Territorial Capitol, Main, Center, First South & First West Streets, Fillmore

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS UTAH,14-FILL,4-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Utah's first Territorial Capitol, PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Original and subsequent owners: Territory of Utah Fillmore City Millard County State of Utah 2. Late of erection: 3. Architect: Truman 0. Angell h. Builders, suppliers, etc.: William Felshaw, Super- intendent of Construction. Craftsmen: Hyrum Mace , Lorrin Kinney, Joseph L. Robinson, Reuben McBride, Andrew Henry, William Bishop, Ralph Huntsman, N. W. Bartholomew, Thomas R. King, Joseph Holbrook, Theo- dore Rogers, George Woodward. B. Historical Events and Persons Associated with the Building: The Utah Territory was created on September 93 Salt Lake City was first selected as the territorial capitol. In fact3 the foundations for a statehouse were laid there on September 1, I85I.

(This site was later occupied by the University of Deseret.) TERRITORIAL CAPITOL HABS No. U-33 (Page 2) However, in Brigham Young and the Territorial Legis- lature decided that the capitol should "be more centrally located in the Utah Territory. At that time the Terri- tory covered more than half of Colorado, all of Utah and Nevada, a corner of Wyoming, and for a time a strip of land extending to the Pacific for access to the sea.

Following the organization of the territorial govern- ment in the first session of the legislature re- solved that Pahvant Valley (named after the Pahvant Indi- ans) "be the seat of territorial government on Octoher h9 I851, and as a preliminary step passed an act creating Millard County and named the county seat Fillmore in honor of the then President of the United States, Millard Fillmore. On October 21, Brigham Young and the Commission selected a townsite on Chalk Creek and a survey was commenced to select the site for the state- house. Jesse W. Fox is reported to have conducted the survey. The actual site was selected on Octoher 29, I85I.

"Milestones of Millard" quotes from a copy of the mess- age from Governor Brigham Young to the Territorial Assem- bly on January 5, which states, "In accordance with a resolution of the legislature locating the government at Pauvan (sic) Valley, and authorizing me to appoint commissioners to select a site for the capitol, I com- plied with that requirement "by appointing Professors Orson Pratt and Albert Carrington, Jesse W. Fox, Esq., William W. Stains (sic) and Joseph L. Robinson, said commissioners. They immediately proceeded to the per- formance of their duties and have made their report which I take great pleasure in presenting to you.

It appears from their observations that the location cho- sen on October 29, is far more central than this city." He also discussed the financing and construc- tion: "At Fillmore City one wing of the State House will probably be finished for the accommodation of the ensuing legislature. This will be built with funds furnished by the general government for the erection of suitable public buildings at the seat of government." The selection of this particular site was possibly influ- enced by Parley Pratt, an original Mormon pioneer, who had visited the area in January I85O. Late in Brigham Young established a colony of-pio- neers under the leasership of Anson Call to settle the area and aid in the construction of the building.

(When work commenced on the State House there were not more than 50 families in the settlement.) Truman 0. Angell was named Architect, and William Felshaw was made.vsuper- TERRITORIAL CAPITOL HABS No. U-33 (Page 3. intendent of construction. Mr. Angell was the architect who'designed the Salt Lake Temple and Tabernacle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Some en- tries from his Journal during the deisgn of the "building follow: December 16, "Sat at the trustee board on the plans for the State House." January 7, "State House to he "built at Parowan (Fillmore) the hands to "be sent from here, and the stone to he cut at Sanpete..." Several entries in December and January refer to working on "plans for the State House", although the drawings for the building were dated September and the foundation was reported laid in In the original plan, the main central mass was to be erected sixty feet square, with four side wings sixty feet by forty feet and three stories high. Over the main central mass was to be built what was described as "a Moorish dome".

Only the south wing was completed, consisting of three stories, the first and second floors containing eight rooms each, and the top floor a legis- lative chamber, about fifty-seven feet by thirty-seven feet. Probably one of the reasons why more building was not built may be attributed to diminished finances. An appropriation had been promised by the U. S. Congress to complete the building, but after the first appropria- tion of some misunderstanding arose and no further money was available from the government. Construction began in the fall of Red sandstone, hand quarried, was brought in from the mountains east of Fillmore. Native yellow pine, hand hewn, was hauled from Parowan, Utah, ninety miles distant.

Construction proceeded slowly, the walls being only partly complete in In that year, George Woodward was sent to Fillmore from Salt Lake City, along with a number of workmen. The work speeded up, and in early December, the Statehouse was so near completion that the 5th Session of the Territorial Legislature convened in and dedicated it on December 10, with each branch of the Executive body having its own separate apartments. This meeting of the Legislature was the only full sess- ion held in the Statehouse. They organized by electing TERRITORIAL CAPITOL KABS No. (Page k) Heber C. Kimball as President of the Council and Jedediah M. Grant as Speaker of the House.

Several succeeding sessions met there in order to conform to law, but they immediately adjourned to Salt Lake City where they could work more conveniently. The 6th Session met in the still unfinished building on December 15, but adjourned January 18, and held the remainder of the session in Salt Lake City. This long journey in the dead of winter convinced the legislators that the capitol was too far from the population. Other causes contributing to the abandonment of the southern capitol were the expense of food, supplies and travel, poor roads and the fact that more legislators lived in the northern settle- ments. The fertile valleys of the north offered greater inducement for settlement than the steile soil of the south; thus settlement of the territory near Fillmore was sparse.

On December 22, I858 the 8th annual session convened in Fillmore and a resolution to adjourn to Salt Lake City was passed. This was the last meeting of the Territorial Legislature, or any other territorial or state government in the Statehouse. During the one full session in the Legislature authorized the election of delegates to a territorial convention for the purpose of preparing a state consti- tution and petitioning Congress for the admission of the State of Deseret into the Union. Acts were passed creating counties of Cache, Boxelder, Greasewood, Hum- boldt, St. Mary's, Shambip, Cedar and Malad, many of which were outside the present boundaries of Utah. Other important acts covered incorporations, apportion- ment , and memorials.

One act asked Congress for to build a road to California. After abandonment of the legislature the building was turned over to Fillmore City and Millard County, and it was used for offices, schools, social and religious gatherings, printing office, jail, and other public needs. Then when others buildings for these purposes became available, the building fell into disuse and decay. In through efforts of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, Mayor Edward Nelson carried a motion of the Fillmore City Council to ask the State of Utah to restore the building. Governor George H. Dern took interest in the project and on October 25, a deed conveying . title of the site to the State was executed.

The State Legislature appropriated for restor- ation of the Statehouse under supervision of the Utah State Board of Park Commissioners. Young and Hansen, Architects of Salt Lake City-, were retained to prepare restoration drawings and specifications. In con- tracts were let for construction. Work included a new TERRITORIAL CAPITOL HABS No. U-33 (Page 5) copper roof, repainting exteriors, new windows and doors as needed, floors replaced or repaired, walls plastered and painted. On July 2k, the "building was re- dedicated and opened to the public as a museum to Utah's past. Officiating at the dedication ceremony was Utah Governor George H. Dern. Members of the Baord of Park Commissioners, in addition to Governor Dern, were Lafay- ette Hinchett, Dr. George Thomas, Dr. E. C.

Peterson, and Randall L. Jones. The dedication also made the old Statehouse Utah's first state park. In the Legis- lature appropriated for an annex and heating plant, "built in C. Sources of Information: 1. Primary sources: Journal of Truman 0. Angell, Journal Histories, (Microfilm) Library of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Salt Lake City. 2.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS UTAH,14-FILL,4-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Deseret Mews, December 10, Heart Throbs of the West, Vol. 6 & Vol. 12 Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City, Utah. Milestones of Millard, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. Salt Lake Tribune, January 20, "Utah's Old Statehouse" pamphlet, Utah State Park and Recreation Commission. (From Old Statehouse Mus eum). Prepared by John L. Giusti, AIA September 5,