Dr. Steven Neal broke ground on his 30-year vision, the Monument of the Americas, in Heber City on May 29, 2025. The 12-acre religious sculpture park will feature more than 70 sculptures inspired by the country’s founding and the Book of Mormon.
About 100 people gathered on the dusty hillside above Utah Valley University’s Wasatch campus to witness the groundbreaking ceremony. Neal, a sculptor, painter, retired plastic surgeon, and singer, unveiled bronze statues of George Washington and Jesus. “It’s simple, if you think of it in terms of a covenant.
I made a promise to God: if He would bless my talents, I’d just keep at it, never knowing if this would happen,” Neal said through tears. The Monument of the Americas will include an 18-foot statue of Jesus that will be illuminated at night and a waterfall cascading over a wall designed to look like golden plates, symbolic of the plates from which Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon. Local and state leaders attended the ceremony, sharing their own testimonies of faith.
Monument park groundbreaking ceremony
Former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert emphasized the connection between the founding of the United States and the LDS Church, stating, “I believe these founding fathers were raised up by God for the LDS.”
Heber City Councilmember Aaron Cheatwood expressed hope that the sculpture garden would inspire visitors to live according to the virtues espoused by the church.
“The stories of the Book of Mormon teach us of love and peace, of patience and kindness and of understanding, and because of that, I think they’re specifically meant for us in our day and our time,” he noted. The project has already received $3 million in cash donations and a 12-acre site donated by the developer of the nearby Jordanelle Ridge project. Neal plans to honor top donors by incorporating their likenesses into statues within the garden.
Neal has completed 27 large sculptures, which are currently in storage, and many more as miniatures. The project enlists the help of artists Michael Hall and Jerime Hooley, with one sculpture’s estimated price at $650,000. The park will open in phases, with all 71 sculptures expected to be completed by 2028.
It aims to be a lasting tribute to spiritual and national values, drawing visitors from around the world to experience its unique blend of religious and patriotic art.
