This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Where does Sugar House end, anyway?

Is Liberty Park in Sugar House? What about 1300 South and 2100 East — is that in Sugar House? How about 500 East and 2700 South?

"Everybody wants to be in Sugar House," said Judy Short, vice chairwoman of the Sugar House Community Council. "Even some people in the 9th [East] and 9th [South] area think they're in Sugar House."

Maps of Sugar House don't agree on the boundaries of one of Salt Lake City's best-liked areas.

According to the Community Council's map, Sugar House runs from 1300 South to about 3000 South and from 700 East to Foothill Drive. But according to Salt Lake City's master plan, Sugar House runs from 1700 South to about 3000 South and from 700 East to Parleys Way and north on 2000 East.

Sitting in the shade outside the Coffee Garden, Patrick Fowles is emphatic that the 900 East and 900 South java joint sits within Sugar House. "It runs from State Street up to the foothills," he explained. "From 13th or 17th South and [south] past 21st [South]."

Jason Lemon doesn't necessarily agree with that definition, but he noted it's hard to know exactly. "If you look on a map," he said, "Sugar House is not on a map."

It's "pretty prominent and people recognize it," said 20-year-old Tiffany Holloway, who has lived in Salt Lake City for a while but hails from San Antonio. Sugar House, she explained, runs from 700 South to 3300 South and from 300 East to 3500 East.

At Liberty Heights Fresh, on the corner of 1300 South and 1100 East, Rodrigo Hernandez said he's "pretty sure" he's in Sugar House.

"I've had this conversation with people. It's like, where does Sugar House end? Where does it start?" he said. "It's a very ambiguous thing, because there is no definite place where it starts or ends."

The boutique where Amy Young works near 1300 South and 1700 East is in Sugar House, she said. According to her calculations, Sugar House encompasses everything from 900 South to Interstate 80 (at about 2400 South) and from 700 East to Foothill Drive.

But just up the street, Ana Winters said her fruit stand at 1300 South and 2100 East is definitely not in Sugar House. When she thinks of Sugar House, she visualizes the commercial district that includes Barnes & Noble, Whole Foods and Shopko.

A mile south, Kathleen Bratcher at Fun & Frolic Consignment Shop said that, "technically," the corner of 2100 South and 2100 East is in Sugar House. "But we're far enough away from Sugar House proper [2100 South and Highland Drive]," she added, "that it doesn't feel like Sugar House."

Bratcher lives on the north side of 1700 South between 1000 East and 1100 East. She said the Sugar House boundary was changed (in the city's master plan map) to the south side of 1700 East, so she no longer lives in Sugar House — technically.

"We live within walking distance of the [Sugar House] Post Office and [Sugar House] Library," she said. "So it's like I live in Sugar House. In my heart, I'm in Sugar House."

People want to say they live in Sugar House, whether they do or not, said Annalisa Holcombe, chairwoman of the Sugar House Chamber of Commerce.

"It must be a good place to be," she said. "I think it's a good thing."

Retail and other commercial interests, too, want to be in Sugar House, Holcombe said. "Business owners ask if they are close enough to be in the Chamber of Commerce. We say, 'If you think you're in Sugar House, you can be.' "