‘Quilted Together’ brings public art celebrating craftsmanship and local history to Coalville

“Patchwork Migration,” the first sculpture in Summit County’s “Quilted Together” public art program, now stands near Center Street and the Rail Trail in downtown Coalville. Photo: Summit County

COALVILLE, Utah — A new public art installation marks the meeting point of Coalville’s Main Street corridor and the Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail, weaving the community’s quilting heritage, railroad history, and natural landscape into a single sculpture.

“Patchwork Migration,” located where Center Street meets the Rail Trail near 50 West, is the first completed piece in Summit County’s “Quilted Together” program, a community arts initiative designed to connect towns along the historic trail through public art.

The sculpture depicts a flock of migratory birds emerging from a blue-and-white quilted pattern, framed by reclaimed railroad tracks. Artists Trevor Dahl and Garth Franklin created the piece to honor Coalville’s quilting tradition, its railroad heritage, and the migrations — human and animal — that have shaped the region.

“We are thrilled to unveil the first installment of Quilted Together within the historic community of Coalville,” said Megan Altman, chair of the Summit County Public Art Advisory Board. “This sculpture will serve as an enduring reminder of the legacy of this area and a promise for its future. We hope to bring more art and community engagement to the Rail Trail through future Quilted Together projects.”

Summit County will hold a public ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, June 19, from 11 to 11:30 a.m. at the sculpture site near Center Street and 50 West, close to Weber River Feed & Supply. The artists, Public Art Advisory Board members, Arts Council of Park City & Summit County representatives, elected officials, state parks staff, and county employees are expected to attend. The public is invited.

The Summit County Public Art Advisory Board commissioned the project through a bid process that began in October 2025. The county allocated $13,000 through Summit County RAP Tax funding.

Public art is part of the Summit County Rail Trail Corridor Plan, adopted in 2023. Future projects along the trail were further outlined in the Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail Arts and Culture Phasing and Implementation Strategy, completed in spring 2025.

The broader “Quilted Together” concept uses the Rail Trail as a thread linking communities — an idea drawn from barn quilts, which use symbolic patterns to reflect local history, heritage, and identity. Quilt-inspired designs embedded in public art along the trail are intended to celebrate individual communities while connecting them through a shared visual language.

More information about the Rail Trail Corridor Plan and future public art projects is available at summitcounty.info/railtrail. The Arts Council of Park City & Summit County will also share updates on future projects.