Constructed in 1899, this Victorian Eclectic style, central block with projecting bay-type house is typical of turn-of-the-century architecture in Ogden and throughout Utah. Samuel and Mollie Powell were the original owners and lived next door at 2460 Madison. Although this was a second residence for the Powells, it was used primarily as a boarding house for various laborers during the early 20th century, including railroad workers, shopkeepers, U.S. Forest Servicemen, seamstresses, and construction workers. The boarding house was also home to many rogues, most notably Charles Finney, who had numerous run-ins with the Ogden police and other law agencies across Utah. Today the house functions as a private residence.
Completed in 1909, this one-and-one-half story brick house was built for Moroni Brough. The house combines an older folk style front gable facade with an irregular floor plan of pattern book origin. The brick corbelling and relieving arched windows are exceptional architectural elements. The house was expanded to the east c.1980. The log granary, c.1880, is significant for the full dovetail corner notch, perhaps reflecting the strong Scandinavian influence in Spring City.
Wiley P. Allred (1818-1912), an early member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, purchased the land for this house from Andrew J. Allred in 1878 for $500. Soon thereafter, using oolitic limestone, Allred built the two-story, hall-parlor style home. Wiley Allred had been “set apart” as a pioneer doctor by the founder and leader of the LDS Church, Joseph Smith. Wiley practiced medicine in Spring City. His treatment practices consisted of the application of herbal compounds. In 1886, Allred sold the land and home to Ole Olsen for $1,000 who immediately sold it to Harrison Fugane for $1,400. In 1888, Fugane sold the home to George L. Hyde. James R. Watson bought the house in 1894 and it remained in the Watson family until the 1980s. Prior to 1913, a bay window was added with a brick “L” addition being added in 1915, modifying the hall-parlor style. Community dances and other functions were often held in this historic home.
Jens C. Anderson, a Danish immigrant, built this 12-story brick house in 1884. It is one of the earlier homes in Spring City constructed of locally fired brick. The original section is a hall-parlor plan. The brick addition on the east was built in 1995. Jens and Kristen Anderson joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denmark and came to Utah in 1863, settling in Spring Town in 1868. Jens died in 1895; his son Christian and his wife, Jannette, a daughter of Reddick Allred, purchased the home and raised their family here.
This Queen Anne style house with its decorative gable shingles, turned porch posts, and spindles was built for John R. Baxter in 1903. Baxter, a teacher, farmer, and prosperous merchant, also served as mayor of Spring City from 1894 to 1895. Danish mason Jens Peter Carlson was responsible for the fine brick and stone masonry. The house remained in the Baxter family until 1979.
12 West 300 North in the Spring City Historic District in Spring City, Utah
“Blacksmith” by Dennis Smith In memory and honor of the early settlers of Draper.
“First Settlers of Draper” by Jason Millward Ebenezer Brown 1801-1878 Phebe Draper Palmer Brown 1797-1879 They arrived in 1849 after serving as members of the Mormon Battalion, this part was part of their original homestead and site of the Draper Fort.
“Absalom Wamsley Smith” by Layne Brady June 22, 1819 – May 12, 1904
Peter Anthon Nielsen “Keep good company or none”
EARLY DRAPER GATHERING PLACES
The Old White Meetinghouse In 1852, on the north wall of Draper Fort, a one-room adobe school building was erected to serve as a gathering place for the early settlement. In 1860 a second public structure was built. This second structure was called the Vestry. The Vestry was located toward the northeast corner, inside Draper Fort. The Vestry was used as a school, a meetinghouse, and a community center. In 1863 a main hall was added to the Vestry, and from that time, the building was known as “The Old White Meetinghouse.” The building materials – lumber, mortar, bricks, paint, granite blocks-were all local. The walls of the meetinghouse were made with “Mormon adobes,” which were bricks made from local clay. The paint was a mixture of slacked lime, water, and salt. Only materials such as nails, hinges, and glass windows were purchased. This “Old White Meetinghouse” was the place where John Rocky Park, an early Draper educator, taught his famous village school. Dr. Park later became the first president of the University of Deseret, the precursor to the University of Utah. For more than twenty years, the meetinghouse served the people of Draper in all public and spiritual gatherings. In January 1940, the Ebenezer Brown Camp of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers erected a monument on the original site of this building. The granite block in the monument was the south step of the old church.
The First Ward Church In 1853 Draper’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints settlers formed a branch. Three years later, the growing community was organized into the Draper Ward. Isaac Mitton Stewart was sustained as the first Bishop of Draper in October 1856 and continued in that calling until his death March 15, 1890. For years, Draper’s spiritual needs were amply served by the Old White Meetinghouse. However, as Draper’s population increased, so did its needs. A new meetinghouse was commenced in the spring of 1892 by Bishop William Coleman Allen, second Bishop of Draper (May 11, 1890 until August 21, 1898). Bishop Allen initiated the beginning of the brick work at the time of his release as bishop. The church members excavated the basement using wagons, plows, and scrapers pulled by teams of horses. The granite rocks for the foundation were quarried into rectangular shapes, loaded in wagons, and hauled to the building site near the small Old White Meetinghouse. Other church members molded bricks. Coal was needed to fire the bricks and was delivered by railroad cars. Masons, carpenters, skilled- and unskilled-labor of all sorts were needed to accomplish the task. The needed help was always present. The First Ward Church was completed at a cost of $13,000 and dedicated on May 24, 1903, under the administration of Bishop Willard Boulter Enniss. This was an event in the history of Draper that had been anticipated for a generation. The fully furnished chapel, including a pipe organ, was on the main floor; the classrooms and a kitchen were in the basement. The church was abandoned June 14, 1953, after part of the roof blew off in a windstorm and was razed with difficulty in 1954.
The Draper Roundhouse or Amusement Hall The Roundhouse was a social gathering place for the people of Draper. Many people will remember socials, dances, basketball games, and weddings that were held in this building. For years, it was also used as a theater. This building was started in the spring of 1913 and almost completed in 1916. Presenting a show was necessary to raise sufficient funds to complete its construction. The amusement hall (or “roundhouse,” as it was known locally) was built east of the Draper Ward meetinghouse. A young architect by the name of Bjorling from Murray, Utah, designed the building. The Salt Lake Tabernacle was a model for the plan which had an oval layout and hipped roof design. The building was demolished in 1961 after the city deemed it was insufficient for the needs of the town. Contributed by Draper Historic Preservation Commission – 2019
William Draper, Jr.
DRAPERVILLE FORT 1854-1864
On the present site of Draper Historic Park, with some expansion to the north and south, stood Draperville Fort. Fort Street was named for this historic enclosure.
According to the Eleventh General Epistle of the Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dated 10 April 1854, Brigham Young addressed the Saints as follows: “… from hence forth, let one and all go forth with one accord and build their forts, wall in their cities and villages, herd and guard their cattle and other property, and keep their guns and ammunition in good order and convenience, ready for instant use.” Beginning in late 1854, the fort was erected as protection for pioneers who had been homesteading in the area since 1849. Skirmishes erupted from Sanpete to Salt Lake Counties between warriors of Timpanogos Ute Chief Walkara and settlers. Walkara had become upset by Mormon efforts to stifle Indian slave trading and by the increased intrusion of settlers into traditional Native American hunting grounds.
Ebenezer Brown and his family were the first settlers to arrive in “South Willow Creek” in 1849. Ebenezer’s homestead was 160 acres. Because of the Indians’ threat and Brigham Young’s directive, Ebenezer donated 5 acres of his property to build a fort where members of the community could gather together and feel safe. The walls that surrounded the fort were made of adobe brick and clay and took two years to build. The fort measured 126.5 yards east to west and 192.5 yards north to south. The walls were 8 feet high and 1 foot wide with lookout slots every 14 feet. All the homes faced the center of the fort.
The first house built was Ebenezer’s. Running west along the south wall were three other small homes. Perry Fitzgerald’s two-story home was built on the east wall; to the west was the LDS Church tithing office and granary and the Relief Society Hall. Ebenezer’s son, Norman Brown, built an adobe brick house. This house also served as the first schoolhouse. The entrance to the fort was a road through a wide opening in the northwest corner of the fort and in front of Lauritz Smith’s blacksmith shop. A garden area, in the southwest end of the fort, included a small orchard of apple and peach trees. The garden was planted by William Terry with seeds he carried across the plains from Rhode Island. John Fitzgerald’s home was built on the northeast corner of the fort. John’s mother, Ann, had a candy store attached to the home.
By the year 1855, the population of the community had grown to 222 people. Until then, church, school, and public meetings were held in homes. More space was needed, so in 1860, the vestry was built across from the Norman Brown home. In 1863 the main hall was added to the vestry, and from that time, the building was known as “The Old White Meetinghouse.”
The people of the community never lacked for entertainment. A large dance pavilion was built near the west gate. In 1859, the 80-foot by 100-foot bowery was built cast of the White Meetinghouse. The pavilion was a large, open building in the middle of the fort near the east side. It was made of poles and had a thatched roof of willows for shade and was used during the warm summer months for large gatherings, such as church conferences, concerts, and performances. Most families in the community had their own homes, cows, sheep and other livestock outside of the fort. Hostilities had increased between the Native Americans and the settlers, whose homes were raided and livestock stolen, so the people lived in their homes during the day and returned to the safety of the fort at night. The temporary homes were very small, with room for only sleeping. They were built of wood and logs, with dirt floors and slanted thatched roofs of sod and willows. Some were no larger than a wagon box.
The fort was never attacked. Brigham Young signed a peace treaty with Chief Walkara in 1854, and Indian difficulties ceased in the late 1850s. The settlers began moving back into their homesteads, and the fort walls were gradually dismantled. The Old White Meetinghouse and some of the original homes remained, and in 1892 the Draper First Ward Church was built on the property. The fort served the pioneer settlers well and provided sanctuary and security, uniting them during insecure times.
“Draper was first known as South Willow Creek then Draperville from 1854 to 1877, when it was shortened to Draper.
This map of the fort comes from undocumented material collected by Barbara and Ralph Smith and contained in an article titled “THE FORT, 1854-1863” held by the Historical Society of Draper.
Perry Fitzgerald
Perry Fitzgerald, pioneer, farmer, and rancher was born December 22, 1815 in Redstone, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Perry moved to Vermillion, Illinois when he was about 20 years old and began farming. While there, he married and began his family. In 1842, Perry was converted to Mormonism. He moved to Nauvoo, Illinois and in 1846, he received his patriarchal blessing from John Smith, was ordained an Elder and received his endowments in the Nauvoo Temple.
In 1847, Perry was selected by Brigham Young to be a member of the first company of pioneers to head west. He was assigned to be a scout and was responsible for two wagons. Perry entered the Salt Lake Valley July 22, 1847 and assisted Brigham Young in raising the first flag over Ensign Peak. Perry met his family coming across the plains as he accompanied Brigham back to Winter Quarters. Perry arrived back in the Valley in 1848.
He lived a short time in Salt Lake City and Millcreek before finally settling in South Willow Creek, now known as Draper, in the fall of 1851. Perry built a cabin near the bank of the main creek and secured the rights to farm around what is now 12400 So. and about 1300 East. Perry was ordained a High Priest in 1856. He and his second wife started the second Sunday School in Utah in the Draper Ward. Perry was active in protecting the settlers from the Indians and was a First Lieutenant in the Willow Creek Militia.. Perry was a kind, gentle man who believed in never going into debt. He never was required to give his note since his word was his bond. Perry loved fine horses and always drove an excellent team. He died in Draper on Oct. 4, 1889 at the age of 74. “A worthy man gone to rest.”
Enniss Memorial
JOHN and ELISABETH ENNISS joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints along with hundreds of other members of the United Brethren in Herefordshire, England in the early 1840s. Their conversion sparked a natural desire to emigrate to Utah. With toddler Augusta Comfort Enniss, and a new baby, Susannah, John and Elisabeth sailed from their native land in 1849. During the trek the family endured several tragedies. They buried baby Susannah in New Orleans and Elisabeth’s parents and uncle in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Here, the family also lost their possessions when their Winter Quarters cabin burned to the ground.
Finally arriving in 1851, the Enniss family settled in Draper as one of the settlement’s original 20 families. They became an important part of Draper’s early history. John was a successful farmer, a school trustee, and he helped lead the effort to irrigate Draper. Elisabeth was a selfless community healer who cared for many people in her home. The Enniss family loved to entertain and hosted many community celebrations for their pioneer neighbors.
Into their new home John and Elisabeth welcomed a growing family; two sons, John Heber and Willard Boulter, and two daughters who died young, Edith and Mary. Soon after, and in response to Church counsel, John married JANE OAKEY, a brave survivor of the Willie Handcart Company tragedy. Jane and John’s first child, George Ralph, died in infancy. A beautiful daughter, ROZILLA JANE, was born a few years later. Sadly, Jane died at a tragically young age soon after Rozilla’s birth. John’s aged mother, HANNAH PARK ENNISS, who had made the courageous trek to Utah in 1855, lovingly cared for young Rozilla after Jane’s death. In time, Rozilla married Joseph Daniel Wadley of Pleasant Grove, Utah. Rozilla was a talented musician and proud mother of nine children.
AUGUSTA grew up in Draper’s foothills and eventually married “Doc” Ruel Mills Rogers and raised twelve children. Though small in stature, Augusta was large in spirit. Her faith gave her the strength to face life’s many hardships. JOHN HEBER married Annie Garfield and had several children, with another on the way when he was killed at age 28 over a dispute involving water rights.
WILLARD BOULTER (W.B.) ENNISS was a native pioneer, born in Draper in 1857. W.B. married HANNAH MARY EMILY WADLEY in 1882. Ingrained with a sense of civic duty, W.B. became a true community builder. He helped dig the canals and ditches that brought water to town and was instrumental in incorporating Draper Irrigation Company. In time he also helped influence some of Utah’s early irrigation laws. He also served as Justice of the Peace. An education advocate, W.B. taught school for a time and later served as a school trustee for 16 years. In this role he helped bring three school houses to Draper.
W.B. Enniss served as Draper’s third Bishop for 12 years and was known as “Bishop” for the rest of his life. While Bishop, W.B. also served a mission to his parent’s native land of England. In his absence, wife Emily single-handedly cared for 10 children, several animals and farms. Both before his mission, and after his return, Emily anchored this growing family as W.B. met his community and church duties. In 1915 W.B. was elected to the Utah State Legislature, where he served two terms and was recognized as a leader among his peers. W.B. also helped bring electricity to Draper, and he spent time and money to provide the town with a recreational park.
Emily passed away in 1924. W.B. later married ANNIE HUFF, a woman forty years his junior. W.B. and Annie had four children and adopted Leonard, a child from her first marriage, making W.B. a father of 17 children. Annie was W.B.’s secretary, a poet, great reader, genealogist and talented writer who later proofread for the University of Utah.
The descendants of the Enniss family respectfully pay tribute to their sacrifices and honor the contributions they made to Draper’s proud history.
Old Meeting House – Draper Fort The north wall of the Old Meeting House stood near this monument. Here (1861-1869) Dr. John R. Park began his career as an educator in Utah. This school produced many of the state’s leaders and left an indelible love for education in Draper. The granite block in this monument was the south step of the old church. This spot was within the enclosure of the old adobe fort 184 yds. x 113 yds. The wall was 14 Ft. high and 3 Ft. thick.
Dixie Academy was constructed to provide advanced courses of study. The St. George Stake Academy officially began in 1888 and moved into this building in 1911. A four year program was recognized as two years of Senior High and two years of College. The college program grew into the institution known as Dixie Jr. College and eventually Dixie College.
This monument was erected in 1936 by the students of Dixie Junior College in honor of its founders and the builders of Dixie as typified in the lives of Anthony W. Ivins and Edward H. Snow.
~ Forever Dixie ~
St. George Town Square is central to the story of education in Utah’s Dixie – a nickname, a term of endearment and identity – so named because Washington County was considered ideal for growing cotton and other warm- weather crops. Town Square was anchored by the Dixie Academy Building on the SE corner and Woodward School which opened its doors on the NW corner in 1901. After their arrival in 1861, St. George pioneers were still in temporary quarters on the Encampment Mall where their first school was held in a tent. Within two years, there were four neighborhood schools, later replaced by Woodward School, a two-story stone building for grades 1-10. In time, Woodward became a junior high school drawing students in grades 7-10 from nearby feeder schools. Before Dixie Academy was permanently established and graduated its first class in 1911, high school students attended St. George Stake Academy in the basement of the St. George Tabernacle. Later the academy became a 2-year college but also retained its high school standing for those in grades 11-12. To address the needs of students, additional buildings, since razed, were constructed. In 1933, Dixie Junior College became a state school and in 1963 moved to the 700 East campus, to become Dixie State College in 2000, then Dixie State University in 2012. The Dixie Academy building was also known as Dixie Normal College and housed Dixie High School until 1966.
The 2024 monument restoration was a “service above self” project of the Rotary Club of St. George and the City of St. George with funds generously donated by alumni and friends of Dixie College.
Camp Floyd was established in 1858 by order of President James Buchanan. During its three years of operation, Camp Floyd was the site of the largest assembled troop concentration in the United States prior to the Civil War. No buildings remain in this area from the encampment, but the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
The Camp Floyd Cemetery was established in 1858 and abandoned three years later as the troops stationed at Camp Floyd returned to fight in the Civil War. The actual number, location and identities of soldiers buried in the cemetery is not known with certainty as the Army did not keep burial records during this period and all surface evidence of grave locations was destroyed.
Efforts to commemorate the cemetery included a monument dedicated by the War Department in 1913 and 84 granite markers placed by the American Legion in 1960. Army records have since revealed that almost half of the names on the markers were of individuals who died someplace other than Camp Floyd or were never with Johnston’s Army.
The following list of possible burials has been reconstructed from army records that record the names of soldiers who died at Camp Floyd. No list of civilians could be found. Ground penetrating radar done in 2009 revealed 33 burials and one double burial. The radar may not have detected all possible burials. New headstones were placed in 2011 to reflect the locations of the known burials. These headstones read “Unknown” in order to reflect that the identity of the burial is not known.
Camp Floyd /Stagecoach Inn State Park would like to thank the Veterans Administration, Curtis Allen, Ephriam Dickson with the Fort Douglas Museum, Andrew Murphy, Tyler Bartholomew and Troop 1460.
Bergen, James. Private, Co. C, 4th Artillery. Born c. 1837. Died June 27, 1860, accidental drowning
Bryan, William. Private Co. I 7th Infantry. Bom c. 1830. Died December 27, 1859, murdered
Edinger, Benjamin F. Private, Co. C, 4th Artillery. Born c. 1839. Died December 11, 1859, cause unknown
Farrell, Edward. Private, Co. F, 10th Infantry. Born c1831. Died May 12, 1859, self-inflicted gunshot
Fuhr, George. Private, Co. G, 5th Infantry. Born c1833. Died May 17, 1860, disease
Gallagher, Daniel. Private Co. E, 7th Infantry.
Born c. 1834. Died September 11, 1859, pneumonia
Giers, Robert. Private, Co. I, 10th Infantry. Born c. 1835. Died November 7, 1859, typhoid fever
Goodman, Patrick. Private, Co. D, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1815. Died January 2, 1860, pneumonia
Green, Charles R. Sergeant, Co. E, 2nd Dragoons. Born c. 1830. Died August 6, 1859, self-inflicted wounds
Hardy, James. Private Co. B, 2nd Dragoons. Born c. 1836. Died December 21, 1859, cause unknown
Kennedy, Patrick. Private, Co. B, 2nd Dragoons. Born c. 1833. Died April 9, 1860, cause unknown
Krause, Antion. Private, Co. A, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1836. Died November 26, 1859, typhoid fever
Mahers, Richard, Recruit, 4th Artillery. Born c. 1839. Died September 17 1860, dysentery
Main, James L. Private, Co. A, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1825. Died September 13, 1859, alcohol poisoning
McCabe, James. Private Co. D, 7th Infantry.Born c. 1833. Died November 5, 1859, consumption
McNickle, Daniel. Private, Co. B 5th Infantry. Born c. 1837. Died November 24 1858, cause unknown
Means, John. Private, Co. H, 2nd Dragoons. Born c. 1836. Died July 17, 1859, disease
Moore, William H. Private, Co. D, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1839. Died March 29, 1860, pneumonia
Mullen, James. Private, Co. 1, 5th Infantry. Born c. 1837. Died March 10, 1859, cause unknown
Newell, Benjamin F. Private, Co. A, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1832. Died April 8, 1860, suicide
Nieland, Edward. Private, Co. K, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1834. Died March 27, 1859, typhoid fever
Noble, Robert W. Private, Co. H, 5th Infantry. Born c. 1837. Died October 7, 1859, disease
O’Brien, Charles, Private, Co. B, 2nd Dragoons. Died July 15, 1861, disease
O’Brien, Michael. Private, Co. A 2nd Dragoons. Bom c. 1827. Died February 23, 1859, aneurism
O’Connor, Thomas. Private, Co. H, 10th Infantry. Bom c. 1831. Died December 10, 1859, disease enteritis
O’Hara, Edward. Private, Co. D, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1831. Died March 12 1860, shot by a sentinel of the Camp Guard
Otterback, Christian. Corporal, Co. 4th Artillery. Born c. 1835. Died February 11, 1860, found murdered
Paige, George H. Captain, QMD. Bom c. 1825. Died April 18, 1859, disease
Pike, Ralph. 1st Sergeant, Co. I, 10th Infantry. Bom c. 1837. Died August 14, 1859, assassinated in Salt Lake City
Potts, Elias K. Second Lieutenant, Co. C, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1838. Died April 23, 1859, disease
Redding, William. Private Co. C, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1828. Died December 20, 1859, alcohol poisoning
Rooney, Terence. Private, Co. A, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1832. Died March 30, 1860, diabetes
Shields, Henry, Private, Co. B 2nd Dragoons. Born c. 1830. Died September 17, 1860, cause unknown
Sliter, Thomas M. Private, Co. B, 7th Infantry. Born c. 1835. Died December 19, 1858, disease
Stewart, James, Private, Co. D, 5th Infantry. Born c. 1829. Died January 22, 1860, accidental shooting
Sweeney, James. Private, Co. C, 7th Infantry.Born c. 1835. Died November 18, 1858, hemorrhage of the stomach
Thrall, Charles C. Private, Co. E, 5th Infantry. Born c. 1832. Died November 28, 1858, cause unknown
Trittle, Theodore. Private, Co. C, 4th Artillery. Born c. 1832. Died January 9, 1860, disease
Tucker, Henry C. Sergeant, Co. 1, 5th Infantry. Born c. 1833. Died March 4, 1859, cause unknown
Warren, James H. Private, Co. K, 5th Infantry. Also known as James H. Richards. Born c. 1836. Died February 21, 1860, disease
These soldiers died before Camp Floyd was finished but may have been buried in the cemetery:
Akerly, Charles W. Private, Co. A, 5th Infantry. Born c. 1836. Died August 1, 1858, cause unknown
Grava, Heinrich. Private, Co. G, 5th Infantry. Born c. 1828. Died July 29, 1858, cause unknown
Isaacs, John E. Private, Co. D, 7th Infantry.Born c. 1830. Died September 27, 1858, disease
McDougal, Archibald T. Private, Co. E, 10th Infantry. Born c. 1837. Died October 12, 1858, cause unknown
William Atkin and Rachel Thompson were both raised in Rutlandshire, England. They joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, married, and sailed from Liverpool, England, in February of 1855 on the ship Siddons. Three months later they arrived in the port of Philadelphia. On June 9, 1859, they joined the trek to the Salt Lake Valley with the George Rowley Handcart Company, reaching Salt Lake City in November 1859. Nine years later they answered a call to move to an area eight miles south of St. George, Utah, which became known as Atkinville. Their 160 acres of uninhabited, fertile land was located on the east bank of the Virgin River. They cleared the land and built three large limestone homes, corrals, a granary, and chicken coops for their growing family while cultivating the surrounding soil.
Atkinville is remembered as a sanctuary for Wilford Woodruff who served as an apostle and later President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Atkinville was the headquarters of the Church for a time. Wilford Woodruff became very close to the Atkin family and enjoyed hunting and fishing on their property.
William Atkin passed away May 22, 1900; his wife, Rachel, followed him in death on June 8, 1903. A major flood destroyed Atkinville in 1906. A three-quarter replica of the limestone home is in This Is The Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City. Atkinville has been renamed SunRiver St. George.
This is Daughters of Utah Pioneers historic Marker #591 (see other D.U.P. Markers here) erected by the Atkinville Camp in 2021 at Atkinville Wash Park at 1211 West Copeland Drive in Saint George, Utah
The Oliver John Harmon House is architecturally significant as one of the best examples of the Queen Anne style in Price. The Queen Anne style was popular throughout Utah from 1885 to 1905. Though over 20 Queen Anne and Victorian Eclectic (1885-1910) style houses remain in Price, less than half retain their architectural integrity and the majority of these eligible houses are of masonry. The Harmon House is a very late example of the Queen Anne style and remains as perhaps the best example. The original segmental hip roof above the short, second floor-level windows, above the north bay window, is also a very uncommon architectural feature both locally and state-wide.
Located at 211 South 200 East in Price, Utah and added to the National Register of Historic Places (#92001058) on August 18, 1992.
Price, located about 120 miles southeast of Salt Lake City and named for Bishop William Price of Goshen, who explored the area in 1869, was originally settled in 1877 by a few pioneers and converts to the Mormon or IDS Church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Additional Mormon settlers arrived in 1879 from the Spanish Fork area. From 1881 through 1883, the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad constructed a rail line though Price Canyon. The community grew from railroad workers, additional Mormon settlers, and later, from immigrants, many non-Mormon, who came to the recently created Carbon County to mine coal. With the railhead in place, Price became the transportation and economic center for the communities of the area, as well as the adjoining counties.
Oliver John Harmon was the third child of Levi Nehemiah and Eunice Chidster Harmon. He was born 16 March 1859 in Parley’s Park, Salt Lake County, Utah. About 1863 his family relocated to help colonize southern Utah, settling in the town of Washington, five miles northeast of St. George. He attended school in St. George and Beaver, Utah.
In 1879 Oliver apprenticed to an English cabinet maker, Joseph Judd, and served for three years. On 4 May 1881 he married Almira (Allie) Terry in the St. George LDS Temple. They built a small house in Washington and remained there until the completion of his apprenticeship. In 1883 they moved to Provo so Oliver could further study carpentry and cabinet making. Because of his ability, he was quickly given supervisory responsibilities. While in Provo, he reportedly built at least one house. [The location and status of this house are unknown.] About 1886 he left Provo for Castle Valley (Emery County) in southeastern Utah.
Oliver became a successful businessman, as well as a master carpenter and cabinet maker. He helped operate two successful co-op mercantile stores, one in Huntington (1890) and the second in Price. The 1903-1904 Utah State Gazetteer lists O.J. Harmon as the manager of the Huntington Co-operative Mercantile Institute. At the time, Huntington, located about 22 miles from Price, had a population of 950. He built a 2-story brick house in Huntington which is no longer extant.
The 1912-1913 Gazetteer shows Oliver in Price as a partner with Levi N. Harmon in “Harmon Bros, general merchandise.” By this time, Price, with a population of over 2,000, had become a center of commercial activity in this coal-mining region of Carbon County. The 1924-1925 Gazetteer reveals a change in business activity: “O.J. Harmon & Sons” is first listed with Oliver J., Melvin T. f Wilford G., John H., and Joseph W. Harmon, but the type of business is not listed. However, there is also a listing for “Price Casket & Cabinet Works (O.J. Harmon & Sons).” Perhaps this enterprise was formed in response to the nearly 200 deaths in the nearby Castle Gate Mine explosion in 1924. The 1924 Sanborn fire insurance map shows a small (approximately 27 by 30 feet), one story carpentry shop located behind the Harmon house, facing north onto G Street (now 200 South Street). [This carpentry shop is no longer extant.] This enterprise continued for several years, with the 1927-1928 Gazetteer also listing O.J. Harmon & Sons as undertakers.
On 3 March 1908, Oliver had purchased two building lots along the west side of block 52 (facing 6th Street, now known as 200 East) from Alexander and Hazel MacLean for $1200. (It appears that the southern lot was later sold as the 1924 Sanborn map shows a house built on this second lot. The eastern portion of the original lot has also been subdivided and houses built c. 1950.) The c. 1910 photograph indicates Harmon built the 1-1/2-story wood frame house and the additions within a relatively short period of time. He lived in the house with his family of eight children until his death on 19 December 1937. There have been several subsequent owners. The house continued to function as a single family residence, but has also housed a dance studio, two apartments and currently, professional offices. Michael Harrison is the current owner, having purchased the house in February 1988.
The Harmon House in Price has remained relatively unaltered from the historic period and exhibits Oliver’s skill as a carpenter. Residential examples of the Queen Anne style are characterized by their asymmetrical facades, irregular plans, and varied silhouettes resulting from dormers and gables. The Victorian Eclectic style, actually an amalgamation of elements from several Victorian and late Picturesque styles, was popular in Utah from 1885 through 1910. Since the styles and their characteristics overlap, the Harmon House has been compared to examples of both styles identified in the partial reconnaissance survey of Price. The Harmon House remains perhaps the best preserved example in this comparison.
The north bay window and segmental hip roof with floor-height windows on the second level is a curious, documented historic feature. It appears to have been modeled on a similar, perhaps original, two story bay window on the c. 1890 Bryner House, located at about 90 South 100 East in Price. [The Bryner House is potentially eligible for the National Register.] These are currently the only known historic examples of multi-story bay windows with segmental, hip roofs attached to a gable end of a house. The addition of this rare and locally unique feature to the Harmon House was perhaps an attempt to incorporate some of the respectability of the more substantial Bryner House. Rather than affecting integrity, this change actually increases the local architectural significance of the Oliver John Harmon House.
