Utah Heritage Foundation

A few weeks ago I wrote about losing two prominent architects in the same week – Steven T. Baird and Dean Gustavson.  We happened to be in the midst of celebrating their work with the Baird’s cinematic production of ZCMI: A Legacy in Cast Iron and discussing the potential to participate in Salt Lake Modern with Gustavson.

It’s time to now celebrate the work of two more local architects that have passed away this month.  They both happen to be from Ogden.

Keith Wilcox was an Ogden architect who designed buildings such as the Mount Ogden Middle School on Harrison Blvd., the original McKay (now McKay-Dee) hospital, and the Weber State University Fine Arts Center which was (now demolished) one of the state’s premier examples of the New Formalist style.  His architecture will best be remembered for his work on the Washington, D.C. LDS Temple (1968) which undoubtedly is inspired from above.  However, those that knew him best have reflected on how kind and generous Keith was in his work with the LDS Church in various positions all over the world.

Eight of the Ogden East Bench’s most beautiful historic estate homes will be open to the public for a rare glimpse.

The Weber County Heritage Foundation will host its 32^nd Annual Historic House Tour, “Cannon and Colonial,” September 10, 2011 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.  Tickets for this fundraiser are $15 per person, with proceeds to benefit the World War I Monument restoration at the Ogden City Cemetery as well as other restoration projects in Weber County.

Several Colonial style homes, including the Val A. Browning home, as well as Georgius Y. Cannon homes will be open for touring with a ticket purchase. 

UPDATE June 18, 2011

There are still 500-600 seats remaining that are in good condition.  These are an American Seating chair with a curved birch back, and a thick leather padded seat.  The art deco end standards were reused in the Ogden High rehab, so whoever wants the chairs would have to buy new aisle standards from American or reuse what they had in their facility.

Please contact Dan Pratt, Vice President, Building Division of Hughes General Contractors at (801) 292-1411 or dan@hughesgc.com.

For the past twelve years, Save America’s Treasures has been one of the country’s most important and effective historic preservation efforts, bringing hundreds of millions of dollars for restoration to nationally significant historic sites and special collections in all parts of the U.S.  The National Trust is proud of our role in establishing SAT and our subsequent work with three administrations.  We have been pleased to serve as the program’s principal private partner since its inception.   SAT is a program that has demonstrated its value many times over, as a generator of economic activity and as a symbol of our country’s commitment to ensuring that future generations understand the foundations on which our institutions and freedoms rest.

In the current difficult fiscal environment we face as a country, the federal SAT program was not included in the Administration’s FY11 budget request.  Despite strong and consistent support from preservationists, local government officials, historic site administrators, and many others, Congress is not reinstating any programs that the Administration did not include in its 2011 budget.  Likewise, SAT was not a part of the Administration’s FY12 budget request.  At the National Trust, we have had extensive conversations with Congressional leadership on the future of the program.  While many on the Hill remain supportive of the program, given the political landscape and the budget process now in place, it is clear that Congress will not restore the program’s funding in 2012.

With this conclusion, we have made the reluctant decision to close the Save America’s Treasures office at the National Trust.  SAT at the National Trust has been devoted to assisting sites with applications for the SAT program and helping successful applicants raise the required match. It has worked extensively and creatively with the country’s premier historic places and collections to raise public awareness and shine a bright spotlight on the importance of our cultural resources and the need for their conscientious stewardship. Among the more than 1,200 prestigious projects in which SAT at the Trust has played a critical role are: the restoration of the Star Spangled Banner, San Francisco’s Conservatory of Flowers, Martin Luther King’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, and the Acoma Pueblo. Other beneficiaries have been the homes of such literary icons as Mark Twain, Edith Wharton, Louisa May Alcott and Laura Ingalls Wilder. It also is responsible for supporting the restoration of the last architectural model of the World Trade Center and the related exhibits and interpretation. In addition to the model, when the National Memorial Museum at Ground Zero opens on Sept. 11, 2012, the Last Column – the last structural element removed from the site that contains signatures and graffiti from the families, workers and public officials – will have a prominent place thanks to support from SAT.

In association with National Historic Preservation Month in May, don't miss Ogden City's annual Architectural Scavenger hunt!  To participate, pick up a pamphlet with the photo clues from the Ogden Municipal Building, 2549 Washington Blvd., at the information desk or in Suite 140, or download it here.  Everyone with at least one correct answer is entered in a drawing for local restaurant gift certificates. Those who get every answer right are entered for the grand-prize drawing.  Drawings take place May 19th at the Annual Joint Meeting. Join us on May 19 at 6:00 p.m. for the Weber County Heritage Foundation and Ogden Landmarks Commission's Annual Joint Meeting in Ogden High School's Library.

Weber County Heritage Foundation Lecture Series

presents

Modest & Grand: Weber County's Colonial Revival

Ogden High School auditorium seats are seeking a good home.  They would prefer another historic auditorium, but a non-profit, historic theater would be a great second choice as well.

As you may know, Ogden High School is currently undergoing an $65 million restoration, so any organization that can purchase these historic seats will have first preference and should make their desire known immediately.  Should a fledgling non-profit or school that is otherwise in the midst of restoring a historic theater or auditorium space and could use donated seats, the Ogden School District and Foundation will look at your proposals on a case-by-case basis.

Contact Gary Reed at the Ogden School District, 801.737.7311 / reedg@ogdensd.org, with your needs and your proposal.

Original Auditorium Seat Description

Ogden’s time as the railroad hub was in its infancy when the first train pulled into town in 1869.  But business owners were already crafting ways to capitalize on this very new and exciting time to make money.  Allen Joseph Stout, Jr., a nephew of Hosea Stout, an early Utah settler and general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was in his early 20s and ready to jump on the railroad’s success.

In c. 1870, Stout started a saloon simply called, Stout’s Saloon, on lower 25^th Street.  This was a time before hotels, businesses, and taverns filled the street.  Stout’s business venture is significant today for two reasons.  First, it was an early tavern on 25^th Street, whereas others before it were located at the depot or on Main St. (now Washington Blvd.).  We now associate 25^th Street more with the history of taverns than other streets, which should be linked back to Stout.  Second, Stout’s Saloon was one of earliest of the many Mormon-owned saloons along 25^th Street during the nineteenth century.  As Ogden historian Val Holley notes, there was no “firewall” between Mormon and gentile business interests in the business district during that time.  Everyone had equal access to making money.

The September 18, 1876, Ogden Junction reported that the saloon kept by A.J. Stout had been damaged by a fire, and referred to “sneaking incendiaries who, under cover of darkness, set fires to burn up the property of citizens of Ogden.”  How unfortunate!

In a follow-up to our latest Heritage newsletter featuring some of the fine films we can recall filmed in historic locations, we’ve had some feedback on Drive me Crazy.  Released in 1999, it was filmed in the Yalecrest neighborhood of Salt Lake City at 1764 and 1756 Hubbard Ave. right during the time of the demolition/building of the now famous Hubbard House (also known as the garage-mahal or the fire station).

As Lisette Gibson of 1764 Hubbard tells it, “Melissa Joan Hart and her mother lived in our house and cute Adrian Grenier lived next door.  The producer’s goal was to find two, 2-story houses spaced close together where the teenagers could look and talk through the upstairs windows.  It was a wild 10 days with a lot of filming inside and out (plus a sound stage), and it even included them building a huge tree house in our apple tree out back (briefly seen in the last shot).  We have a lot of stories (good and bad) from the filming.”

I agree with Lisette that it was a fun film with a lot of great shots of SLC, Ogden High School, Sugarhouse Park, and Provo Canyon.

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Chuck James of Rocky Mountain Painting describes the decorative painting and application process as original painter Alfred Lippell did it.