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Located in the Lower 25th Street Historic District in Ogden, Utah.
272 25th Street

This building was constructed circa. 1888 by James O. Stephens and was one of several buildings constructed during this time period by members of the Stephens family on the north side of the 200 block of 25th Street. (e.g., 260, 274, and 278.) The building was build for investment purposes as retail rental space. The Stephens family owned it until 1894, when they sold it to the Eccles Lumber Comapny. The building was owned by the infamous 25th Street “madam,” Dora Belle Topham, from 1906 to 1912. Other owners included:

• Utah Mercantile
• Land and Lovestock Investment Company (1912-1915)
• James Ballard (1916-1922)
• Malan-Wheelwright Investment Company (1922-1946)

The earliest known businesses to have occupied the building were:

• The Palace Billiard Hall
• Walker & Solomon, Cigars
• G.W. Jones, Railroad Ticket Broker and Real Estate

The first long-term business was Edwin Williams’ Grocery (1895-1902). The building housed a billiard hall from 1911 until 1927, changing owners almost every year; the majority of owners were members of the Japanese community which existed in the city. Businesses known to have occupied the building after 1935 include:

• LaSalle Tavern
• Calico Cat Bar
• Swan Club Tavern
• Great Harvest Bread Co.

The building was renovated in 1989 to accommodate the present owner-occupant, Great Harvest Bread Company.

The brick structure is a two-story, two part commercial block building with decorative brick work on the cornice and above the second story windows. The storefront reflects the typical characteristics along Historic 25th Street, e.g., the square bay transom windows, a fancy metal cornice, and a recessed central entryway door flanked by large display windows on either side.

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Located in the Lower 25th Street Historic District in Ogden, Utah.
268-270 25th Street

This building was constructed at the beginning of the 1900s as a three-story structure with commercial space on the first floor and boarding rooms on the second and third floors. The owner at the time of construction (circa. 1901) appears to have been John Contos, according to property records. Contos sold the property to Charles H. Smith in 1902. Smith sold the property to Sarah J. Wheelwright who owned the property from 1922 until 1944 when it was sold to Lettie Malan. In 1951 Lorna Malan Cole acquired the property from Mrs. Malan.

Occupants of the first floor retail space included:

• S & R Livingston Confectionery (1901)
• Paul A. Gysin Barber Shop (1904-1906)
• The Mexican Chili Parlor/Pullman Bar (1907-1913)
• Several Grocery Stores
• Gallery 25
• The Queen Bee

From as early as 1904, the second and third floors were operated as boarding rooms by Dora Belle Topham (aka Belle London), Ogden City’s most notorious “Madam” of the time period and her husband, Thomas Topham. They operated under the name “The Fashion Rooms”, after 1914, various women continued to lease the rooms until 1949, at which time Lettie Malan leased the building to Otto Waldron and E.J. Doherty who leased the rooming house and hotel under terms which required it to be used “to conduct only legitimate and lawful business.”

This building is an example of Commercial Vernacular architectural style. It is a one-story building with a replicated historic storefront. The original building was a three-story brick structure before a fire burned it circa. 1960. The one-story building that remains has two storefront entrances made of wood with traditional transom windows and kickplates.

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Located in the Lower 25th Street Historic District in Ogden, Utah.
262-264 25th Street

One of the byproducts of the Industrial Age was the manufacturing of metal architectural building components. Beginning with the development of cast iron buildings in Eastern American in the 1840’s, systems of using replicable, modular, pre-assembled structural systems were expanded during the Victorian era to include cornices and entire facades. The facades could be designed by selecting motifs out of a mail-order catalog. A good example of such construction in Ogden is the Porter Block, constructed in 1898 as a two story building. The architecture is Commercial Victorian with an all-metal facade which mimics classical columns, a bracketed cornice, urns, and other motifs which were usually executed in stone, brick, wood or plaster. The building originally housed a tailor, candy retailer and barber.

Located in the Lower 25th Street Historic District in Ogden, Utah.
253 25th Street

This building was constructed circa. 1890. The Eccles Lumber Company owned the property from 1892 until 1908, when they sold it to William H. Gampton. The Gampton family owned the property until 1924. Other owners included Reuben Kaplan, James C. White, Ogden Home Builders Company and Weber County. In 1947, Weber County deeded the property to the Salvation Army.

The first business to occupy the building was the Kansas City Liquor House. Other businesses included:

• Tai Yuen Chinese Goods (1899-1910)
• Wing Oh Hong Company (1911-1918)
• Reliable Furniture Exchange (1915-1935)
• The Salvation Army (1939 – )
• Roosters Brewing

This building is an example of Commercial Vernacular architecture. Although it was built in 1890, title records indicate that it was thoroughly remodeled in 1940. It is a two-story structure with square windows and small detailing. The building was again renovated in 1994.

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Located in the Lower 25th Street Historic District in Ogden, Utah.
252-254 25th Street

Of the many interesting commercial buildings on Lower 25th Street, this two-story structure known only by its faded inscription plaque, “London Ice Cream” may be the oldest and certainly one of the most architecturally significant buildings in the historic district. Pre-dating building records, the store was probably built in 1882-83. It has a Greek Revival facade with its pedimented rood and window pilasters, however, Italianate influences are also evident in the roman arched windows and bracketed cornice.

Among the early businesses occupying the ground floor were the Chocago Shoe Store, Bon Ton Restaurant, and T. Ashby Shoe Store.

What probably started out as a legitimate boarding house in the upper story, apparently degenerated into a common bordello not unlike the fifty or so others in the neighborhood. Known as the K.C. Rooms, the business on the upper floor was complimented by similar activities conducted in separate eight-by-eight foot frame “cribs” behind the Parlor along Electric Alley.

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Located in the Lower 25th Street Historic District in Ogden, Utah.
246-248-250 25th Street

Built in 1901, this unaltered two-story brick building housed the Joseph Rogerson Restaurant and the J.E. Davenport and Co. Saloon. It was one of scores of buildings built to accommodate the crowds of travelers brought to Ogden by the Railroad.

The design is Classical Revival in detail. The brick facade remains intact with its unique basketweave bond above the second story windows, garlands in pressed tin friezes, pedimented parapet, and an inscription atop reading “1901.”

Owned originally by the infamous Belle Topham, when the restaurant was built, a special arrangement was made with the London Ice Cream Parlor’s owner, whereby an independent three-foot wide corridor was built between the two buildings to permit direct access from 25th Street to Electric Alley.

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Located in the Lower 25th Street Historic District in Ogden, Utah.
241-243 25th Street

Official outlet of ZMCI (Zion’s Co-operative Mercantile Institution), “America’s First Department Store”. This building housed the Fayette Merc. from circa 1871 to 1888. It was part of the ZCMI co-operative system which served more than 150 communities in the Intermountain area with retail commodities and services beginning in 1868.

• Other ZCMI Locations

This building was constructed circa. 1915. The site was the original location of the ZCMI Granary, which was built on the lot before 1884. The eastern wall of the building was constructed in 1890 as a common wall with the building which still where the courtyard is now located. This wall was incorporated into the new construction of the building. The owner at the time of construction of the current building was William E. Newman. Newman owned the lot from 1912 until 1933, when he sold it to the Chemical Bank and Trust Company. This company sold the property to Milton L. Noble in 1943. Owners after 1943 include Lucile B Noble (wife of Milton), Delores Bush, and Valate Payne.

This building was a furniture store from 1917 until 1942. In 1917, Abraham Siner, a prominent member of Ogden’s Jewish community, opened the Utah Trunk Factory. After he died in 1919, his widow renamed it the Siner Trunk and Furniture Company and continued business until 1922. The Big Four Furniture Company, owned by Mollie Sugar, occupied the building from 1924 until 1935. From 1939 until 1942, Paul J. Kammeyer used the building for the Pioneer Furniture Exchange, a used furniture store. In 1942, Milton Noble bought the furniture exchange and converted the building into Noble’s Cafe two years later. After 1948, Katy Hirao used part of the building for the Jade Cafe.

This one-part commercial block is a one-story brick building in the Commercial Vernacular style. It has two recessed entrances with transom windows and kickplates. Each entrance has two large display windows. The brick enframing walls which define the two bays have decorative inlaid tile. Above the transoms, there are two decorative brick frames. The building was renovated in 1995.

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Located in the Lower 25th Street Historic District in Ogden, Utah.
240-244 25th Street

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Located in the Lower 25th Street Historic District in Ogden, Utah.
236-238 25th Street

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