Gordon Taylor

Dr. Gordon Taylor

Payson Mayor and Historical Preservationist

PHS Class of 1948

Dr. Gordon Taylor, a longtime dentist, was a fifth-generation Payson resident and served as Payson's mayor from 1992 to 2002. He is remembered most for his deep love of Payson history and his hard work to preserve that history. When the Peteetneet School was scheduled to be demolished to make way for a subdivision, Gordon flew into action and organized the community's efforts to save the building, restore it, and convert it into a museum.

In addition, Taylor spent a lot of time working to restore the Huish Theater, another historic building in Payson. Not all of his preservation projects were successful. Dr. Taylor tried unsuccessfully to save the "Payson Downs," the historic horse racing track.

He served his country in the Korean War in 1952-54 as assistant to a colonel over an anti-aircraft artillery school in Texas. He also served a lifetime in the Boys Scouts of America and was awarded the Silver Beaver in 1977.

As a dentist he served a one-week service mission to Mexico, teaching future dentists some of the more sophisticated discoveries in American dentistry. He was also involved in founding the Delta Plan, the first dental insurance plan in Utah.

Inducted 1999