Dr. George Fennemore House

The Dr. George Fennemore House is located at 90 South 100 West in Beaver, Utah and was added to the National Historic Register (#80003885) on February 1, 1980.

The text below is from the historic register nomination form:

George Fennemore was a doctor of medicine who originally came to Beaver with his family as refugees from San Bernardino, California. They arrived in Beaver c. 1858 when Brigham Young, the Mormon leader, deemed it hazardous to have Mormon colonies spread so thinly between Utah and California and therefore ordered the San Bernardino colony evacuated. Dr. Fennemore probably had the house built but there is some possibility that his son Albert may have been responsible for its construction.

Neils Peter Ipson and his family were the second residents of the Fennemoe House. His mother Georgina, was originally from Denmark and settled in Parowan, Utah. She was a polygamist wife, but became unhappy under those marital conditions and left Parowan with her children for Beaver. In her new town she practiced her skills as a midwife.

Her son Neils became the “cashier” of the State Bank of Beaver and a part owner, a “cashier” being the approximate equivalent of today’s bank manager. Neils was also a school trustee for some time before compulsory education became the law. His wife was Mary Ann Ipson, affectionately known as “Aunt Polly,” and was remembered for her immaculate housekeeping in a home that was one of the town’s mansions. The Ipsons owned the house from 1906 until 1924 when they left so Neils could accept employment with the State of Utah in Salt Lake City.

The house is significant because of its style of architecture, its historic date and its preserved historic character. Its style may be described as a vernacular translation of a Second Empire style. However, this house represents a different phase of vernacular architecture, a phase that is more sophisticated than the one that preceded it. The home has a very pleasing design and this is remarkable when it is considered that the second owner, Mr. Ipson, altered the appearance substantially. Mr. Ipson had the second floor built, which included the four bedrooms and the dormer windows. He also installed cast iron roof cresting which is no longer extant. Unlike most additions, Mr. Ipson did not destroy the home’s design but in fact improved it. With its hardwood trim and its hand-grained paneling, this home has the finest extant interior of any home in Beaver.