History

Tuttle's Story

Set high in the glacial beauty of Big Cottonwood Canyon, Brighton has long been a place of gathering, recreation, and renewal. Once a stopover for travelers moving between the mining towns of Alta and Park City, the area grew around the Brighton family’s welcoming hotel near Silver Lake. Its lakes, wildflowers, forests, and mountain streams have drawn visitors for generations.

Episcopalians became part of Brighton’s story around 1900, when Theresa Godbe established a Girl’s Friendly Society camp on land below Brighton. Decades later, young people from the Diocese rediscovered the remains of that original camp and helped inspire Bishop Richard Watson to reclaim the property. The Episcopal Church purchased the land—excluding mineral rights—for just one dollar, and it became Camp Tuttle, named for Utah’s first bishop, Daniel S. Tuttle.

Since 1958, Camp Tuttle has welcomed camps, conferences, retreats, and visitors of many faiths. Sustained by generous gifts of labor, materials, and funding, it has grown to include restored cabins, gathering spaces, modern facilities, and the Chapel of Christ the King. This beloved mountain sanctuary remains a meaningful spiritual home within the historic landscape of Brighton.