Utah Preservation Restoration, Volume 1, 1979

UTAH Preservation/Restoration A Magazine for the Preservationist

>!•!•••••!••••<

VOLUME I/ISSUE 1

1979

II

8SS»v

$2

Stained glass window in the David-Keith Mansion, (Photo by W. Claudell Johnson, Deseret News)

Run Into Your Past

by Philip F. Notarianni

R

unning through the past rather than from it is one inherent quality of historic preservation. Remaining buildings, structures, and sites that exemplify various characteristics and elements which formed the past help in relating those earlier times to the present. But how do preservationists convey this aspect of the field to the public? In light of the current jogging craze, the Preservation Office of the Utah State Historical Society happened upon an innovative idea—the Historic Sites Fun Run. Cast in the theme "Run Into Your Past," the fun run was designed to help celebrate Historic Preservation Month in Utah during May, 1978, by creating a greater awareness of Salt Lake City's historic resources. Approximately 125 eager runners, most adorned in a specially designed fun run t-shirt, launched themselves from the historic Isaac Chase Mill (1852) in Liberty Park at 8:00 a.m. on May 27. Each runner carried a small booklet that described the eight-mile course and provided capsule histories of the twenty-six historic sites that he would pass.

Young, old, male and female, the group was escorted through Liberty Park by a local television news crew, from KUTV. The run was a "fun run": no times were kept or awards given, and participants could race, jog, or walk the route. In the early morning sun the runners paraded along a grassy median strip en route to the palatial homes along Salt Lake City's South Temple Street, passing the famed Trolley Square. Built in 1906, the Mission-style car barns and repair shop buildings were converted in a 1972 adaptive reuse project into a shopping center. Once on South Temple, earlier called Brigham Street, joggers witnessed the splendor of the Thomas Kearns Mansion (1900-1902) and the David-Keith Mansion (1898-1900) both built by prosperous Utah mining entrepreneurs who attained their wealth from the silver mines of Park City.

The Enos A. Wall Mansion (1904), presently the LDS Business College, is located at 411 East South Temple, and its site enabled the run participants to witness the work of prominent Salt Lake City architect Richard K. A. Kletting. Runners also viewed the First Presbyterian Church (1902-1906) and the Cathedral of the Madeleine (1909).

The First Presbyterian Church is of the Gothic Revival style and is constructed of rusticated Red Butte sandstone in a cruciform plan. Designed by C M .

Neuhausen, the catholic cathedral is built of gray sandstone with brick, with (continued on page 6)

The Hotel Utah (1909-1911), South Temple and Main Street.

8619,

Bostosi & Newhouse Bldgs.

Salt Lake Citv. U t a h .

LJ U i 11

i !i U fiflljj

• S lii|

II i in f i l l i 11|| II

iiMlll!

IHIijjB liII f l 5 | ill!FT""" EESETE

if11 i n i l i ^ ^

»

The Exchange Place Historic District, 355 South Main Street to State Street.

Temple Square (1852-1857).

(Photos: Utah State Historical Society Photo Archives)

The newly reconstructed interior of the New Yorker Club in the old New York Hotel, Salt Lake City.

Restoration versus New Construction Tax Reform Act...

An Incentive to Restorationists

by Wilson G. Martin

T

he Mclntyre Building in Salt Lake City was one of the first buildings west of the Mississippi to receive certification under the Tax Reform Act of 1976. This legislation provides for special tax incentives for the rehabilitation of commerical and income properties, including the ability of an owner to take five-year amortization of all rehabilitation costs or to choose an accelerated depreciation method on a substantially rehabilitated structure. The tax incentives also include certain penalties related to demolition costs and new construction built on the site of the demolished historic structure.

These penalties and benefits were intended as special tax incentives to ensure the protection of our cultural heritage. However, there are other benefits in addition to the preserving of historic resources. Revitalization of buildings employs 109 people per million dollars expended, versus 69 per million expended for new construction (Source: Local Public Works, Round I).

Rehabilitation is also more energy

Old buildings can be tax shelters.

The Mclntyre Building, 68 South Main, Salt Lake City, was built in 1909 by Richard Kletting, a noted Utah architect. The developers responsible for rehabilitation are Miller & Noble Co. (Photographer:

Robert D. Welch)

efficient than new construction in that less new material is used in rehabilitation, and this helps reduce our dependency on foreign oil imports.

The preservation and rehabilitation of these older structures is often less costly than new

Rehabilitation helps conserve precious resources... increases employment and commerce. construction, with most of the rehabilitiation in Utah running 60 percent of new construction costs.

These projects often come under the $20 per square foot rate, including both purchase and rehabilitation. With these incentives, historic preservation and rehabilitation has become a major economic stimulus to the country and a tax shelter for developers. The addition of the new 1978 Revenue Act, which provides a 10 percent investment tax credit on top of the 1976 benefits, has further increased developers' interest throughout the state of Utah.

The Mclntyre Building, at 68 South Main, Salt Lake City, developed by Miller and Noble, Inc., has been certified for these benefits. However, due to the fact that each floor was developed and sold as separate office condominiums, each floor had to be individually certified. So far the third and eighth floors have been certified, and the fifth floor is pending certification. The building was rehabilitated at a cost per square foot of $12 to $18, with 45,000 square feet on each floor. Each floor was modified to

The New York Hotel, 50 Post Office Place, Salt Lake City), was built in 1909. The architect was Richard Kletting. It was rehabilitated by John Williams developer with Prescott Muir as architect.

meet the individual owner's needs.

New mechanical heating and cooling systems were added throughout the structure.

Another early building to receive tax certification was the New York Hotel. The architect was Scott Muir, and the developer was John Williams.

This building needed substantial rehabilitation of the interior, new mechanical systems, and an exterior elevator and service core. Thirty-four thousand square feet were developed at a cost of $17 a square foot.

The Smith-Bailey Drug Company Building/Firestone Building was another structure to receive tax certification. The project is currently ongoing, being completed by Development Associates, with Bob Jacoby acting as the architect. There is an anticipated development of 66,000 square feet at a cost per square foot of

Building costs per square foot are lower for restoration.

The Denver & Rio Grande Depot -presently under restoration to become the new home for the Utah State Historical Society.

A newly renovated interior in the Mclntyre Building, Salt Lake City.

5

about $17. This space was an open floor plan warehouse, and therefore each floor will be substantially altered to form new office space with a central lightwell being cut through the building to provide additional light to the interior. The rehabilitation also includes the adding of a parking terrace, installing new mechanical, heating and cooling systems, and adding new wiring and plumbing.

Other buildings to be certified in Salt Lake City include the Irving School in Sugarhouse, the New Grand Hotel downtown, the William F. Beer residence on the Avenues, and the Bamberger Mansion on First South. It is anticipated that a number of additional applications will be certified in the near future.

The program is still in its infancy, but already large tax savings have been passed on to the developers in restoring these buildings.

To receive tax benefits, an applicant should contact the Utah State Historical Society, 533-6017. The application procedure is a fairly simple one and the staff will be happy to assist any private developer in the utilization of these benefits for the rehabilitation of a building which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places or which may be eligible for inclusion on the National Register.

Run Into Your Past (continued from page 3) the exterior designed in the Romanesque style and the interior in Gothic.

Continuing north along C Street, joggers passed the William Culmer House at 33 C Street (1881). An excellent example of Victorian period architecture, the Culmer residence also contains interior art work executed by the nationally-known Henry Culmer, brother of the home's original owner.

Struggling " u p " ' C Street and then west along Fourth Avenue, fun runners were greeted by beaming rays of sun peering through bright green-leaved trees. Arriving at stairs, most stopped to skip down the path to the lower level, then on to Canyon Road and up City Creek Canyon.

To the west on Canyon Road is Ottinger Hall at 233 Canyon Road (1900), the Veteran Volunteer Firemen's Association Hall. A short distance north marks the entrance to Memory Grove, a beautiful park area located very close to downtown Salt Lake City and a popular recreational area. In 1924 the Gold Star Legion spearheaded the dedication of the park as a memorial to the soldiers killed in World War I. Within some 50 yards from the park entrance runners were treated to a water stop, some 3.1 miles from the start. Several members of the Utah Historical staff distributed water to the runners before their steep climb to the top of Capitol Hill.

Once on Capitol Hill, the direction was " d o w n . " Past the State Capitol, built during the 1912-1916 period by Richard K. A. Kletting, whose design had won a contest over forty other competitors, and Council Hill at the head of State Street, dedicated in 1866 and dismantled and moved to its present site in 1961-1964, weary runners were able to catch their breath.

Racing down to Main Street, they turned south and began another steep descent to the Alfred W. McCune Mansion and Baskin-McCune Carriage House at 200 North Main Street.

McCune, a leading railroad, timber and mining entrepreneur, commissioned S.C. Dallas to design this three-story Victorian mansion. A building permit for 1901 placed the cost at $80,000.

The route continued to North Temple, then east to State Street and on to South Temple where it turned west. On the corner is the Beehive House, 65 East South Temple, built in 1854 for Brigham Young and serving both as the official mansion for the Mormon leader and territorial governor and as a home for his family.

Located on South Temple and Main Street, the Hotel Utah (1909-1911) stands as a symbol of Salt Lake's own (continued on page 11)

The Utah State Capitol (1912-1916)

8?t

The Enos A. Wall Mansion (1904), 411 East South Temple.

The David-Keith Mansion (1898-1900), 529 East South Temple.

(Photo: State Historical Society of Colorado)

J%

Utah Preservation/Restoration 1979 Volume I/Issue 1 $2

UTAH Preservation/Restoration

Table of Contents

A Magazine for the Pre$en>afiom$t

Utah Preservation/Restoration Magazine is the official publication for the Utah State Historical Society, Preservation Section, and is published annually by University Services, a Utah Corporation. This publication is published in conjunction with the exhibition and conference â&#x20AC;&#x201D; "Old Buildings.. .Presents from the Past."

The publications goal is to become an information guide for the rehabilitation of old buildings for purposeful modern day use and comfort in Utah.

University Services C. Nina Cutrubus, Editor/Publisher June Fletcher, Associate Kim Cutrubus, Associate Utah State Historical Society Editorial Consultants Melvin T. Smith, Director, Utah State Historical Society Larry Jones, Preservation Consultant, Conference Coordinator Wilson G. Martin, Coordinator, Preservation Section

ON THE COVER: This one-and-a-half story cottage at 1120 East 2nd Avenue, Salt Lake City, is a good example of the Queen Anne Style which is the most prevelant style in the Avenues.

Run Into Your Past

by Philip F. Notarianni Restoration versus New Construction

by Wilson G. Martin Iron in the Sky

by Arthur A. Hart Researching Your Own House

8 12

by Lois Harris Steps in Restoring Stamped Sheet Metal

by Victorian Romanoff and Thomas Hanchett

16

How Hilda Happened Upon Her House

by Lois Harris

20

Restoration and the Working Kitchen

by Henry Whiteside and Kathryn L. MacKay

23

Photography Robert D. Welch

Cast Iron Fences in the Avenues

24

Typography Tim Fredrickson

Utah Heritage Foundation Fifth Annual Preservation Month Tour

Graphic Design C. Nina Cutrubus

Utah Preservation/Restoration Magazine is published by University Services. Copyright Š 1979, University Services, A Utah Corporation/1159 East 2nd Avenue/Salt Lake City, Utah 84103/(801) 532-3361.

All rights reserved. Utah Preservation/Restoration Magazine contents may not be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission. nprmifision.

by Thomas W. Hanchett Stencils

by Phillip Neuberg Interior Design in the Restoration of Historic Homes

25 29 32

by Elizabeth E. Crowder Care and Repair of Ornamental Iron

35

Inspecting the Old Home

38

Cooking and Heating the Turn-of-the-Century Way

44

by Larry Jones Directions for Building, and Keeping Fire, and Caring for Range Utah's Vanishing Log Cabins

by Larry Jones

47 48

Iron in the Sky Utah's Sheet Metal Cornices Galvanized Iron Details

Woodmansee Block, Ogden (1890).

Gates-Snow Furniture Co., Provo.

.*'•*

"'-z

S '

•1

11

Tower, Knight Block, Provo (1900).

25ffc Sfrrcf, Ogden.

^//^ipw&i^.

Pm .^Jw* Pediment, Avenue Block, Provo (1902).

,

••

" '

j

^rJ^B*^g^«^^i AJ/KW.i>-H.i-JJbLJWAL.

Photographer: Arthur A. Hart

by Arthur A. Hart Director, Idaho State Historical Society

W

hen we look up at the second and third stories of old commercial buildings in Utah cities and towns we see a wealth of ornament that is both picturesque and intricate. The cornices of store buildings are often in the style of the Italian Renaissance or some other classical age. Reflecting as they do the changing tastes of late nineteenth-century America, they are usually more imaginative than historically accurate.

The casual observer takes these pediments, brackets, dentils, moldings, and other ornaments to be carving in stone or possibly in wood.

Actually, nearly all of them are made of thin sheets of galvanized iron, bent and hammered into three-dimensional architectural forms.

The use of iron in American buildings became widespread after about 1850, although both wrought and cast iron had been used for balconies, railings, and other ornamentation earlier. A logical extension of the industrial revolution, iron architecture soon swept the country. Foundries could mass produce columns, capitals, and other classical elements much more cheaply than stone carvers could and in a fraction of the time. By using molds made from hand-carved wooden patterns, identical parts could be cast repeatedly and simply bolted together to make buildings. Sheet metal workers could reproduce these same forms in galvanized iron, with the advantage of greatly reduced weight for cornices and window caps. The thin metal was nailed to a supporting wooden frame.

Most commercial buildings after 1850 imitated Italian Renaissance palaces, with two or three stories topped by a bracketed horizontal cornice. Windows were often pedimented, and the spaces between decorated with pilasters. The ground floor, supported by hollow iron columns with great comprehensive strength, could have wide openings for plate glass windows. This made more space available for display and gave store interiors better light.

Utah's most famous iron front was begun in 1875 for the ZCMI store building in Salt Lake City. William H.

The ZCMI Department Store of early years. The south (right-hand) section was added in 1880. The north side was expanded in 1902. (Photo: Utah State Historical Society Photo Archives) Folsom's facade design was made up of a grid of cast iron columns and horizontal elements topped by a galvanized sheet-iron cornice. The popular Corinthian order was used, requiring the casting of many individual iron acanthus leaves, which were then bolted to the column top to form each ornate capital.

The Deseret Evening News reported on January 4,1876, that the new iron front had received "a couple of coats of paint which greatly enhance its appearance, showing out the beautiful design. It is surmounted by a splendid zinc cornice, second to none in Utah, manufactured at the establishment of Messrs. Mitchell & James. Altogether the front is the handsomest of the kind in the city."

Mitchell & James were listed in the 1874 Salt Lake City directory as "tinsmiths, gas and steam fitters," with works on West Temple between South Temple and First South. Like most tinsmiths in the nineteenth century, they could form almost any shapes required by cutting, bending, and stamping sheet iron. The individual parts needed to form complex volumes were soldered together along their seams. Smaller decorative elements were hammered from the back into iron molds in a technique called repousse\ Pure zinc was sometimes used for this work because of its malleability. Lead and copper were also popular.

Galvanized iron was the cheapest and ultimately the most common material used for architectural work, however. The galvanizing process, patented by Crawford in England in 1837, applies a thin coat of zinc to sheet iron by a hot dip, This prevents

corrosion of the iron. In subsequent additions to the original ZCMI front, the Mitchell & James cornice was destroyed, but in 1902, when a large northern addition was made to the store, galvanized sheet iron imitating the cast iron on the earlier portions was used. Most observers could not teE the difference.

In the 1880s scores of galvanized cornices appeared on brick and stone buildings in all parts of Utah. Although most were produced by local manufacturers, a feature of the period was the importation of mail-order store fronts and cornices from the Midwest.

The Mesker Brothers of St. Louis, according to company records, mailed 17,798 catalogs to Utah between 1888 and 1909. By 1896 they had sold eight complete fronts and twenty-two contracts for cornices, window pediments, and other architectural decoration. Although the figures on fronts sold thereafter are missing, the gross sales figures for the years 1896-1909 indicate that total work in Utah for Mesker Brothers was more than twice that of the earlier period.

The popularity of the complete galvanized fronts can be partly explained by the fact that the average price of the first eight fronts in Utah was $260.00.

Good examples of complete Mesker Brothers' fronts in Utah towns can be seen in Ogden, Mt. Pleasant, and Fairview, while Panguitch has two. Sheet iron fronts, nailed to wooden supporting elements, could be applied to Utah buildings of stone and brick as well as of wood. Originally (continued on page 17)

IPm~ J ff'M!<v

^j &/

y^H

_Msm • f BH^*

P » ; -•

I

am pleased to have sponsored the Governor's Conference on Historic Preservation for the last two years, and to watch the growth of preservation in Utah. Preservation now involves a variety of interested citizens; the developer who has found that the re-use of old buildings can be economically sound as well as visually pleasing, and the home purchaser who is finding more square footage for less dollar expended; these groups as well as others have become a part of the ever-widening interest in historic preservation.

This year's conference and exhibition promise to be the largest conference and exhibition on historic preservation ever conducted in the state. It will provide Utahns as well as visitors from surrounding states the opportunity of becoming aware of many preservation techniques and products.

Holding the exhibition in the historic Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Station provides an excellent setting for these products and services to be viewed.

I hope each of you will enjoy the conference and exhibition, and take advantage of the services rendered from the Utah State Historical Society.

Sincerely,

I

am pleased to welcome you to Utah's annual Governor's Conference on Historic Preservation, sponsored by the Utah State Historical Society, This year's theme, "Old Buildings .. .Presents From the Past: A Renovation and Preservation Idea Market," is a bold venture for us. The joint conference and exhibition format enables us to better serve many needs by bringing together useful knowledge, products, services, and experience in the field of historic preservation.

In addition to the more than 80 exhibits of products and services, and the more than 40 "how-to" workshop sessions, we think you will also enjoy the Historic Sites Fun Run, the Old House Street Sale, as well as the Historic Homes Tour (sponsored by the Utah Heritage Foundation).

We are also pleased to have our first official activity in the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Depot, the future home of the Utah State Historical Society. During the coming year, this National Register site will be renovated for the Society's use — an historic preservation project I am very proud to be a part of.

I encourage you to call upon the Society's staff if you have any questions or need special assistance.

Sincerely,

6&tstXlSl ernor

\frt%>ka* A \ 2 5 2 ^ ?

J. Phillip Keene III Executive Director and State Historic Preservation Officer

First Annual Old Buildings Exhibition and Conference "Old Buildings . . . Presents From the Past Conference and Exhibition" is being funded by a grant from the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service of the Department of the Interior, Washington, D . C Scott M. Matheson, Governor, State of Utah J. Phillip Keene III, Director Department of Development Services Melvin T. Smith, Director Division of State History Wilson G. Marton, Coordinator Preservation Development Section A. Kent Powell, Coordinator Preservation Research Section Old Buildings • . . Presents From the Past Larry Jones, Program Coordinator Luci Merin, Publicity Coordinator Historic and Cultural Sites Review Committe Members Dr. Milton C. Abrams, appointed April 15, 1977, expires April 15, 1981.

Dr. Eugene E. Campbell, appointed April 15,1977, expires April 15,1981.

Dr. Dello G. Dayton, appointed April 15, 1977, expires April 15, 1981.

Dr. Eldon Dorman, appointed April 15, 1977, expires April 15, 1981.

Mr. Scott Gilmore, appointed April 15, 1977, expires April 15, 1981.

Mr. Peter L. Goss, appointed April 15, 1977, expires April 15, 1981.

Mrs, Florence Jacobsen, appointed April 15,1977, expires April 15,1981.

Dr. Ray Matheny, appointed April 15, 1977, expires April 15, 1981.

Mr. Kazuo Matsubayashi, appointed April 15,1977, expires April 15,1981.

Mr. Neal P. Stowe, appointed April 15, 1977, expires April 15, 1981.

10

Run Into Your Past (continued from page 6)

desire to dispense with the image of the city as second-class. The Italian Renaissance-style building was designed by the firm of Parkinson and Bergstrum. Crossing Main Street, runners passed Temple Square, a National Historic Landmark. This area symbolizes the essence of the Mormon achievement in building a "Kingdom of Zion" in the West. At the heart of the square is the Temple itself, a Gothic Revival structure constructed of gray granite quarried from Little Cottonwood Canyon. Built during a period that spanned the years 1853 to 1892, it was designed by the first LDS church architect, Truman O. Angell.

Pounding the sidewalk along South Temple, the groups of runners continued west to the end of the street.

To the north they saw the gaunt Devereaux House at 334 West South Temple (1857). Designed by architect William Paul, Utah's first mansion has been the subject of extensive political efforts to secure the structure in order that restoration to past grandeur may soon follow. At the Union Pacific Railroad Station, South Temple and 400 West, the groups turned to the south, heading into Salt Lake's railyards area. The Union Pacific Depot was completed in 1909, having been designed in an early French Renaissance style.

The Henderson Block at 375 West 200 South (1898) represents a high point in warehouse architecture.

Designed by Walter E. Ware for Wilber S. Henderson, the one-time produce warehouse consists of a superstructure of Red Butte sandstone at the basement and street level and red brick at the second and third levels. Turning west on Second South, joggers ran to Rio Grande Avenue (455 West), then proceeded south to the Denver and Rio Grande Depot. In close proximity to the Union Pacific Station, this structure, completed in 1910, remains as a reminder of the financial struggle for control of the nation's transportation network by railroad and financial interests. The Denver and Rio Grande Depot will be restored in 1979 to become the home of the Utah State Historical Society. A quick turn east at Third South put the group en route to Pioneer Park, the old Pioneer Fort Site.

This was the place of the first Mormon fort and permanent settlement in the Great Basin and in 1898 was designated a public park.

The Union Pacific Railroad Depot (1909), 400 West South Temple.

Devereaux House (1857), 334 West South Temple.

This section of Salt Lake City once housed colonies of various immigrant groups who arrived via the railroad.

(continued on page 14)

The Denver and Rio Grande Depot (1908), Third South and Rio Grande. (Photos: Utah State Historical Society Photo Archives)

Researching Your Own House

TheHoraceS. Eldr edge Home, 216 East 1st South, Salt Lake City.

by Lois Harris

R

esearching the history of a house can be one of the most rewarding experiences a property owner will have. Uncovering the house's hidden identity is fun, interesting, and economically advantageous.

Economically, it makes sense to date your house before spending time and money restoring it. Daring a building helps to uncover its proper style and tradition. In-character restoration is the best way to preserve the long-term market value of the property.

Another reason to research an old house is to discover the part that it may have played in the development of the neighborhood or city. Your house may be truly unique because of its architectural design or its history. If this is the case, it may be worthy of special recognition such as placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

When researching a house you should look for answers to these questions: • When was the house built?

• Who was the original owner or occupant?

• What part did the house play in the development of the neighborhood or city?

• What style is it?

• Who designed or built the house?

• Have there been major structural changes?

The Preservation Office of the

Utah State Historical Society uses a Structure/Site information form to record this basic data. These forms are available to the public and can be of use to the old-house researcher.

After you have decided what to look for, it is important to know where to go to find the information. Before beginning your research, check to see if any documentation on your house already exists. State or local historical societies are usually a good source for this information. Your house maybe represented on an historic register or may be part of an historic district.

Existing information should always be sought, but be sure to check its validity before accepting it as gospel. It is also important to become familiar with the location and operating hours of public offices and libraries where documents and other information, of the type discussed below, can be found.

BUILDING PERMIT BOOKS Building permit books are probably the most accurate record of construction dates. Besides the date of construction, building permit books can yield other valuable information. A building permit may also reveal the contractor and/or architect as well as provide a basic description of the house and the cost of construction. The Utah State Historical Society collection contains the permit books for Salt Lake City from 1891 to 1927. Their collection also includes building permit books for Provo from 1883 to 1912 and from 1922

to 1928. To find the location of other cities' building permit books, contact your city's offices.

SANBORN MAPS Sanborn maps can also help approximate the date of a building's construction. These maps were originally used as insurance maps for many cities. They show what existed on a street at a certain time. Using these maps you can usually get to within ten years of a building's age. Since the maps are color coded, they also help to determine the original building material. Sanborns can also be used to trace neighborhood development, and they show the original shape of the building.

Sanborn maps are available at the University of Utah Marriott Library in the Western Americana Collection.

PLAT SEARCHING Plat records are helpful if you cannot locate a building permit for your house. Plat abstract books are used to trace ownership of a building from its construction to the present time. To use the plat abstract books you will need to have the lot, block, and plat on which your house sits. This information can be obtained from your deed or from maps at county offices. Using the date or approximate date of construction, go back to the earliest record of a house on your property and work your way up to the present time. A clue to the date of construction is that the monetary value of a lot increases substantially when a 12

house is built there. Be sure to check with previous owners because they may have an abstract of title with a complete ownership record.

(Photos: Utah State Historical Society Photo Archives)

DIRECTORIES As early as the 1860s city directories were published in Utah listing people at their home addresses.

(These books were the forerunners of telephone directories.) Information such as a person's occupation or a spouse's name was often included in the directory. Later city directories were organized according to street address. Using the names obtained from your plat search, check to see if the owner of record was also the resident of that house.

The Utah State Historical Society, the Marriott Library, and the Salt Lake City Public Library have extensive collections of city directories. The Utah State Historical Society has city directories for Salt Lake City from the 1860s through 1977. Their collection also contains directories of Ogden, Logan, and Provo. Local or county historical societies may have additional directories.

The home of Jacob F. Gates, Provo Utah.

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA Once you have the names of the owners and residents of your house you may want to find some biographical information on these people. The Utah State Historical Society and the LDS Church Archives each have an obituary index, which is a quick and easy way to look up information on individuals connected with your house. A biographical clippings file, card catalogue, and various biographical encyclopedias can be used to supplement your findings.

The LDS Church has numerous genealogical reference materials, such as family group sheets, as well as various reference and archival matericals located in its historical department.

ORAL EVIDENCE You may be able to find a former resident or long-time neighbor whose memory can yield a wealth of information on your house. If specific information is sought on paint colors, remodeling or furnishings, be sure to ask the right questions. In personal interviews it is a good idea to have a written checklist to guide you. Always remember that memories are not your most accurate source of information.

PHOTOGRAPHS AND DRAWINGS Old photographs and renderings of your house, its residents, and your neighborhood are often a big help in reconstructing the past. The Utah State Historical Society, the Marriott Library and the LDS Church Historical Library have large collections of historic photographs. Old tax photographs, available at the county assessor's office, may also be of some help to you. The Utah Heritage Foundation has a

13

vâ&#x20AC;˘

IT

The John C. Sharp Residence, Vernon, Utah. complete collection of the Historic American Engineering Record and the Historic American Building Survey drawings for Utah. These sources are often the most helpful if your research is geared toward restoration of your house. If you can see what your house was like originally you might be less inclined to alter its structure or character.

Once you've discovered your home's hidden past, you are sure to take additional pride in its history and feel a renewed excitement about its future.

Informative Sources "How to Research Your Own House," a booklet for the novice researcher is available at the Utah Heritage Foundation, 355 Quince Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103, (801) 533-0858.

Structure/Site Information Forms show the basic information necessary for nomination of a building to a historic register. These forms can be obtained free of charge at the Preservation Office, Utah State Historical Society, 307 West 200 South, Suite 1000, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101, (801)533-6017.

Identifying American Architecture: A Pictorial Guide to Styles and Terms, 1600-1945 will be helpful to an architectural researcher. This book has over 200 photographs and is a good guide to major architectural styles. It is available from the American Association for State and Local History, 1400 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203.

Run Into Your Past (continued from page 11) Greeks, Italians, South Slavs, and Japanese were represented. Evidence of this is the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church located at 279 South 300 West. Dedicated in 1925, the church was built in a Byzantine design a t a c o s t o f $150,000. Runners viewed this symbol of a once bustling ethnic community as they passed through Pioneer Park to Fourth South and Third West. At the corner they turned east and proceeded along Fourth South to Main Street where they viewed the Boston and Newhouse buildings, which form the gateway to the "Wall Street" of the West as envisioned by mining magnate Samuel Newhouse.

This area, within visual distance of the runners, forms the Exchange Place Historic District (355 South Main to State Street). Comprised of the Salt Lake Mining and Stock Exchange, Commercial Club, Boston Building, Newhouse Building, Felt Building, Grand Hotel, Hotel Plandome, Newhouse Hotel, and the Federal Building/Post Office, the district dates to the 1903-1912 period.

The Salt Lake City and County Building at Fourth South and State Streetlies some 6.3 miles from the run's beginning. At this point participants cut through the grounds, known as Washington Square, to the corner of Second East and Fifth South, then to Sixth South. Before leaving the park some runners stopped to stretch tight muscles on park benches and stare at the gray, Utah Kyune sandstone structure of Romanesque Revival design. The building was dedicated in December, 1894, and with its massive symmetrical form contrasted sharply with the Salt Lake City skyline.

The last leg of the journey passed the Trinity African Methodist Episcopal Church at 239 East 600 South. Built in about 1909, this structure housed Utah's first black congregation, which was organized in the 1880s. From Sixth South the fun runners turned south along Fifth East and returned to Liberty Park and the Isaac Chase Mill. As the group finished, most with beaming smiles, they gravitated back to the mill to discuss what they had seen.

It was the casual nature of the event, coupled with the novelty of running in the past, that made the run a success. Comments such as "I didn't know that building was important," or "I never noticed that before," were heard often both during and after the run. With this growing awareness of the Salt Lake City environment, many are anxiously awaiting the fun run of May, 1979.

- ; | Old City Hall, Salt Liks i;ity, Utah

The Kearns Mansion (1900-1902), 603 East South Temple.

Council Hall (1866), head of State Street.

m The Beehive House (1854), 67 East South Temple.

The Cathedral of the Madeleine (1889-1909), 331 East South Temple.

Ottinger Hall (1900), 233 Canyon Road.

The First Presbyterian Church (1902-1906), 347 East South Temple.

Trolley Square (1906), Fifth to Sixth South and Sixth to Seventh East.

14

MR. RICHARD C. HUNTER 37 WEST 1ST SOUTH SALT LAKE CITY. UTAH 84101 521-2880

MR. ALLEN G.BROWN 4545 SOUTH 9TH EAST SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84117 262-2971

MRS. VIRGINIA LATTIN 4750SOUTH 900 EAST SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84117 261-1414

MR. EVAN ELDEN GOLDING 1105 EAST 3300 SOUTH SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84106 487-7711

MR. MARK W.BROWN 4545 SOUTH 9TH EAST SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84117 262-2971

MR. P. WILLIAM MADSEN 4650 HIGHLAND DRIVE SALT LAKE CITY. UTAH 84117 278-4404

MRS, BETTY N.TAYLOR 2970 HIGHLAND DRIVE SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84106 487-0777

MR. BILL TRIBE 2326 WASHINGTON BLVD. OGDEN, UTAH 84401 801/621-1873

MR. RICHARD H. MADSEN 4650 HIGHLAND DRIVE SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84117 278-4404

MR. WILLIAM R.HALL 9714 SOUTH 285 EAST SANDY, UTAH 84070 571-7294

MRS. ANNIS TRIBE 2326 WASHINGTON BLVD. OGDEN, UTAH 84401 801/621-1873

MS, AFTON E, CHRISTENSEN 4650 HIGHLAND DRIVE SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84117 278-4404

MR. W. JAY ELDREDGE 4750 SOUTH 900 EAST SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84117 328-0119

MR. JOHN A. HALANDER 2970 HIGHLAND DRIVE SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84106 487-0777

MR. ROBERT A. MADSEN 2314 WASHINGTON BLVD. OGDEN. UTAH 84401 801/621-1934

MR. VERNON CONWAY 450 EAST 1000 NORTH NORTH SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84054 290-3494

MR. RONALD M, DAVIS 2970 HIGHLAND DRIVE SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84106 487-0777

MS, SUSAN SMITH CURTIS 2341 WASHINGTON BLVD. OGDEN, UTAH 84401 801/621-1934

MR. NORMAN J. HUGHES 4750 SOUTH 900 EAST SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84117 261-1414

MR. RICHARD K. FERGUSON 4545 SOUTH 9TH EAST SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84117 262-2971

MR. JOHN K.WATSON 4545 SOUTH 9TH EAST SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84117 262-2971

MR. LEROY B. (BEN) HOGGAN UNIVERSITY MALL OREM, UTAH 84057 801/255-9293

MR. EDGAR WILLIAM BARRON 37 WEST 1ST SOUTH SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84101 521-2880

LET US HELP YOU CREATE NEW SURROUNDINGS FOR HOME OR OFFICE

.

_ _._ ^ .

WICKER WIZAR

A KITCHENWARE WONDERLAND

FOUNDRY C O P P E R " B R A S S " W I C K E R Located in 900 East the rustic charm of Ivy Place 4700 South

*A*

15

KITCHEN SHOPS JI227 East 2100 South Salt Lake City 486-2995

Steps in Restoring Stamped Sheet Metal

by Victoria Romanoff and Thomas Hanchett

S

tamped metal store fronts and store front components are made of galvanized sheet iron or sheet steel.

The galvanizing is a coating of zinc applied to prevent rusting. The stamped sheets are usually fastened to wooden backing with small-headed nails. To restore stamped sheet metal, follow this simple seven-step method.

Clean the metal of loose paint.

You can use a rotary wire brush inserted in an electric drill. For details this should be supplemented by a hand-held wire brush, paint scraper, and a gouging tool like a pen knife.

Don't try to shake off loose paint by banging on the metal, for this may break old solder joints. Wooden window sashes may be removed and refinished separately. Never allow stamped metal or galvanized sheet iron to be sandblasted!

Refasten loose metal components.

Use long, dip-galvanized nails with small stove-bolt heads. It is important to use only galvanized metal in restoring a galvanized storefront because a mixture of metals may set up a corrosive electrolytic reaction. At the same time, check the wooden backing material; if water, dry rot, or termites have weakened it, it will be necessary to remove some of the stamped metal sheets and rebuild the wooden

sections.

You may need to replace missing components. Simple forms can be recreated at a sheet metal shop.

Complicated details can be done by removing an existing piece that matches the missing one, making a plaster mold of it, then using the mold to create a fiberglass replica. A vacuum-formed plastic process, similar to that used by signmakers today, is another way to copy existing parts. The best method is to find a craftsman who will carve a new wooden form and hand-hammer a new metal piece.

Flash and caulk the facade. The top of the storefont should be securely flashed to keep water from seeping behind the metal. Flashing should be of galvanized metal preformed at a sheet metal shop. Caulk all seams between components with long-lasting architectural-grade oil-based caulk.

Clean the surface of paint flakes and dust. An air compressor and hose like that used for spray painting is the quickest and most thorough. You can also use a clean, dry paint brush, a rag, or even a vacuum cleaner.

Now the metal is ready to paint.

Prime with one coat of a rust-inhibiting paint like Rust-Oleum. Check with your paint store to be sure that the

primer you choose is compatible with the finish paint. If possible, prime the back of the metal also, during step 2.

Paint with two finish coats of flat, oil base, alkyd paint. Flat paint is now thought to be the longer lasting, and its non-glare quality also helps bring out the designs in the stamped metal.

About Colors. Today it is fashionable to use two or more colors to highlight the abundant detail of stamped metal storefronts and components. If this approach is used, restraint should be exercised so that the design of colors does not overwhelm the design of the metal.

Research indicates, however, that stamped metal facades were usually painted a single color, resembling stone. Tans or greys were used, sprinkled with sand to give a more stone-like appearance. Only one example of "polychromed" metal has been located by author Hart, a cornice in Nevada City, California, painted with both sandstone and slate colors.

Wood trim for metal storefronts was often painted a contrasting color.

A newspaper of the day described an 1895 facade in Cortland, New York, as "sanded with grey while the woodwork will be finished in mahogany."

This storefront (left) in Panguitch, Utah is made out of thin sheets of galvanized iron. It was manufactured by the Mesker Brothers Company of St. Louis, Missouri, which shipped storefronts and components all over the United States. (Photo: Utah State Historical Society Photo Archives)

The old First National Bank Building, (right) built in 1871, has an early cast iron front with stamped metal trim. Itsfirst story has been heavily remodeled for the Utah III Theater, but the upper floors are still in good condition.

16

. . .the structure represents an elaborately detailed Victorian commercial building with cast iron piers, in Park's City's commercial historic district.

Remodeling has emphasized the building's Victorian detailing. A n early (1907) map indicates that the building served as a candy and sporting goods store. Records also show that in the 1940s the lower floor served as the Orange Blossom Confectionary, with rooms on the second floor.. .

Car 19 Restaurant Currently under renovation.

Grand Opening Scheduled for July 1.

Under New Ownership and Management Shannon's Gournet Room From Roast Duck to Beef Wellington Upstairs Featuring Steak, Prime Rib and Seafood

Car 19 Restaurant, Park City.

Irons in the S k y

(continued from page 9)

painted and sprinkled with sand to imitate carved stone, these fronts are today treated in a variety of ways.

Some are sprayed with aluminum paint, presumably to retard rust.

Others have been laboriously polychromed to bring out the individual forms. Although this could be effective if the colors were sensitively chosen and applied accurately, the result is often garish and serves to camouflage rather than enhance the architecture.

The George L. Mesker Company of Evansville, Indiana, also did an impressive amount of mail order architecture in the same period. When brothers Ben and Frank opened their own business in St. Louis in 1879, George Mesker continued the family operation in Evansville. Like his brothers, he made a fortune selling "house fronts." His 1906 catalog claims that twenty-two fronts had been sold in Utah to that time, but it is likely that this number included cornices as well as whole building fronts. Today only one example of George L. Mesker's work has been found in Utah, one at Park City. It has been so camouflaged in gaudy colors as to be almost unrecognizable. Although a comparison with catalog pictures is the surest way to identify these mail-order buildings, both Mesker firms had 17

distinctive ornaments which serve as hallmarks. The St. Louis brothers used a fleur de lis, appropriately enough, and George Mesker a morning glory.

They can be seen in the upper corners of the cornices. When we are lucky enough to find a building whose ground floor is unaltered the names of the makers may be seen in cast iron panels attached to column bases.

Brigham City, Ogden, and Provo have a number of good galvanized iron cornices dating from the late eighties to the turn of the century, almost all by Utah makers although their exact origins are difficult to trace. H.I. Paulding's First Annual Volume of the Architects, Contractors, Builders and Supply Men's Directory of Utah, Idaho & Wyoming, published in 1891-92, lists these Utah cornice makers: Ogden Cornice Works, Junction City Cornice Works, and Utah Cornice Works of Ogden; Provo Cornice and Furnace Works, Provo; Schmidt Brothers, Spencer-Bywater Company, and Western Cornice Works of Salt Lake City. At the turn of the century Henry G. Blumenthal is listed in the Provo directory as "manufacturer of architectural sheet metal work," with a shop in the rear of the Knight Block.

Since the Knight Block is one of a group of Victorian buildings with fine galvanized iron trim near Provo's

business center, Blumenthal was probably the fabricator of most of them.

The range of style is wide, including Queen Anne, Romanesque Revival, Renaissance and other classical forms, and work of the eighties which can only be described as eclectic. This veritable museum of Victorian architecture surely needs to be preserved and restored as a vital part of Utah's heritage.

Ogden has a National Register Historic District of commercial fronts of the 1880s along Twenty-Fifth Street near the Union Pacific station. In addition to good local work, the Mesker Brothers of St. Louis are represented in the Porter Block at number 260. The nearby Woodmansee Building is another impressive front with elaborate galvanized iron, and Washington Boulevard has other good examples of the golden age of architectural sheet metal work in Utah.

Properly painted and maintained, there is no reason why our remaining galvanized iron fronts and cornices should not last for generations more.

The critical period is now, when we are only beginning to develop an awareness and appreciation of this important technology which contributed richly to the visual identity of so many Utah main streets.

Utah Commercial Savings Bank Salt Lake City, Utah Pinnacle

Bracketed Cornice

Frieze

Segmental Arch

Engaged Column Double Hung Window - ^

End Pier

This commercial structure derives its name from a similar house-type common to the East Coast city of New York in the late nineteenth century. The style is Richardsonian Romanesque, named after H.H. Richardson, the famous English architect who popularized the stylistic treatment. The style was popular from 1870 to 1900. (Drawing by Greg Maynes, Graduate School of Architecture, Prof. Stan Hallet, Basic Design Class, University of Utah.)

18

1150 South Ninth East Salt Lake City, Utah

Corbelled Chimney Scroll Bracket Gable Roof Bracket

Frieze Board

^Decorative Coffers Barge Board

Ganaged Windows Porch Pediment Fish Scale Shingles

psm msmMmm^smmmmmm

Corner Bracket

Dentil Course Fret Work

Shiplap Siding

Turned Column _ILJLJLi«C3 CZ!L_LJLJWWL3LJLJLJLJU1_I!!_/LJUC

M

1DDDDDDDDDD0DDD0DSDDH •-"

«

ii

'

• - 1 f-

LA Balustrade

Newel Post

Typical of Utah, this house exhibits many stylistic traits and is therefore often loosely labeled eclectic. The gable trim above the second floor window is derived from the "stick" style, while the "fish scale" forming the second floor walls is an element common to the Queen Anne style. The overall massing and detailing are common to the pattern book Building Practice common to the late Victorian period of architecture. (Drawing by Ed Rosenberger, Graduate School of Architecture, Prof. Stanley Hallet, Basic Design Class, University of Utah.)

19

How Hilda Happened Upon Her House

by Lois Harris

Hilda and Geoffrey Glover. (Photographer: Robert D. Welch)

F

rom the exterior, Geoffrey and Hilda Glover's ninety-year-old house appears to be another simple Victorian house in the Avenues district of Salt Lake City. It does not compare in grandeur or size with its neighbors, the Kearns Mansion or the David Lennox Murdoch Home, but its charm is undeniable from the moment you step inside the house.

The story of the Glovers' house and their interest in preservation is a tale so unique that it is not easily forgotten. Geoffrey and Hilda Glover, natives of England, moved to Riverton, Utah, in 1955. According to Hilda, "We built our own house when we first came here. We thought that's what all Americans did, so we did it too." The Glovers arrived in Riverton with three young children and $500 in cash. They purchased half an acre of land with their $500. "We didn't have any money left," continued Geoffrey, "but the local lumber dealer gave me credit to put up a framework for my house."

With the framework up, Geoffrey went to a local bank to get a "remodeling" loan on his house. The Glovers built their garage first and lived there while Geoffrey built their house. Eventually the house was built and the lumber dealer had secured a steady customer.

For eighteen years they lived in Riverton, but, says Hilda, "I always wanted an old home." The Glovers looked in various sections of Salt Lake City and finally decided the Avenues was the "neatest" area. According to Hilda, "I looked for eighteen months before I found this house. I came up to the Avenues every Saturday and Sunday for a year and a half looking, and when I finally walked into the entrance way I knew this was it."

The house that Hilda Glover knew she had to have, four and a half years ago, was a "radical change" from her modern house in Riverton. Built about 1888 as a speculative venture by Lewis P. Kelsey, owner of a local real estate company, its first residents were Charles M. and Minnie Priscilla Bell.

Charles Bell, a commercial traveler, lived there until 1896. The next owner was Charles Scheu, who was involved in the mining industry. In 1902 Scheu sold the house to James X. Ferguson, manager of Keith-O'Brien. After living there one year, Ferguson sold the house to Eva and William W. Armstrong. Armstrong was a prominent banker serving as first president of the Banker's Trust Company and president of the National Copper Bank of Salt Lake City. In 1908 Armstrong sold the house to Garrett O'Neill, whose family lived there for the next sixty years. Elizabeth O'Neill bought the house from her

father in 1911. She never married and lived there until her death in 1967.

Not long after the Glovers moved in, they found Elizabeth O'Neill's diary and some of her letters in the attic. The letters and diary have helped the Glovers trace the identity of their resident ghost who they believe may be Josephene O'Neill, Elizabeth's mother, who died in the house. According to Geoffrey, "The previous owner told us there was a ghost. We discounted it because we did not believe in that sort of thing, but since then we have had a couple of experiences." They laugh and speak affectionately of "their ghost" who even kissed Geoffrey on the cheek one evening.

Their affection for their ghost as well as their house is not difficult to understand. Glancing around the entrance way at the unusual fir staircase with its intricate inlaid wood trim and at the 202 panes of glass which compose the wall leading to the living room, one feels that a sense of warmth and dignity surrounds him.

High-styled Victorian furniture, including an antique organ on the large staircase landing, fills every room. It would appear that the Glovers have been collecting antiques for years, but says Geoffrey, "When we moved in here we had all modern furniture, Mediterranian style." As soon as they moved their modern furniture in they "looked at it in horror; it just wasn't right for this house."

Part of their secret to successfully renovating the house has been their newly found hobby of attending auctions, antique sales, garage sales and flea markets, always on the lookout for a fixture or a piece of furniture they need. According to Hilda, "We didn't know much about antiques when we started collecting

them but we'd go into antique stores and ask questions; we learned a lot."

The Glovers' attitude towards antiques has helped them furnish their large house. Says Geoffrey, "If you see it, buy it. If you don't want it you can always resell it. With antiques, all you've got to do, even if you pay too much, is wait two years and resell it for a profit." The Glovers' collection includes an oak toilet from Montana, a bathtub from a razed house on the Avenues, a clay tile floor bought at a garage sale for $20, a kitchen floor made of bricks from the old Sumner School in Salt Lake, an oak bathroom cabinet from the Copper King Mansion in Butte, Montana, an extensive collection of antique clocks and two antique telephones which have been restored and are now in use. Each of their three bedrooms contains a magnificent Victorian bedroom set.

Some of the bedroom furniture was acquired piece by piece, but like the mantel and its unusual five-bevel mirror in the master bedroom, the detailing of the pieces is so exact it appears to be from the same set.

Both the Glovers have worked hard to tastefully furnish and restore their house. One of their most interesting projects involved building a downstairs bathroom which both considered a necessity. Once they decided to add the bathroom onto the rear of the house, Geoffrey put up a framework and began working on the plumbing. Then he "found" some stained glass windows, so he had to alter his plans and the plumbing to accomodate the windows. Their next problem was finding some suitable material to cover the walls and ceiling.

Since they wanted a Victorian bathroom, they used tin ceiling tile 20

Interior rooms of the Charles Bell Home (as restored by Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Glover, the present owners), at 68 G Street, Salt Lake City.

Photographer: Robert D. Welch

(continued on page 22)

How Hilda Happened Upon Her Home (continued from page 20)

which Geoffrey salvaged from an old grocery store. He put the tile halfway up the walls and on the ceiling and put wallpaper on the rest of the walls. Once the interior was complete it was fitted with an oak toilet tank and seat, a standing sink with brass fixtures, an oak medicine cabinet, and a claw foot bathtub. While finishing the exterior of the bathroom addition, Geoffrey ran into some complications. The back of the house was made of a thin tongue and groove boarding which Geoffrey could not locate. He waited three and a half months before he could finish the exterior with a similar type of boarding.

Then he waited until he found a suitable trim to go around the door.

"On this type of remodeling," says Geoffrey, "you've got to be patient until you find the right materials to do the job."

In the kitchen the Glovers also did some extensive remodeling. What is now the work area, or as Hilda calls it, the scullery, was an old back porch.

When they moved into the house the appliances and sink were located in what is now a dining area that they call the kitchen. Geoffrey covered the porch ceiling with insulation, then sheetrock, and then covered part of the ceiling with what appears to be planks of barn wood but is actually part of the old fence which surrounded the house.

They had to replaster the sheetrock in the kitchen and scullery and have the walls covered with a canvas-backed

paper to help strengthen them. When they ripped out the kitchen cabinets in the dining area they found an old window behind them. Geoffrey enlarged the window opening to allow for a view from the kitchen into the scullery. They also laid brick floors in the scullery and kitchen. First Geoffrey strengthened the floors by putting beams in the basement to reinforce the original floor. Then he laid brick on top of their old linoleum floor. The brick was obtained from the demolition of the Sumner School, and, Geoffrey adds, "It didn't cost a penny." The bricks in the kitchen were laid in a herringbone pattern while the scullery bricks appear to be in a simple geometric pattern. Although they used the same type of bricks on both floors, those in the kitchen were polyurethaned soon after they were laid and are a rich reddish color. The kitchen floor was allowed to wear before they applied the polyurethane, so the two floors have a pleasantly contrasting appearance. Their only concession to modernity was base cabinets with a formica work surface, but says Hilda, "We didn't put in overhead cabinets. We thought that they would look too modern."

One of Hilda's major projects has been to strip the dark red stain off the staircase and woodwork downstairs.

The staircase has a unique landing midway up with a little stair that goes back down into the kitchen. It took Hilda many gallons of paint stripper, a lot of patience, and three months to finally remove the stain from the staircase. Stripping the stain off the glass wall between the front hall and the living room was another challenge.

First they stripped the 202 panes of glass with paint stripper. "After that," explains Geoffrey, "we still weren't satisfied because the old Victorian red stain had soaked right into the wood.

So we went around the bleached 202 panes of glass." Using a wood bleach, they ran into trouble because they did not realize the bleach would eat into the glass. Says Geoffrey, "It took us longer to clean the glass than it took us to clean the windows. We spent hours with razor blades, scratching that bleach off the glass." They finished the stripped wood with Danish oil. They have stripped most of the woodwork downstairs but have decided to leave paint on the trim upstairs because, explains Hilda, "It's not Victorian style to have stripped wood. If s really Victorian to be painted."

The Glovers have also undertaken a number of other major projects like rewiring and replumbing the house and renovating their basement, which was, according to Geoffrey, "a filthy mess." What Geoffrey found in his basement is probably the secret desire of every old house owner, a hidden room that had been boarded up for over 80 years. He was pulling up some boards in a corner of the basement and discovered a space that was filled with sawdust. As he pulled the boards off, Geoffrey was excited at the prospect of finding "a ghost, a skeleton, or something like that." As he tore what was obviously a partition down he found an old staircase which led to a very small room. In the room he discovered an 1896 newspaper, a mineral water bottle, a paper sack, and a piece of gold trim nailed to the wall with an 18 penny nail.

The Glovers are not speculating as to the purpose of the secret room. To them it's just one more reason their house is so special.

22

i IB

'1 Lt"

T

23

he kitchen is the most frequently and extensively remodeled room in the house. Wear and tear, evolving equipment, and changing tastes have subjected it to repeated modifications.

In the restoration of an older home, the challenge with the kitchen is not how to do it, but rather what to do. An authentic period parlor may be quite livable, but the kitchen continues as working space where few of us would give up the conveniences of modern appliances. The following brief history of kitchens should assure you that the authentic restoration of that room is not only impractical, but probably impossible. The realizable alternative is compatible adaptation — a kitchen that pleases its users and feels right with the rest of the house.

In the Victorian urban home, the kitchen was spare and a bit haphazard.

The Victorian kitchen began with an empty room, little different from any other room, except, perhaps, for its less desirable location at the rear of the home. Like other rooms it had a coal or wood stove, although this one was a cookstove. A freestanding cupboard or cabinet, rows of hooks and shallow open shelves, utensils and a few gadgets powered by elbow grease, a table used as a work surface, and a dining area for the servants, not the family, completed the kitchen. The floor was likely to be oiled pine, the walls cream-painted plaster, perhaps with varnished wainscoting. Those of limited means could afford no more.

The more affluent would add an icebox and a pantry but saw no need for more.

The lady of the house would not be using it — servants were available to those of even very modest means. And in the homes without "help" the cult of the lady — gracious and at leisure — exerted its influence, requiring desperately hard work to maintain appearances. In either case, the kitchen was backstage; improving it or prettifying it would have seemed absurd. It was after all, only a place where women worked.

Two major social developments began to transform this drab, cheerless workplace. One was the agitation of a diverse group of reformers who began to argue in the mid-nineteenth century for improvements in women's lot.

Some argued for placing higher value on women's work and improving her workspace. In 1869 Harriet Beecher Stowe and her sister Catherine published The American Woman's Home, a comprehensive guide for wives and mothers. The sisters urged that kitchens be made cheerful, efficient, and hygienic. Undraped windows for light, air and cleanliness; convenient bins and drawers; tiled floors; and the

Turn of the century opera singer Emma Lucy Gates Bowen "working" in her kitchen. (Photo: Utah State Historical Society Photo Archives)

Restoration and the Working Kitchen

by Henry Whiteside and Kathryn L. MacKay generous use of washable, sanitary enamel were among their recommendations. They and their successors urged the systematizing of kitchen work as part of an effort to make good housekeeping techniques accessible to all.

Toward the end of the nineteenth century occurred the second development which made an efficient, attractive kitchen a more pressing concern to the lady of the house. It became increasingly hard to get "good help." The immigrant flow crested at over a million a year early in this century before the world war reduced it to a trickle. But even in the 1890s, the Bridgettes and Sonias were finding factory wages and the comparative freedom of 12-hour days preferable to domestic service. More women worked, although middle-class women could still look forward to an extended

period at home in the kitchen, certainly after marriage ended a stint as a clerk or teacher.

Modest affluence allowed improvements in the servantless kitchen; pursuing the art and science of homemaking in lieu of wage work required it. In a 1895 Ladies Home Journal article describing the "Ideal Kitchen," the author correctly predicted that the kitchen of the future would be cleaner, trimmer and more efficient — combining the tile and glazed brick and stone of the traditional European kitchen with tin, aluminum, linoleum and enamel.

By the 1920s this trimmer, more efficient kitchen had begun to arrive.

Specially designed freestanding kitchen cabinet units, prince among them the Hoosiers, offered compact (continued on page36)

T

he Avenues District, a distinctive neighborhood of Salt Lake City, is now being researched by the Utah State Historical Society for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. It is a residential area characterized by small blocks, Victorian and Bungalow style homes, and harmonious streetscapes. Among the many elements that contribute to the harmony of the streets are ornate iron fences along the sidewalks. Over one hundred of them are scattered throughout the Avenues, in a host of Victorian designs.

While iron fences are an important characteristic of the Avenues, they are not found only in that area. The fences are part of a widespread Victorian fondness for lavish ornament. The development of mass produced iron casting techniques in the late nineteenth-century made decorative iron work, formerly a prestige symbol

of the wealthy, available to middle-class home owners. By the early 1900s iron fences were found in almost every city and town in the nation.

The fences, though commonly referred to as "wrought" iron, are not made of metal handwrought by blacksmiths like the handcrafted estate fences they emulate, according to researcher Elaine Freed writing in Americana Magazine and The Old House Journal. "Nineteenth Century iron fencing followed a common structural pattern throughout the country." Two or three "horizontal bars â&#x20AC;&#x201D; channel bars open from the underside â&#x20AC;&#x201D; supported vertical pickets." These vertical rods, about one-half inch in diameter, were made of malleable iron that could be bent or twisted cold without breaking. Sections of fence were bolted to line posts or elaborate corner and gate posts which were

anchored in the ground with braces on stone or iron footings. Most fences were thirty-six inches high, a scale adapted from the wooden picket fence which the iron fences supplanted in popularity.

The tops of the pickets, posts, and gates were embellished with cast iron ornament. Descended from sharp, pointed picket heads that had discouraged intruders from climbing over the tall fences around estates, the decorative cast pieces were available in a wide variety of designs. Among those seen in the Avenues are fleur de lis, crosses, leaf-and-berry forms, and a variety of spearlike designs.

"Cast iron could be reproduced in any form for which a mold could be prepared," says Freed. In addition to cast picketheads and post tops, intricate cast iron and cold-formed steel scrollwork designs are found between pickets and atop gates. The

Cast Iron Fences in the Avenues

by Thomas W. Hanchett

"mix-or-match" nature of interchangeable ornament, gate posts, and picket arrangement meant an almost infinite number of designs could be created. At this writing, no two fences exactly alike have been found in the Avenues.

From the late 1880s through the 1910s several fence companies served Utah. Names included the Salt Lake Ornamental Iron Works, the J.P. Fowler Co., and the Silver Bros.

Foundry, the last being the firm that made the iron fence around Brigham Young's Beehive House in 1884. Some sold fences produced elsewhere in the country, such as L. Zitzman of Ogden who advertised as sole agent for the Champion Iron Co., Keton, Ohio, in the early 1890s. Others were foundries that manufactured fences locally. Most companies shared similar designs, differentiated only by name plates on

gates or cast-in letters on posts.

The company that manufactured most of the identifiable fences in the Avenues was the Crager Wire and Iron Works of Salt Lake City. Its founder, Samuel E. Crager, was a Civil War veteran who learned ornamental iron manufacture in Wichita, Kansas, in the 1880s. He moved with his family to Ogden, Utah, about 1890 "in answer to an advertisement of a man who wished to sell half interest in a wire hoop and bustle manufactory for fifty dollars."

According to a 1919 sketch of the company published in Warrum's History of Utah, Crager "invested the required fifty dollars and the next morning awoke to find that his partner had left in the night and that he was sole possessor of the business. He learned too that the articles hitherto manufactured were rapidly going out of s t y l e . . . "

Samuel Crager turned the skirt hoop machinery to the production of woven wire screen and in 1892 moved his expanding company to Salt Lake City. The Crager Wire and Iron Works of Salt Lake City grew to be the major producer of iron fencing in the state, according to Dave Willie, president of the company today. Crager iron fences are found throughout Utah and in neighboring states. The company made fences into the 1920s when changing public taste brought an end to ornamental iron work production. The company is still in business, now located in Murray, Utah, making sand and gravel screens for mining companies.

Care of Ornamental Iron, on page 35.

hsmtaee house COUR

Fifth Annual Preservation Month Tour

Thomas Quayle House 355 Quince Street T ohn and Catherine Quayle emigrated from the Isle of Man in I 1840, bringing their four children to New York City and then to Utah in 1847. One of their sons, Thomas, got his start in business as a freighter, hauling merchandise to mining camps during the California Gold Rush; he continued this business upon his return to Utah in 1851. Thomas built this house c. 1885 as a wedding present for his daughter and her husband. The house is an outstanding example of "Carpenter's Gothic" architecture; originally on a site in downtown Salt Lake City, the house was moved to the Capitol Hill Historic District in 1975 to be restored as headquarters for the Utah Heritage Foundation.

tSSSSSSSSSSmS^d â&#x20AC;˘ Simon Bamberger Home 623 East First South uilt c. 1883 for Simon Bamberger, who served as Utah's fourth governor, this handsome three-story house features elements of Victorian and Greek Revival architecture in its design. In addition to his political activities, Governor Bamberger operated the Bamberger Railroad and established Lagoon Resort in Farmington, Utah. The house, a National Register site, has been recently renovated as offices after a period as a dilapidated boarding house.

B

ucah fosRYtaee fcundaaan

Pedar Franklin Home 1116 East South Temple

John Harris Picknell Home 1216 First Avenue

F

ranklin arrived in Utah, age 26, as an emigrant from Norway in 1873 and went to work at the Flagstaff Mine in Little Cottonwood Canyon. By 1900 he had made enough of a fortune tobuild a two-story brick house here for $2,500. In 1910, the house was purchased by Frederick C. Richmond and, in 1925, with architect Frank W. Moore, he remodeled the house considerably; the two-story portico and Doric columns were added at this time. Since 1949, the house has been beautifully maintained by Mrs. C. E. Wright.

T

Grant-Walker Home 1205 East South Temple his is one of the best examples of Shingle Style architecture in Utah. Built in 1900 for Robert D. Grant, a mining man, the house was puchased in 1905 by Joseph R. Walker, Jr., who worked with his father (one of the founders of Walker Bros.

Bank) in the management of the bank and other business interests. The Walkers lived in the house until 1935. In 1966 the house was acquired by Phil Hansen, who completely restored the house and has furnished it with fine antiques.

A. Blair Richardson Home 1418 Arlington Drive

T

he east end of the Avenues was settled in the 1860s, when residents of Main Street (who lived up-wind) petitioned to have the slaughterhouses moved awayfromthe city; the east Avenues area, settled by the butchers and their families, was known as Burcherville. John Harris Picknell purchased this lot on Fruit Street (the old name for First Avenue) in 1867 and built this adobe pioneer vernacular house, now one of the oldest in the area. It is now owned by Genevieve Atwood.

A

fter years as a sort of no-man's-land between the federal troops at Fort Douglas and city residents, this area was finally claimed by a butcher, Charles Popper. Popper sold his land in 1890 to "the late Judge Colborn," who laid out the tract known as Popperton Place and sold lots for building. Colborn interested Samuel Newhouse in investing in the development, and the name was changed to Bonneville-on-the-Hill; the company was later controlled by the James A. Hogle family.

This house, built for Mr. and Mrs. Richardson in 1928, is a handsome example of the development of Popperton Place.

Thomas G o o d m a n H o m e 123 JStreet ituated on the famous "Safeway block," this was one of the houses slated to be demolished for a shopping center development; Avenues residents successfully fought that plan and the houses were subsequently sold individually for renovation. Thomas Goodman, who emigrated from England in 1828, came to Utah in 1866 and built this adobe vernacular house. Among the subsequent owners of the house was a counterfeiter who kept his printing press in the basement. Now owned by Eileen Kamsler, the house has been beautifully and imaginatively restored.

James G l e n d i n n i n g H o u s e 617 East South Temple lthough the exact construction date and architect of this house" are unknown, the house was featured in S. W. Darke's directory of distinguished residences in 1887 as the -home of Mayor and Mrs. James Glendinning. Glendinning was mayor of the city during the time that Utah finally achieved statehood. Due to numerous additions, the house is an amalgam of Victorian, Gothic, Colonial, and Georgian architectural elements. The house was slated to be demolished for a high-rise condominium when, in 1975, the State Legislature purchased it as the permanent home for the Utah Arts Council. The interior renovation has been directed by Werner Weixler.

Charles Bell H o m e 68 G Street his two-story Victorian home shows Shingle Style influences, and the decorative porch woodwork is still intact. The house was built in 1888 for Charles Bell, a commercial traveler, and his wife, Minnie Priscilla. The present owners, Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Glover, have painstakingly restored the elaborate interior woodwork, modernized the kitchen compatibly with the house, and have furnished the interior with fine antiques.

Gratia Flanders H o m e 1059 East South Temple two-story brick "box-style" house typical of the period, it was built by Gratia Flanders, a piano teacher, in 1895. In 1922 the house was purchased by Samuel M. Taylor, who succeeded his father, Joseph E. Taylor, in a successful undertaking business. After 30 years as a rest home, the house was purchased in 1978 by Steven K. Ellsworth, who has restored the interior and furnished it with antiques. (The carriage block by the front curb, with the name Beeman, was inadvertently put in the wrong place; the Beemans lived two houses down the street, but the block was never moved.)

S

T

A

A

Utah Heritage Foundation Annual Tour Map

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Thomas Quayle House Denver and Rio Grande Railway Depot Charles Bell Home James Glendinning Home Simon Bamberger Home 11.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Thomas Goodman Home Gratia Flanders Home Pedar Franklin Home Grant-Walker Home John Harris Picknell Home

A. Blair Richardson Home

IHIJ

1

Denver and Rio Grande Railway Depot 300 South and Rio Grande symbol of the by-gone era when railroad transportation was the best form of overland travel available, the depot was designed by Henry S. Schlacs of Chicago and built during 1908-1910. The spacious main waiting roomâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;58 feet in height â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is lighted by three immense arched windows of green opalescent glass. The depot, purchased last year by the state, will become the home of the Utah State Historical Society and of the new ethnic cultures museum planned by the Peoples of Utah Foundation.

A

Stencils

by Phillip Neuberg

A

nybody who has lived in an old home has undoubtedly peeled off a coat or two of cracked or flaking paint.

Sometimes, the colors of these newly exposed surfaces, covered by unassuming whites and eggshells, speak of great vitality and contrast.

Paint tests and scrapings provide the most accurate record for those wishing to restore a room to its period colors. Patience and neatness rather than specialized skills will usually enable the beginner to successfully discover the original colors. Most professional painters will agree that while there are a number of desirable tools and solvents to be employed, the process of paint removal is dependent upon the particular task at hand.

Before running through some tips on the process, let's go over some facts related to late nineteenth-century decorating.

Research by experts has dispelled many once-held myths about the sobriety of our Victorian ancestors.

Victorians were free in their use of bold and sometimes loud colors. Deep mauves, rich ochres, and royal blues were commonly used on interior plaster walls. Certainly, however, the more modest homes would be limited to plain but neatly whitewashed walls.

At the turn of the century, painters were known to use a plaster covering called calcimite. Calcimite's advantage over standard whitewash was that it could be wiped off with a sponge whenever dirt became excessive. Then a new coat would be applied and the process repeated. The beauty was that there was no thick paint buildup of layer upon layer to obscure the detail of the woodwork or molded ceiling medallions. Perhaps most importantly, calcimite was not expensive.

In the absence of wallpaper, which was often unavailable or unaffordable in the Utah Territory, drab walls and ceilings were enlivened by the art of stenciled decorations. Stenciling is a very old form of interior decoration in the United States, one used in both high style and vernacular designs.

Stencils, in their simplest form, would be made of a carved wooden block and be used in a fashion similar to a block

29

print or stamp, leaving the reverse impression on the surface to which they were applied. This type of impression would be repeated so as to form a border along the tops of walls or around openings. Wooden block stenciling was common to the eighteenth century and early nineteenth century and in the more rural pioneer settlements of the American West.

By the end of the century many of the stencils we know of today were used regularly by most painters. The stencils were made of an impervious material, commonly waxed cardboard or woven cloth, perforated with a design through which paint was forced onto a surface. After repeated use the rigidity of the cardboard or cloth would be lost and a new stencil would be used. Patterns varied substantially; some were simple, like the fleur de lis

f"**J%

motif. Others employed more than one pattern, superimposed upon one another to create a final design of several colors. The stencil patterns recreated in the Kahn House parlor at 678 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, were made from eight different stencil patterns. Often stencil designs were custom cut for the particular room's desired effect, such as those created by architect Louis Sullivan for the Dooly Block in downtown Salt Lake City.

THE PROCESS Where to Scrape Choosing an area to begin scraping requires a bit more care than one might first expect. Unlevel surfaces, resulting from decades of paint and wallpaper buildup, are often replastered. More recently, rough walls have often been covered with a smooth layer of sheet

rock. As a general rule, areas closest to the windows, doors and other openings are among the first areas to be replastered or altered due to water damage and vulnerability to abuse. It should also be remembered that these same surfaces of walls, surrounding doors, and windows were often adorned with thin stenciled bans.

For these reasons one must be careful to choose an area for testing that most clearly appears unaltered. Often the uneven surface areas which exhibit air bubbles or visible cracks are good places to start since the most recent layers of paint can easily be removed without chemical solvents.

The surface behind an old steam radiator is a good area to sample for several reasons. Hard-to-get-to and out-of-sight places are understandably ignored when the room is repainted.

There is likely to be less paint accumulation here. Secondly, the dry hot air helps make these layers of paint more brittle; thus, they are easily pried Typical stencil patterns.

off, frequently with the aid of a sharp scraper and no solvent at all.

A final word about where to scrape. Choose a few areas. Stencil patterns, while repetitive, often do change through subtle transitions.

Make sure, therefore, to test a large enough area. Don't stop scraping until you see that the pattern repeats itself more than once in its entirety.

How to Scrape There is no "correct method" of scraping paint. There are nonetheless (continued on page 30)

(continued from page 29)

Stencils

several essential supplies and tools. A good paint scraper with an interchangeable single-edge blade can be purchased from any local hardware dealer. Several companies manufacture inexpensive putty knives, another basic tool. The best kind are about one inch wide. More than a one-and-a-half inch blade is unwieldy.

For solvent, use a commercial paint stripper. Don't skimp on the quantity you buy. There is nothing more frustrating than being unable to proceed just as you are able to make out a distinguishable pattern.

Have a sponge, several rags, some brown paper towels, and a bucket of water on hand. A small amount of paint remover is helpful in wiping off slimy sludge that builds up on the tools and for cleaning your hands. In poorly or dimly lit areas a high-intensity lamp is a great asset.

Once an area has been chosen, the method employed in the scraping can vary. Any method requires more patience than any kind of "skill."

Apply the paint stripper with a soft bristle brush, starting with a small patch no more than five or six inches square. The longer the solvent is left on, the more paint it will cut through, within limits. Wait as long as five minutes after the first application of solvent. Then with a very thin paint scraper or a razor blade, firmly pry off the softened layers of paint, being careful to apply pressure evenly throughout each stroke. Scrape only in one direction. After scraping through each soft, mushy, pasty strip be sure to wipe the scraper clean. Sometimes it helps to dip a rag in paint thinner to use to wipe the paint off the scraper.

About three coats are removed with each application of solvent. Wait until the remover has chemically dissolved the top coats before beginning your scraping. In different temperatures and climatic conditions,

the length of time will vary. The chemical dissolution of the paint results in ripples and bubbles.

Knowing this, you can remove a single coat at a time by not waiting very long after application. This becomes particularly useful to you if you faintly discern some type of darker pattern beneath the uncovered paint coat.

Most likely it is a stencil motif.

Employing the above process will not guarantee undamaged stencils.

Judge the necessary pressure to apply to the scraper by trial and error. Don't be too concerned if small portions of the stencil pattern are damaged in the uncovering process. They can easily be restored or replicated.

Look at your work from a distance.

For larger patterns especially, certain trends will become more apparent.

Scrape using this process until you uncover an area large enough to show where and how the pattern repeats itself. Transitions are often subtle.

Again, don't be in a hurry. It took three weeks to uncover a stencil pattern on the ceiling of the Auditorium Building dining room in Chicago. That stencil was a custom designed one by architect Louis Sullivan, composed of a lacy gold leaf arabesque. Gold leaf was not at all uncommon to the nineteenth-century stencil schemes in Utah. It was applied onto a sizing of a burnt sienna color.

The gold leaf was therefore actually raised from the surface of the background paint. For the restorationist this presents many difficulties. Extra concern must be taken when scraping not to scrape off the stencil itself, for the fine gold granules will bond well to the subsequent layer of paint. You can tell the gold leaf from plain gold paint (made of bronze) because of its brilliancy. The gold paint substitute will darken considerably over a few years.

Replicating or Restoring

Once you've done all the scraping and uncovering, you must decide whether to restore or replicate. While the decision will depend largely on personal preferences, there are some thoughts to keep in mind.

Restoration involves time, money, and the employment of a professional.

The benefits are many. First, it is an exciting learning experience. The original fabric is maintained, which is why such an approach would be used by museums or historic sites requiring authenticity. Colors can be matched exactly by use of the Munsell Color Chart Samples. The Munsell Color Chart provides a universal approach to color coding. The samples are quite expensive and may be purchased from the Munsell Corporation, Baltimore, Maryland. Even in a private home such an approach may be well suited to a single room or decorative motif,

especially if a minimum amount of damage has been done during the uncovering process.

When the stencils have been damaged by scraping or when the size of the room would physically or economically prohibit one from scraping all of the walls, reproduction of the stencil pattern is often a suitable and favored alternative.

One approach to reproduction can be both inexpensive and personally rewarding. Take a piece of 1000 H architectural drafting paper or some other comparable high-quality tracing paper, available at artists' supply stores. Cut it larger than the area to be traced. Then tape it over the stencil pattern with masking tape. Using a soft lead pencil (HB-2H), merely trace the stencil pattern as closely as you can. For complex stencils which appear to have been made from more than one pattern, make separate tracings of each major motif.

At this point you can remove the tracings and place them over a sheet of graph paper. Superimpose the tracing so that its vertical and horizontal elements line up with the grid. Then place another piece of 1000 H tracing paper over this first wall tracing. Jockey the three pieces around until you are satisfied with the arrangement. With drafting tools you can mechanically retrace the stencil pattern taking care to remove irregularities or discrepancies in spacing, thickness, etc. of the lines.

The second sheet of 1000 H will then have a reproducable pattern which can be transferred.

The last step is to take the pattern to a painter who is experienced with stenciling. Choose the color you want and simply have the pattern restenciled on to your walls or ceiling.

Another approach particularly suitable to larger buildings would be to have the stencils reproduced by silkscreen on to a wallpaper. Such an approach has been used to restore rooms in various buildings and museums.

30

Inspecting the Old House A Guide for Buyers and Owners

R

estoring an old house can be one of the most creative and exciting experiences of your life. But a pre-1914 house can also be a trap for the unwary. Behind the charming facade may lurk a host of mechanical and structural faults that will tax your patience and empty your bank account.

The most important part of buying an old house is knowing what you are getting into. Just about any flaw can be corrected — if you are willing to invest enough time and money. What is required is a sober appraisal of the physical deformities of your favorite old house — and a balancing of these factors against your reserves of cash and energy.

Everyone can identify those superficial aspects of an old house that attract (or repel) you. This inspection checklist is designed to help you focus on some of the more mundane (but crucial!) physical factors before you get totally carried away by the beautiful window and that lovely fireplace.

This guide is not designed to take the place of an evaluation by a professional house inspector. Getting the opinion of a reputable professional will usually cost between $50 and $150, and it is a sound investment when you are seriously considering a purchase. This checklist will, however, help you eliminate from consideration those houses that are in too bad a condition for your budget to handle.

If you already own an old house, use this checklist as a guide for an annual check-up. Thorough inspections at regular intervals will help you catch little problems before they become big ones.

Buying an old house is like acquiring a spouse. And like all long-term relationships, it should be entered into with your eyes wide open.

Come Prepared When setting out on an old-house inspection, you should have with you: flashlight, small magnet, plumbline (string with small weight will do), penknife, and an inspection checklist.

Wear old clothes so you can closely inspect important places like the cellar and underneath porches.

The Roof A sound, tight roof is the first line of defense against the number one enemy of an old house: water. If the roof is in bad shape, you should plan on repairing — or replacing — it right away.

1. Type of roof on house (arranged in approximate order of longevity): Slate (1) Copper (2) Ceramic Tile (3) Tar & Gravel (4) Asbestos Tile (5) Wood Shakes (6) Wood Shingles (7) Galvanized Steel (8) Asphalt Shingles (9) Roll Roofing (10) Yes No 2. Pitched Roof: Any sign of missing, G G broken or warped shingles or tiles? (While this could mean roof will have to be replaced soon, often all that is needed is to treat the shingles (continued on page 38)

Interior Design in the Restoration of Historic Homes

by Elizabeth E. Crowder

R

estoration and renovation of old homes has become very popular of late. This is partly the result of high costs of home building but is also a reflection of a general dissatisfaction with present-day workmanship, materials and even architectural styles.

The emotional and aesthetic satisfaction of buying and re-doing an historic home is well worth the work and time involved.

Twenty years ago, restoration was a laborious effort, as experts in the field were nonexistent. Unless he spent hours researching a project the average person did not know where to begin.

Today re-doing an historic home is an exciting adventure because there is so much help available, including interior designers.

The interiors of old homes often present a problem for new owners who are concerned about maintaining the integrity of the homes while at the same time often not wanting to live within the restrictions of what they feel will give their home a "museum-like" quality.

The answer, of course, is adapting their home or commercial space to present-day needs while at the same time maintaining the flavor of the past.

The many, many documentary prints available in wallpaper, fabric, furniture and accessories, make this easily obtainable. The advice of a professional designer will make wading through the myriad of products available much easier. It is part of the designer's job to keep current on all new items manufactured and to be cognizant of period styles and the use of materials adapted to the present day.

Many documentary prints have been taken from stencils used in 200-year-old homes found in the southern and eastern parts of the United States, where a wealth of history and culture has afforded the designer accessibility to the past. The documentary fabrics and wallpapers available, along with the adaptations, are enough to boggle the mind. These items are beautiful in that they possess lasting quality; they have stood the test of time and are current, as lasting design always is.

The fine collections of furniture reproductions available today are as striking as the originals and are just as lasting. They will someday be collector's items.

As an owner of an historic home, you may want to furnish your home with antiques, but financially this may not be possible. It is important to check out the fine reproductions that are available and the "second-hand" stores. Many treasures are passed over

Chinese red lacquered wainscoting enhances the traditional feeling of the Daniel Bertnan diningroom.

every day simply because people lack the knowledge of good design and quality.

The reproduction does not necessarily have to fit the "exact" period but rather should capture the flavor and feeling of the times. Most of all it should be something the owner can live with comfortably.

Stay away from fads when selecting any home furnishings.

Choose items of lasting quality and value that you love. Many products on the market are here today and gone

tomorrow. Ten years hence they will no longer be in style.

An example of "faddism" is the Spanish or Mediterranean "style."

Never pure in design and mass-produced with plastic tops, this "style" is no longer "in" and now dates a home. Regardless of how persuasive the furniture salesman may be, do yourself a favor and complete the necessary research or consult with a designer to find lasting quality and design.

The use of shutters accents the architectural detail and allows the beveled glass to be exposed in the Keith-Brown Mansion on South Temple.

32

Livingroom -Daniel Berman Home

Although once isolated by the Rocky Mountains and far from the marketing centers of New York and San Francisco, Salt Lake City has managed to set an example in fine design work, in both exterior and

interior restoration. The Keith-Brown Mansion on South Temple, the Emanuel Kahn Home, and the Daniel Berman Home are just a smattering of exciting restoration and interior design, work being done.

Kitchen -Daniel Berman Home, (continued on page 34)

Interior Design in the Restoration of Older Homes

Staircase and stained glass window in the Keith-Brown Mansion.

(continued from page 33)

Beveled glass in the Keith-Brown Mansion

The Keith-Brown Mansion has uniquely combined the traditional with the new. The main house is very traditional, emphasizing the magnificent cherrywood in the octagonal entry and utilizing period adaptations of Thomas Jefferson chairs, Hepplewhite tables, and Sheraton pieces. The old carriage house has been turned into a truly contemporary architectural office space, still utilizing the old beamed ceilings and windows, resulting in an interesting contrast that works beautifully.

The Emanuel Kahn home affords a fine example of stenciling that has been reproduced meticulously after removing eight layers of wallpaper in order to find the original pattern and color.

The Daniel Berman Home, which is part of the fabric of the South Temple Historic District, serves as an excellent example of using fine antique pieces that are much older than the actual house but still in tune with the feeling that the house conveys. The antique Chippendale chairs and table in the dining room along with the use of Chinese red, lacquered wainscoting, immediately transports one's imagination back 250 years. In the living room the Bermans have used shutters to accent the floor-to-ceiling French doors. The architectural features throughout the home have been accented through the use of contrasting paint on the walls and woodwork.

A new parquet floor has been installed in the living room, dining room and entryway, and the use of Chinese area rugs gives a total feeling of a Georgian home that was once very popular on the East Coast of the United

States.

The kitchen and master bedroom, although very much up-to-date, reflect the traditions of the past and the charm and warmth only the mind's memories can give.

Restoration need not be confined to homes, as many people in Salt Lake City are finding old condemned buildings within an historic district, re-doing them, and turning them into some of the finest office space and restaurants in Salt Lake.

An example of quality office space is to be found in the New York Hotel, once a condemned building. Although not yet in an historic district, the restoration is superb. The use of light, space, and imagination has created an ambiance not often found in this fair city.

Yes, there are exciting things to be found in the Wasatch Front area and throughout the whole state of Utah â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from the little rock house to the clapboard house that may be hiding its beauty under asbestos siding to the

large abandoned house no one notices any more.

Keep your eyes open; these treasures abound everywhere. Look at the lentils, dormers, roof lines, and doors. This will give you the first hint of the structure's age and also the quality and craftmanship that went into this sleeping beauty.

Although the homes cited in this article are necessarily beyond the average homeowner's means, one does not have to buy a mansion to become caught up in restoration. The Neighborhood Housing Service located at 868 East 900 South in Salt Lake City is proving this daily. This able organization, directed by David Nimkin, acts as a liaison between the low- to middle-income home owner, the city, the bank, and the craftsmanâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; offering advice on restoration, quality craftsmanship, and design.

Exterior and interior restoration is fun, rewarding, and exciting and need not necessarily be expensive.

34

Care and Repair of Ornamental Iron

O

35

rnamental ironwork can be one of the most attractive features of an old houseâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but it can be rusted by the elements. From time and neglect it can become encrusted with scale and rustâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or else smothered with layer upon layer of paint that obscures the original detail.

Iron that is badly rusted should be thoroughly de-scaled before painting.

This can be done with putty knife, wire brush and emery paper. Somewhat faster is a wire cup-brush attached to a power drill. In really bad cases you might want to use a commercial rust remover like naval jelly.

First paint coat applied should be a good quality metal primer like Rust-Oleum. If the final coat will be black, use gray primer rather than the red lead, as gray will be easier to cover.

Finish coat can be any good quality exterior trim paint; a high-gloss enamel holds up better than flat.

If the ironwork is in a highly visible area and covered with many layers of paint, you should consider stripping before repainting. It's amazing how much better ironwork looks when the original sharp lines are restored. Any commercial paint remover will workâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or you can use a torch to burn the paint off. A torch can be very satisfactory for this operation because, unlike wood, you don't have to worry about setting the iron on fire.

When applying fresh paint over old paint, be sure to strip out and prime any rust spots. Rust can spread under a fresh coat of paint and cause premature failure of the new paint film.

If you have a particularly nice piece of iron and wish to preserve its natural beauty, you can coat the surface with wax every three months or so. But before waxing, remove all traces of rust with emery p a p e r . . . with a few drops of turpentine if the rust is heavy. Wax thoroughly with a liquid floor wax, or beeswax dissolved in a little turpentine. After the wax has set for about 15 min., buff lightly with a soft cloth. If exposed to continual wear (such as a handrail) or harsh weather, re-waxing may be needed more frequently than every three months.

Though requiring continual maintenance, this process will impart a natural beauty that no paint or plastic coating can match.

To repair ironwork is not too difficult. Any ironworker who is competent with a welder can handle most jobs. Most repairs consist of straightening bent pieces and strengthening those joints attacked by rust. Ends of railings and bars built into masonry can be tipped with bronze or

~*& sleeved with copper to avoid further rust damage.

Ironwork that is hollow due to being cast in several pieces (such as a heavy balustrade) frequently will have pieces broken off. If the broken piece is at hand, it can be welded back in place.

If lost, the hole should be plugged with portland cement mortar and painted in order to keep water out. Fencing that has been removed from its original site is often in bad s h a p e . . . especially the footings. Since proper mounting is essential, if the original braced footings cannot be used, a similar support should be welded to the posts and then sunk in concrete to a depth of two to three feet.

Fortunately, replacing missing iron parts is not an impossible task, as iron working is still an active craft.

Expense will vary widely. Wrought iron is relatively easy and inexpensive to fabricate. Reproducing a cast iron part is more expensive because a foundry has to make a pattern, a mold and then the casting. A number of companies offer off-the-shelf ornamental iron, but most is of the wrought scrollwork variety. Two companies that stock a broad range of ironwork are: Lawler Machine & Foundry, 760 North44th St., Birmingham, Ala. 35212; and Tennessee Fabricating Co., 2366 Prospect, Memphis, Tennessee 38106.

Reprinted with permission from The Old House Journal, Vol. 2, No. 12, December, 1974.

Restoration and the Working Kitchen (continued from page 23)

This kitchen c. 1906, remodeled by James Mahood of Seventh Avenue, is an example of compatible use of modern convenience appliances with older artifacts and space.

This kitchen was remodeled in 1977 by Kathy and Greg Wacker of Third Avenue. Beehive Glass created the stained glass window to cover a gaping hole. The radiator came with the house.

This kitchen is an on-going project for Gayle and Lee Kapaloski of Fifth Avenue. They found many of the above picture artifacts in this 1890s house. (Photographer: Robert D. Welch)

convenience for the smaller, urban kitchen. A row of assorted units, in white or French gray, could be positioned along a wall, a short step away from the built-in cabinet and counters preferred by the smart homemaker in the late 1920s. Electric and gas ranges drove out wood, coal, and oil or tolerated them briefly in combination ranges meant to wean the frugal or cautious. Linoleum had been considerably improved since its invention in the late 1880s. In pre-cut "rugs" it was increasingly popular and within the means of the average homeowner. Wall to wall installations began to appear, too. Small appliances — toasters, percolators, mixers, and waffle irons — replaced their primitive predecessors. A conversion kit adapted the old icebox to clean, modern refrigeration and allowed it to emerge from back hall or pantry into the kitchen. In the late 1920s the first all-steel refrigerators hastened the disappearance of their cumbersome, wooden forerunners.

City dwellers found that, without servants, fewer steps to the table, in the morning at least, was a desirable thing.

The "breakfast nook" returned family meals to the kitchen — where most sensible farm families had stayed all along. And the breakfast nook breached the line between the utilitiarian kitchen and the decorated, public portion of the house. The nook was to be decorated, too. The motor car had made possible the suburb — "the best of country and city life" — and a house set apart by a grassy lawn. One generation safely removed from rural origins, it became possible to romanticize an idyll of wholesome country life — in this country or any other country that caught one's fancy.

Hollyhocks and frilled curtains at the breakfast nook window and charming wallpapers made possible the "quaint" kitchen, even if sensible cream and pale green enamel still dominated the working area of most kitchens.

The quaint kitchen jostled uneasily with the rising fascination with things "moderne" in the late 1920s and 1930s.

Art deco celebrated the materials and technologies of the twentieth century; glass, steel, porcelain, plastic, enamel and chrome all spoke of sophistication and affluence. Major appliances rounded their corners, grew sleaker, exhibited expanses of gleaming white porcelain, and blossomed with chrome and handsome black bakelite trim. A uniform rank of built-in cabinets and counters continued the trim lines of major appliances. The cupboards revealed clever built-in ironing boards, flour sifters, and breadboards. (continued)

36

(continued) Our present taste is often for the imagined warmth and informality of the farm kitchen: copper pots reflecting lamp or fire light, herbs hung in bunches to dry, solid crocks of flour and other staples, wood and brick, perhaps some stained glass. This kitchen draws on European kitchens, farm kitchens and colonial American kitchens rich in then undesired wood, innocent of expensive paint, and aided by a liberal dose of imagination. And why not? The efficient, hygienic kitchen of the Beecher sisters, the quaint kitchen of the 1920s, the sleak culinary laboratory of the 1930s and 1940s, and the open, family kitchen of the 1950s and 1960s pleased their owners and helped set the stage for the lives they wanted to live. There is no reason why warmth, informality, and tradition, real or imagined, should not be combined with the convenience of modern appliances.

Here, now, is some strategy for creating a compatible adaptation of the old kitchen. First, identify the materials, patterns, and colors for walls and floors appropriate for the period whose atmosphere you want to suggest. Remember that they will quite probably come from rooms other than the drab, working Victorian kitchen. A little prying and scraping under the sink and behind cabinets will tell you something about earlier colors and

materials. Weigh the ease of maintenance of contemporary reproductions of traditional materials.

Vinyl-base, scrubbable wallpapers will certainly be worthwhile. The choice of real or simulated materials will be determined by considerations of maintenance, ease of installation if you will do the work yourself, and cost.

Next, you may want to remove metal cabinets and counters. New doors or wood-graining, a common Victorian practice, may be a reasonable, cost-effective, halfway measure. If you remove the cabinets, new storage can be in furniture reassigned from other rooms â&#x20AC;&#x201D; sideboards, china cabinets, and chests.

If your cabinets are wood you may well keep them, refreshing them with new paint and hardware. They may be stripped, stained, and varnished, but remember that much cabinetry was originally painted, concealing mismatched grains and colors. Explore and experiment on the inside of a cabinet door.

Appliances may be set apart, concealed, or partially camouflaged.

Separation is in many ways the most satisfactory. Group major appliances in an efficient working area along one wall or in a corner where they will not meet the eye when entering or enjoying the kitchen's period area.

Louvred shutters or tip-up panels can conceal a work area for counter-top

appliances, such as the mixer, toaster, and blender. Least satisfactory, probably, is the attempt to disguise modern appliances. Some refrigerators, dishwashers, and the like, however, will accept front insert panels which can be covered with wood or fabric. Restored, adapted, or reproduced period appliances are a possibility for those willing to forego some convenience and pay a premium price.

Lighting fixtures require similar decisions. Kitchen fixtures were once graceless, gave less light than was needed, and were usually suspended from the center of the ceiling where they inevitably cast some work areas in the cook's shadow. A period fixture, reproduced or rescued from some other room of the house, will provide soft light for eating or atmospheric lighting. But give yourself the benefit of adequate, efficient, fluorescent lighting concealed under hanging cabinets, or on top of cupboards and behind valances for indirect lighting.

Handsome utensils, whether period or not, open storage in canisters, jars, or crocks, and a few period implements are finishing details that will suggest a kitchen of an earlier era.

Research the styles of your period, borrow liberally from other rooms to enrich the impoverished kitchen, and incorporate the efficient, modern kitchen that fits your needs.

\bur investment in quality craftsmanship If it can be done in wood, the master craftsmen at Builders Mill & Supply can do it. They do the kind of work that makes the difference between a good home and a truly fine home. The kind of work that will make you proud to show it to friends and neighbors. Best of all,

BUILDERS MILL & SUPPLY COMPANY

37

A. QMS

130 East 3900 South Salt Lake City, Utah 84107

PHONE (801) 266-8829

all, modern machines and advanced men to produce quality custom millwork to your specifications at moderate prices. We give you the look of having arrived, without paying too much for the trip. Find out more about what quality millwork can do to make your home an even better place in which to live.

Write, phone or come in for a free color brochure today.

Inspecting the Old House (continued from page 31) with graphite and lead. It can also mean that there is water damage inside.)

NOTE: Binoculars can give you a good close-up view if it is impossible to actually get up on the roof.

3. Is south exposure more worn out than • • others? (Check for uniformity.)

4. Asphalt shingles: Are the mineral • • granules getting thin and do edges of shingles look worn?

5. Asphalt shingles: Does roof look new • • but lumpy? (New roof may have been applied directly over old shingles. No way to tell what sins may have been covered over.)

6. Flat roof: Any sign of bubbles, • • separation or cracking in the asphalt or roofing felt? (Roofing should be flat and tight to roof; it shouldn't feel squishy under foot.)

7. Flashing around chimneys and • • valleys: Any sign of rusty, loose or missing flashing? (Flashing is the weakest part of any roof. Copper is the best flashing and will show a green patina.)

8. Chimneys: Is the masonry cracked or • • crumbling?

9. Do the old chimney flues have a tile • • lining? (If not, they could be a fire hazard in conjunction with woodburning fireplaces.)

10. Gutters: Are there any loose, rotted or • • missing gutters?

11. Does the ridge of the roof sag? (This • • could be normal settling that comes with age — or it could be caused by rotted rafters. Check further!)

12. Cornice: Is there badly peeling paint • • on the cornice—especially the underside? (This can be a sign of a roof leak that is spilling water into the cornice.)

Exterior Walls 1. Do exterior walls seem plumb? (You • • can check with a plumb line; a weighted string will do. (Out-of-plumb walls can be a sign of serious foundation problems.)

2. Sight along exterior walls. Any sign of • • major bulges? (This could signal major structural flaws.)

3. Do doors line up squarely in their • • frames? (Out-of-square doors can be another x sign of possible foundation trouble.)

NOTE: Almost all old houses settle in a haphazard manner.

So signs of sag are not necessarily a major drawback. But it does mean a thorough investigation should be made to find the root causes. Some sags require no remedy; others can be cured with a few extra support posts. Still others may require major foundation surgery.

4. Is decorative woodwork firmly • • attached to house and tightly caulked to prevent water penetration?

5. Is exterior paint fresh and in good • • condition?

6. If paint is not new, is it powdering and • • chalking to a dull powdery surface? (This is the way old paint should look.)

7. Is paint peeling, curling and • • blistering? (This could mean a serious water problem — either a leak or lack of sufficient vapor barrier in the wall.)

8. Are there open joints around door frames, window frames and trim? (These will have to be caulked.)

9. Are joints between dissimilar materials (e.g., wood and masonry) well protected with flashing or caulk?

10. Is putty around window glass sound and well painted?

11. Masonry Walls: Any signs of cracks?

(Horizontal cracks and hairline cracks in bricks are not a major problem; cracks that run vertically through bricks and mortar are more serious.)

12. Is mortar soft and crumbling; are bricks missing or loose? (Loose masonry is vulnerable to attack by water... and having a masonry wall repointed with fresh mortar is expensive.)

13. Has masonry been painted? (It will have to be re-painted about every five years, or else stripped — a major task.)

14. Have masonry surfaces been sand blasted? (Usually the brick face will be destroyed leaving only a rough texture, recessed from mortar joints.)

15. Stonework (especially sandstone): Any sign of spalling, cracking or crumbling of the stone? (This can be expensive to repair.)

16. Clapboards: Are many loose, cracked or missing? (This is an open invitation to water — and rot.)

17. Shingles: Are they thick and well nailed? (Thin, badly weathered shingles may have to be replaced.)

18. Do shingles have a natural finish?

(Natural finishes are easier to re-apply to shingles than is paint.)

• • • •

• • • •

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Termites and Rot 1. Termites: Any sign of veins of dirt on • • interior or exterior walls? (These are termite mud tunnels. Look for them on foundation, under porches, steps and on cellar walls.)

2. Does wood near the ground (both • • outside and inside) pass the "pen knife test?"

(Wood should be probed with penknife to test for soundness. Check areas such as cellar window frames, sills, floor beams and posts, porches and steps.)

NOTE: Unsound wood can be caused by either termites or rot. Rot can be arrested by shutting off the source of moisture.

Termites call for chemical warfare. If at all unsure about the cause of bad wood, call in the experts.

3. Is all exterior wood at least six to eight • • inches above the ground? (If not, this is an inviting target for termites and/or rot.)

4. Is there any vegetation close to the • • house? (Vegetation holds moisture in wood; be sure to check behind it for rot.)

5. Any signs of rot in cornice or attic • • beams? (Leaking roofs and gutters often spill water onto top of house where it goes undetected for long periods.)

NOTE: Termites are not a big problem here and rarely do they receive major repair efforts.

The Attic 1. Any sign of leaks (such as dark water • • stains) on the underside of roof, especially around chimneys, valleys and eaves? (continued)

38

2. Is attic adequately vented? (Check especially for signs of mildew on underside of roof boards.)

•

•

Insulation NOTE: Most houses before 1940 had no built-in insulation.

However, some old houses will have had insulation added.

Houses with brick or stone walls rarely have any wall insulation. With cost of fuel soaring, a well-insulated house is a big asset.

1. Attic: Any loose fill insulation visible • • between attic floor joists? (This is the best place for attic insulation.)

2. Has insulation been blown into side • • walls? (You may have to take the owner's word for this. In cold weather you can tell how good wall insulation is by feeling the inside of an exterior wall and comparing with the temperature of an interior partition. They should feel about the same.)

Interior Spaces 1. Are there any signs of damp plaster?

(This means leaks coming either from roof or internal pipes. Check especially top-floor ceilings, the inside of exterior walls, and ceilings and partitions under bathrooms. Be sure to remove a panel if there is a drop ceiling and look at the true ceiling above.)

2. Is there any loose plaster in walls or ceilings? (Cracks in plaster are par for the course —but plaster that is spongy when you push on it will have to be repaired or replaced.)

3. Is there a noticeable bounce to the staircase when you jump on it? Are there any noticeable gaps between treads, risers and side stringers (Substantial vibration may mean structural problems that will be quite costly to correct.)

4. Is flooring original and in good repair?

(Floors covered with carpet or linoleum can harbor many problems — especially if you want to restore the original flooring. To see original flooring, remove floor vent and look at edges.)

5. Do floors have a pronounced sag or tilt? (Simple test: Place a marble on the floor and see if it rolls away. This could just be normal settling or serious structural flaws. Check for cause.)

6. Do floors vibrate and windows rattle when you jump on floors? (This is a symptom of inadequate support. Among possible causes: undersized beams, inadequate bridging, cracked joists, rotted support posts. Often this can be cured fairly simply with a few new support posts.)

7. Windows: Do sashes move up and down smoothly?

8. Do window frames show signs of substantial water leakage? (Look for chipped and curling paint at bottom of sash and sills.

Although quite unsightly, this can be cured with caulk, putty and paint.)

9. Are fireplaces operational? (Evidence of recent fires in the fireplace is a reassuring sign. Peek u p the chimney; if you can see daylight you at least know the flue is clear.)

10. Are there smoke stains on front of mantel? (This is a sign of a smoky fireplace. It can be cured — but it is a bother.)

Foundation 1. Is there a dug cellar with wood sills

39

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

D

D

•

•

D

D

•

•

resting solidly on a masonry foundation well above the ground level? (Some old structures have "mud sills" — heavy beams resting directly on the ground. These eventually have to be replaced, which is a major undertaking.)

2. Is mortar in foundation soft and crumbling? (This is not necessarily serious as long as there's no sign of sag in the structure; ditto for foundation walls laid dry — without mortar.)

3. Are there any vertical cracks in the foundation wall? (This could be serious, or it could be from settling that stopped years ago.

Have an engineer check it.)

4. Does ground slope away from foundation so that rain water drains off?

5. Do downspouts have splash blocks to divert water away from house? (If downspout goes into ground, be sure it isn't pouring water into the earth next to the foundation—a flooded basement is the likely result.)

6. If a sandstone foundation wall is deteriorated, check guttering and path of rain water which probably is washing away at the stone.

The Cellar 1. Do sills (the wood beams at the top of the foundation walls) show signs of rot or termites? (Probe with penknife.)

2. Any sign of dampness on the underside of floor around pipes? (If leaks have gone undetected for some time, there could be substantial wood rot.)

3. Does basement show signs of periodic flooding? (It's a good sign if current owner stores important tools and papers on cellar floor. Bad signs: rust spots, efflorescence or mildew on walls, material stored on top of bricks to raise it above floor level.)

4. Any sign of sagging floors, rotted support posts or jerry-rigged props to shore up weak flooring?

5. Are the water pipes and large waste pipes in good condition? (The cellar is the best place to evaluate the over-all condition of the plumbing. For example, look for patches on the waste pipes; it's an indicator of advanced age.

Replacement is expensive.)

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Electrical System 1. Does wiring in cellar appear to be a • • rat's nest of old frayed wires?

2. Does main power box in cellar have at • • least 100 amp. capacity? (An up-to-date installation will have capacity marked on it. An old fuse box with only three to four fuses in it means there may only be 30-40 amp. — far too little. A re-wiring job will be needed.)

3. Do all ceiling light fixtures have wall • • switches?

4. Is there at least one electrical outlet on • • each wall in every room?

5. Is there any sign of surface-mounted • • lampcord extension wiring? Multiple cords plugged into a single outlet? (This is a tell-tale sign of under wiring. Expect to hire some electricians.)

6. Check wiring types. (If it's the old • • knob and tube style it probably should be replaced. If not, it's already been replaced, most likely.) , . ,, (continued from page 42)

Old Homes... Presents from The Pastâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Directory

BONNEVILLE HEATING, INC., 2515

So. 2700 W., Salt Lake City, UT 84119. Specializes irt heating and cooling systems.

BOULDER ARTS GLASS CO., 1920

Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, CO 80302.

Specializes in stained glass and engraving.

BRASS KEY ANTIQUES, 43 W . 300

So., Salt Lake City, UT 84101.

Specializes in architectural antiques.

BUILDERS MILL & SUPPLY COMPANY,

130 E. 3900 So., Salt Lake City, UT 84107, (801) 266-8829. Mill work to your specifications at moderate prices.

DESIGN WEST STUDIOS, 410 W. 1200 No., Orem, UT 84057, (801) 224-1764.

Original designs in leaded and stained glass windows, lamps and skylights. Full line of glass and supplies. Restoration and expert repairs on antique windows.

DeVOE PAINT, 2150 So. 300 W., Salt Lake City, UT 84115. Specializes in paint and painting supplies.

DJ'S, 1799 No. State, Orem, UT 84057, (801) 255-4457. Historical wallcoverings and fabrics. Complete interior design services: carpeting, draperies, wallcoverings.

D. R. SEDLACEK, CRAFTSMAN, P . O .

ANDERSON'S ANTIQUE LIGHTING,

1534 Colorado St., Glendale, CA 91205. Specializes in authentically restored antique lighting from the 19th century, including chandeliers, wall sconces, and desk, table and floor lamps.

CDA PRODUCT REPRESENTATION, 307

W. 200 So., #2003, Salt Lake City, UT 84101. Wholesale showroom, open to the trade. Featuring contemporary designed furniture, floor and wall coverings, fabrics and accessories suitable for commercial or residential utilization.

ARCHITECTURAL EMPHASIS, INC. 398

5th St., San Francisco, CA 94107.

Specializes in etched glass.

ARTISTIC GLASS, 315 E. 2100 So., Salt Lake City, UT 84115. Specializes in the design, manufacture and repair of stained-leaded glass by European craftsmen.

ARTIST'S WORKSHOP, 671 Aloha Rd., Salt Lake City, UT 84103.

Specializes in porcelain painting.

AVENUES RESTORATION

ASSOCIATION, 589 7th Ave., Salt Lake City, UT 84103. Supports and encourages preservation and sensitive restoration of the Avenues area of Salt Lake City as a unique and historic residential neighborhood.

BAY WAY DRAPERY CENTER, 1356 E. 3300 So., Salt Lake City, UT 84106, (801) 486-7101. Custom draperies, swags and cascades. Large fabric selection: brocades, demask, satin, embroderies. Decorator blinds, window shades and drapery trim.

BEEHIVE GLASS COMPANY, 635 So. State, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.

Specializes in stained glass.

Box 236, Athol, ID 83801. Specializes in woodcarvings and custom furniture.

E. CROWDER DESIGN, 307 W . 200

So., Suite 5001, Salt Lake City, UT 84101. Specializes in interior design.

ELECTRIC MOTOR AND SUPPLY CO.,

CHALLIS STAIRWAYS, 2115 W . 2200

So., Salt Lake City, UT 84119.

Specializes in manufacturing and installing fine hardwood handrails.

THE CLASSIC ILLUMINATION, 431

Grove St., Oakland, CA 94607.

Specializes in hand-made reproductions of Victorian chandeliers, wall sconces of solid brass and decorative plaster ceiling rosettes.

CONTINENTAL BATH AND TILE, 2304

E. 4800 So., Salt Lake City, UT 84117.

Specializes in custom bathroom fixtures and tiles.

CONTINENTAL INDEPENDENT

APPRAISALS, Continental Bank Bldg., 200 So. Main, Salt Lake City, UT 84101, (801) 531-0701. Professional comprehensive appraisals of gems, jewelry, art, rugs, silver, household items. Members of Appraisers Association of America, Inc.

351 W. 400 So., Salt Lake City, UT 84101. Specializes in power tools and equipment for do-it-yourself projects.

FIRE HOUSE ANTIQUES, 1135 E. 21st So., Salt Lake City, UT 84106, (801) 484-1481. Wardrobes, buffets, hall trees, dining and bedroom sets, clocks, stained glass and brass. Fine European and American antiques.

FOREMOST UPHOLSTERY CO., 535 So. 7th E., Salt Lake City, UT, (801) 359-2304. Custom designed furniture and reupholstery. Antique refurbishing.

THE FOUNDRY, 900 E. 4700 So., Salt Lake City, UT 84117, (801) 266-1154.

Wicker and basketry from around the world. Unique copper and brass for the home.

F. WEIXLER CO., 510 So. 600 E., Salt

Lake City, UT 84102, (801) 534-1014.

Interior design, art gallery, restoration of antiques, and custom upholstery.

DAUGHTERS OF THE UTAH PIONEERS,

300 No. Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84103. Maintains pioneer history museums and encourages the preservation of Utah pioneer history.

THE GLASSWORKS, 107 25th St., Ogden, UT 84401. Specializes in stained-leaded glass design and manufacture.

40

GOLDEN UNICORN ANTIQUES, 1891

E. 3300 So., Salt Lake City, UT 84106, (801) 487-6190. Stained glass and supplies, beautiful custom work.

Antique furniture and a large collection of antique clocks.

HEAT-KING MARKETING, 4933 S o .

4095 W., Salt Lake City, UT 84118.

Specializes in all sizes of stoves and fireplaces, fireplace inserts, stove accessories and Amerivent triple-wall pipe products.

HEAT-KING STOVES/FIREPLACES, 4910

So. 3960 W., Salt Lake City, UT 84118. Specializes in top quality stoves and fireplaces to heat homes and features 36", 48", and fireplace insert models.

HERITAGE PRINTS, 250 W. Center,

Provo, UT 84601, (801) 375-7086. A unique western service dedicated to preserving aesthetic and historical values. Offers collectors, historians, decorators and laymen the opportunity to acquire high quality photographs from the original glass negatives of George Edward Anderson (1860-1928), pioneer Utah photographer.

THE INTERIOR DESIGN SOCIETY (of

the National Home Furnishings Association). Call Betty N. Taylor, president, (801) 487-0777 for membership information.

LA'BRETT INTERIORS, 2182 Highland

Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84106, (801) 487-5975. Distinction in residential and commercial interior design.

MAIN STREET ANTIQUES, 66 S o .

Main St., Payson, UT 84651.

Specializes in antique cook and parlor stoves, stove restoration, and old-house antiques.

MIKE CARMICHAEL INTERIOR

DESIGNS, 4678 So. Highland Dr., Salt Lake City, UT 84117, (801) 278-6802.

For the total concept in home furnishing.

MOUNTAIN FUEL SUPPLY CO., 180 E.

PERMALOY CORPORATION, P . O . Box

100 So., Salt Lake City, UT 84111.

Specializes in fuel supply and energy conservation information.

1559, Ogden, UT 84402. Specializes in historical markers and interpretive exhibits.

NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION, Western Regional

Office, 681 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94105. A national non-profit organization chartered by Congress to encourage public participation in the preservation of sites, buildings, and objects significant in American history and culture.

NOWELL'S INC., 490 Gate Five Rd., Sausalito, CA 94965. Specializes in Victorian fixtures for old homes and buildings.

PHIL CONDRA, STONEMASON, 4677

Bonner Cir., Salt Lake City, UT 84117.

Specializes in stone restoring, cleaning and carving.

ROBERTS' WALL FURNITURE, 2505 S o .

State, Salt Lake City, UT, (801) 485-2505. Specializing in walls systems, bookcases and entertainment systems. Many choices of solid hardwoods available: oak, ash, maple, etc. Custom design wall systems, up to 8 feet high.

S & H WATER BLASTING, 1970 W .

OGDEN NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, 2650

Washington Blvd., Ogden, UT 84401.

Encourages neighborhood conservation and housing rehabilitation with sensitivity to Ogden's history and present needs.

PECK-ASH-PARRY CO., 1640 So. 1100 E., Salt Lake City, UT 84105.

Specializes in paint a n d refinishing products.

PELLA INTERMOUNTAIN, 240 W. 2855 So., P.O. Box 15655, Salt Lake City, UT 84115. Specializes in the service and sales of Pella custom windows and doors.

2250 So., Syracuse, UT 84041.

Specializes in exterior paint removal and restoration.

SALT LAKE BOARD OF REALTORS, 454

E. 3rd So., Salt Lake City, UT 84111.

Encourages a high standard of work and service for realtors in Salt Lake.

Information on the older-home market will be available through the Board at the Denver & Rio Grande Depot.

SALT LAKE CITY CORPORATION, City

and County Building, Salt Lake City, UT 84111. Encourages the conservation, preservation and rehabilitation of Salt Lake City's historic buildings and districts.

PENNOCK PEST CONTROL SERVICE, MILLET'S KITCHENS, 1344 S. 21 St E.,

Salt Lake City, UT 84108, (801) 581-0066. Designers and decorators specializing in remodeling.

41

INC., 55 So. 900 W., Salt Lake City, UT 84104. Specializes in termite and pest control for older homes and buildings.

(continued on page 43)

Inspecting the Old House (continued from page 39)

7. Check junction boxes. (Many older homes contain junction boxes of wire that aren't wrapped tape. Some don't even have junction boxes, just loose dangerous connections.)

•

•

Plumbing 1. Are water pipes copper or brass? (If • • they are, a magnet won't stick to them. Copper or brass are longer-lasting than galvanized iron.

A magnet won't stick to lead piping either. Lead will be soft and silvery when scratched with a penknife. Lead piping will probably have to be replaced shortly.)

2. Is water pressure adequate? (Test by • • turning on top floor sink faucets; then turn on bathtub and flush toilet. If water slows to a trickle, piping may be inadequate or badly clogged with scale.)

3. Is plumbing connected to a city sewer • • system? (Should have at least 50 Psf.) 4. If there is a septic tank, was it cleaned • • in the last three or four years? (Overloaded septic tanks are a common source of trouble. It's best to call the serviceman who did the last cleaning and get his opinion of the system.

Repairs can easily run over $1,000.)

5. Is water supply from: City main Drilled well Shallow well NOTE: City main is the most dependable source; shallow (dug) well is the least desirable. If water is from a well it is best to get it analyzed by the County Agent for fitness. If water is from a spring, beware of claims that a "spring never runs dry" unless you can certify it. You may end up paying to drill a well during a long, dry summer.

Heating System 1. Was heating plant originally designed to burn coal? (If so, it is probably more than twenty-five years old and may be a candidate for

•

replacement.)

2. Does heating system operate • • satisfactorily? (You can test a system even on a summer day: Move the thermostat setting above room temperature. Heat from a hot-air furnace should appear at the registers within a few minutes; in a steam or hot-water system, radiators should heat u p in fifteen or twenty minutes.)

3. Will fuel bills present you with any • • unpleasant surprises? (Copies of fuel bills from the last heating season are the best measure of the heating system's efficiency.)

4. Is capacity of hot water heater at least • • 30 gallons? (This is a minimum required by a family of 4 with an automatic clothes washer.)

5. Are there any signs of leaks or rust • • spots on the hot-water heating tank? (Check by peeking through the small door that gives access to the pilot light.)

6. On steam heating systems, do D D floorboards around radiators show signs of black stains and rot? (This comes from leaks and indicates the system hasn't been well maintained.)

NOTE: Mountain Fuel will be happy to check your heating system. (They often recommend using the older one if if s properly operating.)

Beware the "Remuddled" House Many old houses have had decorative details stripped off during past remodeling — better termed "remuddling." This robs the house of its original charm and character and lessens its long-term market value. This can be important should you ever have to re-sell the house. Remember, appraisals depend and vary according to who does them. As a rule, savings and loan institutions are more likely to be interested in providing mortgages. In the Salt Lake Valley, savings and loan institutions have had a better track record in making fair appraisals of older homes, while banks have tended to underestimate the older home's value.

•

. m

i . I I M I , ii ,»» (i no.

i. I1"1 • "

•(

Directory

(continued from page 41)

SCALAMANDRE SILKS, INC., 950

Third Ave., New York, NY 10022.

Specializes in fabrics, wallcoverings, carpets and trimmings for 18th through 19th century interiors. This firm has been a leader in providing fabrics for national shrines.

SERMAC OF UTAH, P.O. Box 400, Salem, UT 84653. Specializes in exterior surface maintenance and surface maintenance systems using chemicals a n d heated pressurized water.

SHERRY'S ANTIQUES, 4859 So. State, Murray, UT 84107. Specializes in small furniture, antique jewelry, carnival glass, depression glass, old clocks, sabino glass, printers trays, and collectibles.

SILVERTON VICTORIAN MILLWORKS,

P.O. Box 523, Silverton, CO 84133.

Specializes in Victorian millworking for old homes and buildings.

SPOONS'n SPICE KITCHEN SHOP, 1227 E. 2100 So., Salt Lake City, UT 84106, (801) 486-2995. Salt Lake's complete kitchenware store.

SPRING CITY ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURING CO., Hall and Main

Streets, Spring City, PA 19475.

Specializes in cast iron ornamental lighting posts.

UNION STATION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, 25th and Wall Ave., Ogden, UT 84401. Ogden Union Station is a recently restored community center featuring the Railroad and Browning Fire Arms Museums, a community theatre, an. art gallery, and banquet rooms.

UTAH ENERGY OFFICE, 231 E. 400 So. #101, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.

Distributes educational materials concerning energy conservation and present enegy plans and assists with the preparation of energy plans for the future.

STANFIELD SHUTTERS, 2900 So.

State, Salt Lake City, UT, (801) 467-8823. Custom interior movable louvre shutters, new plantation wide louvre shutters, custom painting, staining, and installation. Commercial and residential.

UTAH HERITAGE FOUNDATION, 355

Quince St., Salt Lake City, UT 84103.

Encourages the preservation of Utah's heritage through involvement in restoration projects, public awareness campaigns and financial assistance.

UTAH STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY,

Publications Section, 307 W. 200 So., Salt Lake City, UT 84101. Encourages the preservation of Utah history by publishing interesting and informative articles in Utah Historical Quarterly, Beehive History, Antiquities Section Selected Papers, and full-length books on Utah history. A collection of books on old-building rehabilitation and restoration will be available for sale through the Historical Society at the Denver and Rio Grande Depot.

UTAH TITLE CONTRACTORS ASSOC,

Elias Morris & Sons Tile Co., 2200 So. 700 E., Salt Lake City, UT 84106.

Specializes in tiles and marbles, sales and installation.

WESTERN DRY MIX, INC., P.O. Box 15205, Salt Lake City, UT 84115.

Specializes in distribution of Sakrete cement.

UTAH STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY,

THE STOVE KING, 4651 Riverside Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84107. Specializes in the restoration and sale of antique parlor and cookstoves.

UTAH STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY,

43

Preservation Section, 307 W. 200 So., Salt Lake City, UT 84101. Encourages the preservation of Utah's historic and cultural resources through a progressive and innovative preservation program that includes surveying and researching historical resources, nominating worthy sites to the National Register of Historic Places, administering federal grants-in-aid, advising the public of the tax incentives for preservation, and providing technical assistance to Utah homeowners interested in restoration.

Antiquities Section, 307 W. 200 So., Salt Lake City, UT 84101. Encourages the discovery, research and preservation of Utah's archaeological resources through an active program of field work, research, and historic preservation.

UTAH STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY,

History Library, 307 W. 200 So., Salt Lake City, UT 84101. Encourages the collection and use of Utah historial materials by making a large collection of historical research materials and photographs available for public use.

Reproductions of historic photographs will be on sale through the Historical Society at the Denver and Rio Grande Depot.

WESTERN DRYWALL, 1217 LaVon Cir., Salt Lake City, UT 84106.

Specializes in insulation, storm windows, thermal conversion units, and patio doors.

THE WOODSMAN, 275 E. 300 So., Provo, UT, (801) 375-1665.

Woodsman, Timberline, Bicentennial, Homefire, Austin, Heritage and other wood burning stoves. Homelite and Stihl chain saws. A large selection of cooking, storage and canning items.

Cooking and Heating the Turn-of-the-Century Way

by Larry Jones Preservation Consultant, Utah State Historical Society I small yo' bread a-burnin'; turn yo' damper down. If you ain't got a damper, good gal, turn yo' bread around.

T

here are few man-made objects that can give a kitchen more warmth and cheerful friendliness than a turn-of-the-century kitchen range.

For many of us, a wood and coal burning cookstove is just about as close as we would want to get toward recreating a Victorian kitchen. By today's standards, even a model Victorian kitchen would be a most inconvenient place.

The Victorian range is basically a fireproof enclosure designed to contain a fire and manipulate hot gases in such a way as to adequately heat desired cooking areas. All wood and coal burning stoves rely on the simple principle that hot air rises. The hotter the air, the faster it rises and the more smoke from the fire it carries with it.

Flues allow humans and stoves to co-exist in harmony. A flue takes the hot air from the stove, keeps it warm, and directs it wherever desired, most often up, out of, and away from living spaces.

ACQUIRING AN ANTIQUE RANGE Stove mania is a somewhat peculiar phenomenon common to many homeowners in Utah. It is brought on and indeed agravated by learning a little about antique stoves and then not being able to find one to purchase. For those wising to own a stove, there are two basic options: buy an antique or buy a reproduction. Most reproduction ranges on the market today are simply not the same as an original, either in aesthetic beauty or quality of workmanship. Reproduction stoves are readily available, cost about the same as a restored antique stove, are often set u p to run on electricity or gas, and generally do not appreciate in value.

Antique ranges, on the other hand, are generally difficult to find, somewhat expensive to buy, and often have missing or burned out parts. To compound the problem, there is an amazing lack of information available on old stoves. Original salesman's catalogs and manuals for ranges are quite scarce and often rather expensive. The few current publications on stoves and ranges are listed at the end of this article.

During the period when wood and coal fired cookstoves reached their zenith in popularity (1895-1910) there were hundreds of brands and thousands of models. Apparently the standardization of parts, that is

producing one part which would fit several models, was highly uncommon. Thus, if you locate a prize cookstove, it is wise to make sure that all or most of its parts are intact. It is often very difficult to turn down a cookstove at a good price simply because it's missing a few parts, especially if you have been looking for a long time. But be forewarned that there is nothing more disappointing than having a stove sit around your shop or garage gathering dust and rust simply because you are unable to find all of the necessary parts for it. Thaf s about as exciting as owning a bright red Ferrari with no engine. Do not expect much help or sympathy from antique stove dealers, either. It is definitely not in their best interest to sell you stove parts, since they themselves may need such parts to complete a restoration.

That is exactly what sets antique dealers who specialize in restoring stoves apart from the rest of us. The nature of their business forces them to stockpile hundreds of stoves and thousands of parts. Even with such stockpiles, reputable dealers often must have missing parts recast.

Clarence B. Froman, dealer in antique stoves and owner of Stove King in Salt Lake City, currently has several stoves sitting in his shop whose owners have given u p trying to find the missing parts, and the stoves have been left for Clarence to restore when, if ever, the parts turn up.

HOW TO INSPECT A RANGE Notice that I have conveniently skipped over the topic of telling you where to look for old stoves; that is strictly up to you. Hint: there are a lot of old stoves still to be found in outlying areas of Utah.

Beware of stoves that appear to have been sitting out of doors for a long period. Iron cookstoves deteriorate very quickly if allowed to stand in the weather. Most early ranges are made of cast iron having smooth or highly decorative floral relief designs adorning their surfaces. Ranges common from the teens through the thirties often had porcelain enamel finishes baked on to cast iron or sheet metal. Of the porcelain enamel type stoves, those that are a robin's egg blue in color tend by far to be the most valuable. Rusted, chipped, or otherwise damaged porcelain surfaces are impossible for the average person to repair.

Look for missing parts. A good guide for the neophite stove fancier, is a reproduction copy of an earlier Sears & Roebuck type mail order catalog, say around 1910. (Available at most bookstores). Look at the stoves and accessories pictured and see if similar items are on the stove you are inspecting. A missing oven door, for example, is tough to replace, but a few missing lids are not so serious. A missing water reservoir reduces the stove's value but not its performance.

A missing leg possibly can be recast from one of the remaining legs.

Next, look for cracks, especially on the cooking surface or sides of the stove. Cracks in castings are difficult to weld up permanently. Often the words "malleable" are printed on the cooking surface. Malleable iron is iron which has been rendered quite pliable and fracture resistant in the manufacturing process by burning the carbon out of the iron. Most malleable stove tops cannot or will not crack unless exposed to a very sudden temperature change.

Tops which have dropped or sag downward due to overfiring are difficult to straighten.

After checking for major cracks or missing parts, you should next look for any rusted through areas on the stove body. Often sheet metal rusts through, leaving pin-hole sized openings through the surface which gradually become larger. If the rusted out areas are on panels, simply formed and generally out of sight, it may be possible to have new panels fabricated at a sheet metal shop.

Now take a look at the fire box.

This is the area of greatest heat buildup within the stove and thus is the first area to burn out. Many cook stoves came with combination grates which were adjustable for burning wood or coal and could be cranked open to dump ashes and clinkers. Often these grates have become heat warped and will not open or adjust. While warped grates themselves are not enough to warrant your rejection of the stove, they can make it hard to dump ashes. A stove is considered burned out when the grates and protective sidewalls of the fire box have been so overheated that their insulative quality has been destroyed. Replacing these elements is a major undertaking.

(continued on page 50)

3a? .ft.

21 \

^_

. : . ' •

f

h

••••'•

l t ) ,

- ' < ' / / ,

*&•

-

Cooking and Heating (continued from page 45) Assuming the range is still in the running, let's take a look at its external appearance. Obviously a rust-free stove with most of its parts in functioning order is worth more than one lacking amenities.

Many stoves were heavily adorned with bright nickel-plated surfaces.

Nickel plating has a reddish-yellow appearance when compared to the mostly bluish color of chrome plating.

Nickeled surfaces on older stoves often have deteriorated due to rust, abrasion, or tarnishing. Deteriorated nickel plating should not be one of your major concerns when considering a stove.

Rust pitted external surfaces on a cook stove are not a good sign. Pitted surfaces usually indicate exposure to weather at some time or other in the stove's life. Experienced stove restoration men such as Mack Whitelock of Main Street Antiques in Payson, Utah, have developed ingenious procedures for grinding down and polishing out rough stove surfaces.

Clarence Froman and his wife Barry find the best way to remove years of accumulated rust and soot from the cast iron stoves they restore is to sandblast them inside and out and use a glass-bead blasting machine for smaller, more intricate parts. Total dismantling of old stoves and meticulous surface preparation prior to reassembly and replating separates the professional restorationist from the amateur. Probably one of the more disturbing aspects of stove restoration for the amateur is the numerous rivets which must be carefully drilled out or chiseled off in order to disassemble a stove. Replacing these rivets with screws is a sure sign that an amateur was at work.

The nickel-plated parts of stoves can sometimes simply be buffed on a polishing wheel to restore them to their original luster. For those parts that require replating, the owner can save money by grinding them out and polishing the surfaces prior to delivering them to the plating shop.

Remember, when having parts replated, always specify nickel plating instead of chrome.

By now you are undoubtedly aware that finding, purchasing, and restoring a turn-of-the-century stove can be a somewhat tedious and time-consuming endeavor.

The average person contemplating the purchase of a stove to restore should heed the advice of the professional. Pick a major stove brand which was common and plentiful, such as Round Oak, Monarch, Jewett, Pennsular, Red Cross, Bridge, Beech, etc.

Combination wood and gas or early electric stoves common to the 1920s and 1930s are not currently as valuable to collectors as are the more ornate turn-of-the-century styles.

Thus, these later stoves and ranges can still be picked up at bargain prices.

Antique wood and coal burning stoves and ranges offer the Utah homeowner an efficient, practical heating source that appreciates in value and is quite economical to operate.

Wood and coal are both relatively inexpensive commodities in Utah in this time of rising energy costs. The antique stove can become not only an attractive focal point in the home but a functional and useful cooking and heating device as well.

Utah is indeed fortunate to have two outstanding and highly professional antique stove restoration

companies in its midst. There are only a handful of such specialists in the country today who are equipped with the necessary talent, knowledge, and resources to restore such stoves in proper and safe working order. Both Stove King in Salt Lake City and Main Street Antiques in Payson offer a rich variety of restored and guaranteed stoves and ranges for sale. It would be well worth your time to drop in and see the fruits of their labor.

"There is only one thing to be said in favor of a poor heating stove — it makes a man forget all his other sorrows." (From the 1905 Round Oak Stove catalog.)

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON STOVES AND RANGES Main Street Antiques — M. A. Whitelock, 66 South Main, Payson, Utah 84651, 465-9442. Mack offers a fine selection of restored ranges and cookstoves for sale and will restore individual stoves as well.

The Stove King — Clarence and Barry Froman, 4651 South Riverside Drive (5th West), Salt Lake City, Utah 84107, 261-2495. Clarence offers an outstanding collection of restored and unrestored heating stoves and some ranges for sale. He can restore the private individual's stove as well.

Wood Heat, by John Vivian, Rodale Press, Inc., Emmaus, Pennsylvania, c.

1976. This is an excellent how-to book on all aspects of finding, fixing, and using stoves and ranges.

Old House Journal, "Cooking and Heating the 19th Century Way," by Don Yule, Volume IV, No. 9, September 1976. Old House Journal Corp., 199 Berkley Place, Brooklyn, New York 11217, Clem Labine, ed.

46

Directions for Building and Keeping Fire, and Caring for Range

B

47

efore starting to build a fire, free the grate from ashes. To do this, first put on the lids, close the front end drafts, and open the oven damper; then turn the grate, and the ashes will fall into the ash receiver. If these precautions are not followed, the ashes will fly over the room. Now turn the grate back into place, and remove the lids from over the fire box; cover the grate with pieces of paper twisted in the center and left loose at the ends; cover the paper with small sticks or pieces of pine wood, being sure that the wood reaches the ends of the fire box, and that it is so arranged that air can pass freely between the sticks. Over the pine place hardwood sticks; then sprinkle with two shovelfulls of small coal. Put on the covers, open the closed end or front drafts, apply a lighted match under the grate, and you have a fire.

When the wood is thoroughly kindled, add more coal. A blue flame will soon appear, which is the coal gas burning to carbon dioxide, after which the flame becomes white; then the oven damper should be closed. In a few moments the end or front draft may be nearly closed, leaving only enough space to admit sufficient oxygen to keep the fire alive. It is sometimes forgotten that oxygen is necessary to keep a fire burning. As soon as the coal is well ignited, half close the chimney damper, unless the draft is very poor.

Regulate the fire with end or front draft, as desired.

If fire is maintained continuously during the day, replenish with coal frequently, but in small quantities. If fire will not be needed for some hours, open the pipe check and close the drafts. When fire is again wanted, close the check, open end or front draft, shake slightly, and wait for the fire to burn brightly before adding new coal.

When coal is red hot it has parted with most of its heat. Some persons refuse to believe this, and insist upon keeping the dampers open until most of the heat has escaped into the chimney.

To keep a fire over night, remove the ashes from under the fire, put on enough coal to fill the fire box, close the end and front drafts, and open check draft in pipe. Should the fire burn out under this treatment, the draft is not checked enough. To check more, lift the back lids slightly, to admit air. This is better than lifting the lids over the fire box, because the latter plan would permit poisonous gases to escape into the room.

Never allow thefirebox to be more than three-fourths full. When it is full, the linings and top plates are injured, the draft is checked, a larger amount of fuel is consumed, and much heat is lost. This is a point that should be impressed on the mind of the cook.

Ashes should be removed and sifted daily, and the siftings be picked over so as to save the half-burned cinders, throwing out the useless chinkers.

Never attempt to bake until the oven is hot, and while baking keep the oven door closed until such time as the baking should be done.

Grease or garbage should never be thrown into the pouch feed or burned in the fire box, as nothing destroys the texture and life of iron so quickly as the burning of grease or watery waste.

The back flues, oven, top and bottom should be cleaned out through the clean-out door once a week. See that all flues are open and clear, so that the smoke can freely pass through them. Many do not clean the flues thoroughly, and frequently soot and ashes are pushed into back corners, in that way stopping them up.

Rust can be removed from nickel by an application of ammonia, whiting and water, which should be applied

when the range is cold. When nearly dry, polish with a soft rag. Aluminum can be cleaned with soap and water.

The steel body can be cleaned with gasoline or turpentine. These should never be applied except when the range is cold.

The range top and steel body can be preserved in their original condition by rubbing with a greasy rag once or twice a week.

Every range requires more draft than an ordinary cooking stove, because its flues are larger. No range or stove is provided with a draft. That must be furnished by the chimney. The taller the chimney, the stronger the draft. A range can no more operate without a chimney than a steam engine can operate without a boiler.

If a range fails to give satisfaction, it is because it has been improperly set up, or because it is connected to a bad chimney.

If a range fails to operate, the chimney should first be looked to for the remedy.

There are more bad chimneys than good ones.

Reprinted from Kitchen Economy, Conform Cooking, 1907 Malleable Range Receipt Booklet, South Bend, Indiana

Utah's Vanishing Log Cabins With a Broadaxe and a Few Other Tools, the Settler Could Quickly Make a Home

by Larry Jones

Preservation Consultant, Utah State Historical Society

The 01' log cabin lef' alone deserted now an' still Nobody 'pears to care fur it an' reckon never will an' sol keep it fur myse'f, same way it wuz when we Moved over in to our brand new house, like fine sassiety.

W

hen families came into an area to settle, they arrived homeless, with only a few provisions and tools with which to gain a foothold in a hostile environment. Swiss, English, Danish, or eastern American â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they knew that the first task at hand was to erect a shelter. Since settlers did not bring building materials with them, they had to use whatever a given site had to offer.

Often settlers located near sources of water, such as streams or rivers, and in so doing were able to use deciduous trees such as cottonwood, bigtooth maple, and aspen. These trees, although close by and easy to fell with an axe, were often misshapen and twisted, making them difficult to use in buildings.

Pine and fir offered the early settler a much more suitable building material. However, these coniferous trees are common only at higher elevations, thus requiring transportation over considerable

distances.

Where enough suitable wood could be cut, a log cabin could be erected in several weeks by a single competent woodsman using only an axe or adze. Since the logs were notched to form an interlocking structure, nails and pegs were seldom required. So, a person with few tools, little experience, and a strong back could quickly build a reasonably weatherproof home.

Historians generally believe that knowledge of how to make the various notching styles was carried to Utah by settlers well-versed in construction techniques common to the eastern United States. The influence Scandinavian and other immigrants may have had on building styles and techniques is unclear, due in part to the melting pot nature of most early Mormon settlements. We do know that many foreign immigrants, coming from settled urban areas, knew little or nothing about log construction.

In Utah, log cabins and their two-level counterpart, the log house, were usually considered neither permanent nor attractive. They were simply cheap, utilitarian shelters that could be lived in until something more substantial could be built. As with most frontier communities across the United States, Mormon villages moved

quickly to replace log construction, especially in public buildings, with more sophisticated structures that were similar to eastern building types.

By making a town more attractive and settled looking, the community might encourage more newcomers to live there.

Since log cabins were usually quite stable and sturdy, they were seldom completely abandoned when a new dwelling was built. Often the original old cabin served as the nucleus for the new dwelling. If the exterior log walls were fairly smooth and square, they could be covered with wood siding. Or willow branches could be nailed to the walls to form a lath on which to apply a stucco coating. The untrained eye finds it difficult to tell if a log structure lies beneath such a wood or stucco covering. Some Utahns today may live in renovated log structures without even being aware of it.

If a log cabin outlived its usefulness or desirability as a dwelling, it usually served some other function for the owner. Many times cabins were converted to store grain. Since log structures are stable, they can be moved rather easily. Today we can see where small cabins were moved out of the way to make room for newer buildings. Many early cabins can be spotted resting and rotting away behind more modern houses.

Sometimes the old cabins serve as storage sheds or playhouses until they reach such a point of disrepair that they are finally torn down and dragged away. Sometimes old log cabins that have historical importance are repaired and put on display in public parks.

Such old cabins often have an isolated and bewildered look about them, somewhat like a ship out of water. (continued on page 49)

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES By understanding the various methods of construction and types of tools that early settlers used, we are better able to appreciate the craftsmanship that went into log cabins.

The foremost tool to early settlers was the axe. Its importance dates back to the Stone Age! Carpenters' axes were in common use in seventeenth-century Europe. Such light axes failed to meet the needs of the American frontier, however, and the "American axe" was developed. This axe was heavier, weighing seven or more pounds, and was specifically designed for felling trees and cabin-building. With his axe honed sharp and with sufficient talent, a settler could build a cabin using this one tool.

Locating the proper site on which to erect a cabin was very important.

Inexperienced cabin builders sometimes found to their chagrin that they had built their cabins in the wrong place after the cabin was buried under snowdrifts or flooded by a raging river during the spring runoff. However, most cabins were carefully located.

Often settlements were erected as a group effort which helped to eliminate many problems faced by the individual builder.

When logs were hauled to the building site, the first order of business after deciding on the proper length was to notch the ends of the logs. The entire structural system of the log cabin is based on notching, since the notches hold the logs in place as they are stacked on top of each other. The outer bark was usually removed to get rid of ants, termites, and other insects.

Generally speaking, early cabins and those built by less-skilled woodsmen were made of round logs.

Round or twisted and bent logs required a good deal of chinking to keep out wind, snow, and rain.

Chinking is the material placed in the open spaces between the logs. Even those cabins having carefully hewn logs often required much chinking to fill in the holes. Chinking material included small wedges of wood or bark, small rocks, mud, clay, adobe, moss, and sometimes even wadded-up newspaper.

To achieve a tighter fit, the tops and bottoms of logs could be flattened with the axe. If a woodsman had special tools such an adze or broadaxe, he could hew the logs on the front and back as well as the top and bottom to form squared logs (actually somewhat rectangular in cross section). Logs were usually hewn before being notched.

The more skills and special tools the settlers had at their disposal, the more sophisticated the cabins they could build. By using hewn logs it was possible to stack up a wall that was . _ fairly flat on the interior and exterior. If

*â&#x20AC;&#x201D;*.j&.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;*LL a handsaw was available, the ends of the logs, projecting past the notches, could be cut off square, making flush corners. Cabins constructed in this manner could be, and often were, later covered with siding to modernize their appearance. Hewn logs enabled more intricate and sophisticated types of notching to be used, thus creating sturdier walls that could rise higher and support greater loads.

To secure more uniform wall surfaces, well-equipped settlers set up pit saws. The pit saw replaced the adze for putting flat sides on logs and for making planks. The pit saw in turn was replaced by the sawmill, powered by water or steam.

Cabins were usually situated on flat, hard ground with stones placed beneath foundation logs to keep them from rotting or soaking up ground moisture. Then the walls were made simply by stacking logs on top of each other until the desired height was reached.

NOTCHING STYLES Five basic methods of notching the ends of logs were common in Utah.

Several variations of these basic notches were also used.

The saddle notch seems to be the oldest as well as the easiest notch to cut in a log. It was almost always used with round logs and appears to have been

the earliest form of notching used in Europe. The notch itself is rounded, requiring very little complex cutting.

Three variations are found: the single notch cut into the top of a log, the single notch cut into the base of the log, and the double notch cut into both the top and bottom of the log. Saddle notching required that the log project beyond the notches for maximum tightness of the joint. Because of the projecting log

ends, cabins and out-buildings made with saddle notches were usually not covered with siding. The double and top notch had a tendency to deteriorate faster since water could easily settle in the dished out base of the notch. The saddle notch is the most common one to be found in Utah.

The V notch lends itself to being used either on round or hewn logs. The log ends can be cut off, forming a flush wall, or left projecting beyond the walls. A V notch is cut into the bottom of the top log and a V-shaped top is formed on the base log to make the joint. The joints formed by this method are quite tight and tend to shed water rather than hold it. Few examples of this style can be seen in Utah today.

Square notching competes with the saddle notch for simplicity. It is believed to have evolved from the half dovetail joint. Square notching is (continued on page 50)

(continued from page 49) common to round, hewn, and mill-cut logs and can most easily be cut into the log end using a saw, although an axe and a floe or just an axe could be used.

Right-angle notches are cut out of the top and bottom of a log, leaving center projection that meshes with the notched logs above and below. The square notch is a weak and inferior joint with no ability to resist any outward pressure the walls of a cabin might exert. Unlike other notching techniques, square-notched logs have not way to interlock. An auger was often used to drill holes in square-notched logs. Then, wooden pegs were inserted in the holes to help hold the logs in place. Sometimes these pegs can be spotted between the logs on a cabin where the chinking has fallen out. This style of notching, being simple and quickly done, was used a great deal in Utah.

Full dovetail notching is by far the most advanced and complicated type of corner notching. Dovetailing is an old method of joint notching construction common to furniture and cabinet craftsmanship. Drawers and box corners frequently display this type of notching. To notch logs this way requires great skill with an axe. By far the most sturdy log-building method, full dovetail notched logs lock into place in both directions of outward thrust. Because all the sides of the notch slope down, rainwater usually runs off rather than collecting in and rotting the joint. The corners of this type of construction were flush, tight, and square, with hewn logs rather than round being used. To find a full dovetail notch on round logs is unusual.

The half dovetail notch is an offshoot of the full dovetail, although it resembles half of a V notch. The half dovetail has many of the same characteristics as the full dovetail except that it is easier to make. Half of the top or head of the notch is sloped downward, but the bottom is left flat.

Like the full dovetail, this method of notching was used mostly on hewn log dwellings rather than on outbuildings.

By closely examining those log structures still standing, we can sometimes spot several styles of notching on the same building. Also, lean-to additions made of logs often had notching techniques different from the original structure.

AFTER THE WALLS WERE UP As log cabin builders erected walls, they made no provisions for windows or doors. They cut these into the cabin walls when and where desired after the walls were u p . Many of the earliest cabins had only one door at first, and windows were added as glass became available.

w

Most early cabin floors were simply packed earth, flat field stones, or wood planking. Sometimes, in better constructed cabins, the floors were supported by log floor joists on which planking was laid. Floors made of logs split lengthwise and laid side by side were often called puncheon floors or "Missouri puncheons."

Most early Mormon cabins had dirt roofs, a feature that sets them apart from cabins found elsewhere. Cabin roofs are gable type, having a low pitch or slope that runs off from a center ridge line. To support the weight of the sod roof, the builders lashed small wooden poles tightly together. The poles ran from the eaves on the outer wall of the cabin up to and rested on the ridge pole. On top of these poles settlers placed grass and twigs and then covered them with soil to a thickness of six to twelve inches. Grass or weeds often grew from this soil and helped to hold it in place, as did logs or planks attached at the eaves of the roof where gutters are placed on houses today. During wet weather, m u d often dripped into the cabin. So, settlers usually wanted to replace a dirt roof with planks or shingles as soon as possible. Some cabin roofs were thatched with tightly woven grass, but this kind of roof cannot be seen today.

When the cabin was near completion, work on the chimney began. Chimneys on most Utah cabins were centered on the outside of one of the gable ends of the cabin and extended u p past the high point or ridge line of the roof. Sometimes chimneys ran u p the inside wall of the cabin rather than the outside. Building materials for chimneys often consisted of stones found nearby. Adobe and low-fired brick were also used.

Most Mormon log cabins are nearly square with a low ceiling. They range in size from twelve to twenty feet square with fifteen by sixteen feet being the most common size. The main entrance door was placed on the broadside of the cabin and not in the narrower gable ends. This is typical of most American frontier log cabins.

Mormon log cabins were often either enlarged by the addition of extra rooms or were abandoned when newer and larger, more comfortable quarters could be built.

The log cabins of our Utah forebears are indeed a vanishing species. Each year that passes sees scores of these cabins succumb to the burden of time and neglect. The roofs sag and the walls bulge until they can finally support no more and fall decaying to the ground. Whatever story they could have told about our past is lost forever.

m

it

&r

Utah's Vanishing Log Cabins

Appreciation

&

The Utah State Historical Society and its members greatly appreciate the antique dealers, wholesale and retail merchants, crafts people and individuals who have graciously contributed door prizes and ideas to "Old Buildings... Presents From the Past."

DeVoe Reynolds Paint Center, Salt Lake City, Utah - Exterior Decoration, Victorian Colors for Victorian Houses (books) E. Crowder Design Company, Salt Lake City, Utah - Framed Indian Print Western Dry Mix, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah - Mortar Mix and Trowels Anderson's Antique Lighting Company, Glendale, California - 1880s Restored Gas Wall Sconce Utah Heritage Foundation, Salt Lake City, Utah - Heritage Foundation Preservation Kits Brass Key Antiques, Salt Lake City, Utah Assorted Antiques Electric Motor and Supply Company, Salt Lake City, Utah - Electric Power Tool Lakeside Distributing Company, Kaysville, Utah - Hunter Ceiling Fan Peck-Ash-Parry Company, Salt Lake City, Utah - Antique Furniture Refinisher Payson Antiques, Payson, Utah - Antique Furniture Victorian Society of America - Temples of Democracy, the State Capitols of the U.S. A (books) Broadnax Refinishing Products, Georgia Furniture Refinishing Kits and Furniture Restoration Book Larry Elsinger Publications, Staten Island, New York - A set of four home repair manuals Delvie's Plastics, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah Master Appliance Heat Gun (for paint removal) Stove King, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah Antique Cooking Utensils Utah State Historical Society - Autographed copy oiBrigham Street; Four sets of Utah State Historical Society Glasses; A copy of Peoples of Utah; A copy otNotBy Bread Alone; Four memberships to the Utah State Historical Society; Four copies of Toward an Architectural Tradition, Utah Historical Quarterly, vol. 43, no. 3; Four copies of Utah, A Guide toll Tours of Utah Historic Sites; Four copies otUtah Catalog, Historic American Buildings Survey; Two copies of Rehab Right, Guide to Rehabilitating Old Houses; Two copies of Insulating the Old House The Utah State Historical Society would like to thank the following businesses for their contributions of products and services.

Clearfield Job Corps Center, Clearfield, Utah Albertsons, Salt Lake City, Utah Dunford Bakers, Salt Lake City, Utah Harmons, Granger, Utah Pepsi Cola Bottling Company, Salt Lake City, Utah Safeway Store, Third West, Salt Lake City, Utah Pinkerton Security, Murray, Utah Western Nut Company, Salt Lake City, Utah Star Distributing Company, Salt Lake City, Utah

The Utah State Historical Society

The Utah Heritage Foundation

T

T

he Utah State Historical Society was founded in 1897 by public-spirited citizens to preserve the history of their new state. It continues under state sponsorship today and has been mandated by the Legislature to collect, preserve, and publish Utah and related history and prehistory. To accomplish this task, the Society has developed a number of programs: PRESERVATION — Researches and documents historic and prehistoric sites — Administers federal matching grants and tax advantages for preservation projects, historic buildings, sites and objects in Utah — Provides technical information and planning assistance for owners of old buildings in Utah PUBLICATIONS — Produces a variety of historical journals, magazines, and monographs — Publishes books on Utah history — Assists local historical groups with honoraria and public information ANTIQUITIES — Surveys and excavates prehistoric sites — Approves and issues excavation permits — Administers the state paleontology program LIBRARY — Offers a complete research facility containing 43,000 published items, 30,000 photographs, and a large holding of original source materials — Sponsors historical research programs and workshops

OTHER SERVICES — Sponsors Statehood Day and Annual Meeting — Provides museum assistance — Sponsors public lectures Membership in the Utah State Historical Society is open to all at the rate of $7.50 per year for individuals and $10.00 per year for institutions.

Members receive Utah Historical Quarterly, USHS Newsletter, Beehive History, discounts on books published by the Society, and timely mailings of historical events and programs.

he Utah Heritage Foundation is a statewide organization committed to keeping visible evidences of our state's history living and meaningful for present and future generations. The UHF also works to insure that the architectural evidences of the present are of a quality that will make them worth preserving for the future. To meet these ends, the Foundation is committed to three major goals: 1. To sponsor programs that increase public awareness of Utah's historic and architectural legacy.

2. To assist and support the intelligent preservation of important elements of Utah's architectural heritage and to protect that legacy by encouraging new development of quality planning and design.

3. To encourage public policies and decisions which promote the recognition, preservation, and enhancement of Utah's special character.

These goals are achieved through two basic programs: PUBLIC AWARENESS — Historic building tours — Slide and film programs — Preservation Month activities — Lecture series — Training courses — Special fund-raising activities ACTIVE PRESERVATION — Revolving fund to purchase historic homes for resale to preservation-minded buyers — Advice and professional services to community residents and officials Membership in the Utah Heritage Foundation is open to all at the rate of $10.00 per year ($15.00 after July 1, 1979). Members receive a monthly newsletter, invitations to all programs and events, discounts on tickets for some events and publications, plus the satisfaction of personal participation in preserving the state's unique heritage.

Utah's Lost Architecture: The Cardo House en it belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Edwin F. Holmes, (Photo: Utah StateJHistorical Society Photo Archives) 979 University Services, a Utah Corporation/1159 East 2nd Avenue/Salt Lake City, Utah 84103