Created by artist Mahonri Young, the monument commemorates an 1848 event in which seagulls were observed to devour crop-destroying Mormon crickets, following prayers for divine intervention against the insects.

[2] The idea for a monument commemorating the miracle came from George E. Carpenter, an editor at the Deseret News, and was inspired by a request he made for Young to create seagull drawings for the 1907 Christmas Edition of the newspaper.

[8] The local Manufacturers and Merchants' Association was very interested in getting the monument erected, and started, in 1908, a subscription list to support its creation.

This time his request was approved, and in July 1912, the church, represented by Presiding Bishop Charles W. Nibley, signed the contract providing for the creation of the monument, with its placement to be on Temple Square.

Instead he selected a spot near the Assembly Hall, where the open sky could provide a better background for the monument, and church leaders approved.

[11][13] Excavation for the monument's foundation began in April 1913, with the original plan being to dedicate the completed work on July 24 (Pioneer Day in Utah).

Wells, president of the church's Relief Society, pulled the cords to release the flags, revealing the works of art to the gathered crowd.

[24][25] For many years, coins tossed into the water were periodically collected and donated by the church to nearby Primary Children's Hospital.

When it was returned later that year, the pool had been replaced with flower beds and the gold leafing on the seagull sculpture atop the monument had been removed.

The second panel, titled The Arrival of the Sea Gulls, features a disheartened pioneer man stooping down, while a woman, holding the hand of a child, looks towards the coming seagulls with hope; the northern end of the Oquirrh Mountains is visible in the background.

In the foreground is a nursing mother, with a child and dog at her feet, while the background shows the first home built in the valley, with Ensign Peak above.