Utah Heritage Foundation

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. 

Weber County Heritage Foundation Lecture Series

presents

Modest & Grand: Weber County's Colonial Revival

On Saturday, September 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., one the best homes tours around will be taking place in Ogden.  Weber County Heritage Foundation’s 33^rd Annual Tour features nine private buildings along with the Eccles Community Art Center and the Church of the Good Shepherd.  Together, these eleven prominent historic buildings form part of the basis for the Central Bench or what some are now calling the “Trolley District” promoting the viability of mass transit returning to the hub of urban population for Northern Utah and the Intermountain West’s train capitol.

Nevertheless, the historic homes tour will showcase some fantastic pieces of the Victorian era that have been rehabilitated for modern living and working.  The tour is $15 and starts at the Eccles Art Center, 2580 Jefferson Avenue.  There will also be a lecture given by Richa Wilson, who will discuss the tour’s homes, style development, typical characteristics, terminology, and specific home features.  Her brief presentation begins at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and Noon and will be given at the Eccles Art Center and would serve as a wonderful introduction to this neighborhood if you haven’t been there before.

Lastly, I would be remiss to not return to the preservation issue that is central to this neighborhood at this point and time that I mentioned earlier.  That is, bringing the trolley or streetcar through the Central and East Bench as it historically ran.  It has been a tremendous challenge to have UTA (who is guiding the process) and Mayor Godfrey understand that this is the best choice for the city and has been highly favored by residents who have attended every public meeting and hearing.  However, UTA has so far chosen a route that is several blocks south through another neighborhood where it will not bring the same public benefits that mass transit typically will for its ridership and help stimulate reinvestment in this historic neighborhood at the same time.

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