I just completed a second volume of short documentaries for the Weber State University Storytelling Festival. Last year we produced 20 videos that told the stories of historical people, places and events in northern Utah. The ideas for the stories came from a series of paintings done by Utah artists commissioned in 1976.

One story I enjoyed puting together in this volume was of a prisoner of war camp that operated in Ogden during World War II. Many Italian POWs were sent there, but after Italy announced its surrender, the men were made part of the Ogden community before returning home.

The Prisoner of War Camp at the Ogden Depot. Images courtesy Weber State University Special Collections.

I also enjoyed learning about the Moench Building that was built on the original Weber Stake Academy campus in Ogden, Utah. It was named at the founder of the school, Louis F. Moench.

The Moench Building as it appeared in the early 1900s. The building was part of the Weber Stake Academy campus which, prior to becoming a state college in 1933, was a church school run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you look … — The Moench Building as it appeared in the early 1900s. The building was part of the Weber Stake Academy campus which, prior to becoming a state college in 1933, was a church school run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you look closely at this image of the Moench Building reading room you will notice a painting portraying an angelic figure visiting the young Joseph Smith. Images courtesy Weber State University Archives.

An exhibit featuring the short videos and the paintings they are based on will be on display during the Storytelling Festival on February 26 and 27 in the Hetzel-Hoellein Room of the Weber State University Stewart Library.

Artist Farrell Collett paints "Mount Fort." The completed image is below. Image courtesy Weber State University Archives.