Draper commission greenlights Nielsen home video tour

Draper's Historic Preservation Commission authorized a walkthrough video tour of the Nielsen home on Fort Street at its Oct. 21 meeting, adding to the city's growing library of interior recordings of historic properties.

Commission members approved moving forward with the project and plan to coordinate with the Nielsen family for narration, according to the meeting summary published by OpenUtah. The commission has previously produced video tours of other Draper homes, including the J.R. Allen home, which features an interview with Allen's grandson Paul Smith, the Draper Journal reported in January. Five home video tours are available on the Draper City website.

The video tours show the interiors of historic homes with homeowner-recorded narration. Jennifer Jastremsky, Draper's community development director and staff liaison to the commission, told the Draper Journal that the commission's walking and driving tours cover only exterior architecture, while the video program captures what's inside.

Akagi family farm research advances

David Hales shared updates on collecting records related to the Akagi family farm as part of the commission's ethnic and minority history research, the meeting summary shows.

The Akagi farm is tied to a striking chapter of Draper's past. Nelson Takeo Akagi (1923–2020) was born in Lindsay, California, where his family owned a farm. In 1942, the U.S. government targeted the Akagi family as enemy aliens, according to a biographical note in the University of Utah's Special Collections. Forced to sell their California farm, the Akagis chose to work on a sugar beet farm in Parker, Idaho, rather than face imprisonment. The family soon moved to Utah and worked on a farm in Draper.

Akagi enlisted in 1943 and served as a machine gunner and forward observer in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, fighting in southern France and northern Italy. He was honorably discharged in 1946 and returned to Utah. He worked the family fruit farm in Draper until 1995, when the Akagi family decided to develop the land.

In 2011, Akagi received the Congressional Gold Medal for his military service. In 2020, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor. He died on Sept. 19, 2020. The University of Utah holds a 372-item photograph collection spanning 1943 to 2007 that documents his military service, the family farm before and after development, and Utah's Japanese American community events.

What specific records the commission is seeking or what it plans to do with them was not detailed in the meeting summary.

Widowmaker recap and 2027 schedule

Members reviewed the Widowmaker plaque ceremony and called it a success, according to the meeting summary. The plaque at Widowmaker Flight Park honors the motorcycle hill climb on Steep Mountain and the Bee's Motorcycle Club, which drew riders and spectators from 1965 to 1988. The commission spent months coordinating the dedication with local motorcycle clubs, Salt Lake County officials and Draper City staff. No attendance figures or other details about the ceremony appeared in the summary.

The commission also approved its 2027 meeting schedule, continuing to meet on the third Wednesday of each month except July and December. Staff reviewed remaining funds, paid invoices and potential budget allocations for surveys and home tours, though no specific dollar figures were released.

Commission Chair Annie Bommer told the Draper Journal in January: "It's important to save this history and tell stories of the past to keep our Draper history alive."