[1] Established as a war memorial at the mouth of City Creek Canyon in 1924, the park "spawned a long tradition of support and involvement by private, civil, fraternal, military, and political organizations, and its evolution over the span of five generations reflects Utah's changing values along with her participation in world events", according to William G. Love of Utah Historical Quarterly.

[1] In 1920, the Utah chapter of the Service Star Legion formed the Memory Grove Committee, seeking to petition for 30 acres of land.

[1] Volunteers, including student and Boy Scouts, cleared garbage, stones, and weeds, and by May 20 the committee had purchased 300 trees for planting.

[1] The dedication was broadcast by local radio stations, and Governor Herbert B. Maw and Mayor Earl J. Glade accepted the chapel on behalf of the state and city, respectively.

[1] Some of the park's features were starting to deteriorate, including Memorial House; additionally, Harbor Lake was polluted and Meditation Chapel was locked because of vandalism.

The Service Star Legion left Memorial House in 1986, and after remaining closed for several years, the Utah Heritage Foundation began occupying the building in 1993.