Epley/Glendinning House
1883, attributed to John H. Burton, SLC

The Epley/Glendinning House resists being pinned down to one style of architecture. Its tall windows capped by hoods, quoins, and projecting bay give it an Italianate flavor. Yet the massing, steeply pitched roof, and dormer window are not typical of the Italianate style.

Mining engineer John W. Epley constructed the house in 1883 and then sold it to James and Margaret Glendinning in 1884. Glendinning was vice-president of the George M. Scott Hardware Company and a member of the prestigious Alta Club. Unfortunately, he was also an alcoholic. Glendinning was elected mayor of Salt Lake City in 1896, but his term in office was plagued with personal and political scandal. Margaret Glendinning desperately sought advice and financial assistance from friends. But in 1898, the Glendinnings’ house was foreclosed upon and sold at a sheriff’s sale.

The Epley/Glendinning House changed hands many times after 1898. In 1957, a dentist purchased the home and made extensive alterations to convert it into a dental clinic. The State of Utah acquired the property in 1975 to house the Utah Arts Council. The council has restored much of the house’s exterior to its original appearance.

The above text is from Preservation Utah‘s Historic Buildings on Capitol Hill Self-Guided Tour. The home is located at 617 East South Temple in the South Temple Historic District in Salt Lake City, Utah.