service missionaries, and a 36-marker historical program funded by grants and community donations. The Society is housed in the historic Old State Bank of Lehi building at 99 West Main. Her journalism background has proven invaluable in telling Lehi's stories with clarity and warmth. She manages Lehi Heritage Day — an annual Labor Day event honoring both historical themes and current residents making history today — and has spearheaded the installation of large historical markers across Lehi, including at the George Goates farm, Lehi Roller Mills, and Wines Park. Lara believes that understanding how people have behaved before can inspire us to behave similarly today. Her personal philosophy — rooted in years of reading about ordinary Lehi residents who did small, meaningful things over long periods of time — is captured simply: small things grow into big things.
Life Lessons
- • Understanding how people behaved before can inspire us to behave similarly today
- • Every life should be documented — ordinary lives are the foundation of community
- • Small things grow into big things
- • Preservation is not about the past — it is about extending care forward
- • A job that makes people happy every day is a meaningful job
Timeline
Lehi Historical Society founded by John H.
Lara joins as manager; John passes away one week later after one encouraging conversation
Society transitions to fully searchable computer archive system
Historical Marker Program launches with grant funding from Hadco Construction
George Goates farm historical marker unveiled in October; over 100 people attend Train Depot marker unveiling
Featured on Roots & Branches of Lehi, Episode 3; Society has 5 service missionaries and 7,000+ personal files
Memorable Quotes
"If you understand how people have behaved before, it can inspire you to behave similarly."
Lara Bangerter
Keeping the Memory of Lehi Alive — Lara Bangerter on the Lehi Historical Society
"By being normal and just trying to live your best life, in the end it's quite impressive."
Lara Bangerter
Keeping the Memory of Lehi Alive — Lara Bangerter on the Lehi Historical Society
"Small things grow into big things."
Lara Bangerter
Keeping the Memory of Lehi Alive — Lara Bangerter on the Lehi Historical Society
"We make people happy every day with what we've got."
Lara Bangerter
Keeping the Memory of Lehi Alive — Lara Bangerter on the Lehi Historical Society
"Every life should be documented."
Lara Bangerter
Keeping the Memory of Lehi Alive — Lara Bangerter on the Lehi Historical Society
"We're a window into Lehi's past."
Lara Bangerter
Keeping the Memory of Lehi Alive — Lara Bangerter on the Lehi Historical Society
"Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could continue to carry on that spirit?"
Lara Bangerter
Keeping the Memory of Lehi Alive — Lara Bangerter on the Lehi Historical Society
"We collect, preserve, organize, protect, and share anything and everything Lehi."
Lara Bangerter
Keeping the Memory of Lehi Alive — Lara Bangerter on the Lehi Historical Society
"There's a lot to be proud of living in Lehi."
Lara Bangerter
Keeping the Memory of Lehi Alive — Lara Bangerter on the Lehi Historical Society
Stories
Lara Bangerter
The Book Brigade — Lehi Moves a Library by Hand
When Lehi needed to move its library collection from one building to another, the community formed a human chain and passed books hand to hand until every volume had been relocated. No trucks, no professional movers — just neighbors standing together.
Lara Bangerter
William Hadfield's Christmas Package — A Small Kindness That Changed Everything
For twenty years, William Hadfield drove his postal wagon in a figure-eight through Lehi. One Christmas Eve, a package arrived and he felt strongly it shouldn't wait. After dark, he delivered it to a poor family whose son had disappeared. The package was from the son — gifts for his siblings, and proof to his parents that he was alive.
Lara Bangerter
George Goates and the Sugar Beets — A Story About What Lehi Is Made Of
In October 1918, during the Spanish flu epidemic, George Goates of Lehi lost four family members in one week. He made multiple trips to Ogden to bring family members home for burial, built the coffins himself, and helped prepare burial clothes. At week's end, he and his surviving son went to the sugar beet field — and found that their neighbors had already harvested every last beet, anonymously, without being asked. It was the first time George cried all week.
Lara Bangerter
The Handcart Rocking Chair — Pioneer Legacy in Physical Form
A community member recently donated to the Lehi Historical Society a rocking chair made from the wood of a pioneer handcart — a physical, touchable connection between the people who crossed the plains and those who live in Lehi today.
Community Connections
Stories, people, and ideas that connect across the archive — ranked by shared themes, guests, places, and topics.
Related Episodes
(4)Building Community Through Stories: Unveiling Lehi's Rich Heritage
Lara Bangeter
A Heart of Service | Phil Wasden’s Journey as Lehi’s Community Chaplain
Phil Wasden
From Paintbrushes to Pioneer Parades: Keith & Suzanne Pulham
Keith and Suzanne Pulham
Why Sleep, Mentors, and Mental Health Matter More Than Ever
Lynn Meek
Related People
(4)Paige Albrecht
Lehi City Council Member, Attorney, Community Advocate
Phil Hanks
Grandson of Ephraim Hanks · Mission President (Samoa) · Temple President (Samoa) · Church Education System Leader · Stake President · Senior Missionary (Ukraine, Freiburg) · Lehi Resident
Andy Hadfield
Head Football Coach, Lehi High School · Business Owner · Lifelong Lehi Resident
Doug Webb
Former Principal, Lehi High School · Agriculture & Science Teacher · Lifelong Lehi Resident
Related Stories
(4)Trees Planted for People They'd Never Meet — Wines Park and Generational Sacrifice
Paige Albrecht
The Handcart Rocking Chair — Pioneer Legacy in Physical Form
Lara Bangerter
Trees at Wines Park — Planted for People They'd Never Meet
Paige Albrecht
The Book Brigade — Lehi Moves a Library by Hand
Lara Bangerter
Related Quotes
(4)"Small things grow into big things."
— Lara Bangerter
"We collect, preserve, organize, protect, and share anything and everything Lehi."
— Lara Bangerter
"Every life should be documented."
— Lara Bangerter
"If you understand how people have behaved before, it can inspire you to behave similarly."
— Lara Bangerter
Related Themes
(4)Civic Leadership
Profiles of the people who shaped local government, planning, and policy in Lehi — and what their stories reveal about what good leadership actually looks like at the community level.
Community Resilience
How Lehi residents have navigated challenge, change, growth, and hardship — and emerged with optimism, connection, and a deeper appreciation for what they've built together.
Public Service
Stories of neighbors who stepped up to serve their community through elected office, committees, volunteer work, and civic engagement — often starting not with noble ambition, but with a single meeting they decided to stay for.
Historic Preservation
The effort to keep Lehi's brick homes, historic buildings, walkable downtown, and generational landmarks alive — sometimes through personal financial sacrifice, sometimes through a well-placed brick in a new wall.