This house was built for Ebenezer Beesley, quite probably before 1866 when a city directory appears to list him in residence there. Beesley was born December 14, 1840 in Bicester, Oxfordshire, England. He joined the LDS Church 1849. He married Sarah Hancock in 1859 and came to Utah the same year in Captain George Rowleys handcart company, He was employed as a shoemaker in the 1860’s and as a musician thereafter. He led the volunteer Salt Lake Theater orchestra, directed the Tabernacle Choir for 10 years, and founded the Beesley Music Company in 1904. He lived for sometime in Lehi and Tooele. He composed many religious songs including many for children, of which he had 16. He died in March, 1906.

The Beesley House is a central hall vernacular type, two stories high, and a three over three façade piercing arrangement which includes a second story door. The home has been added on to in the rear – first a 1h story rectangular portion was appended to the original structure in a “T” configuration. This 1 1/2 story section has a one over three opening pattern including a dormer with a classical pediment. Windows are two-over-two, double hung sash types. Another adobe and a brick section were later modifications of the original house.

The Beesley house is one of the few remaining examples in SLC of the I-form stuccoed adobe house, and reflects the strength in the mid-nineteenth century of the vernacular building traditions brought to Utah from the East by Mormon settlers. Although this house type is common in some rural Utah towns, it has almost vanished from the larger cities.

Located at 80 West 300 North in the Capitol Hill Historic District in Salt Lake City, Utah.