Whittier School, 120 West Fifth South Street, Salt Lake City

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS UTAH,18-SALCI,6-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

120 West Fifth South Street Salt Lake City Salt Lake County Utah Geographic Location Code: Latitude: 45 30' 1" N Longitude: 111 53' 41" W Demolished Statement of Significance This was one of the first schools built with public funds in an ecclesiastical subdivision of the LDS Church, one of the original 19 wards of Salt Lake City formed in PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION: A. Physical History: 1. Original and subsequent owners : Trustees of the 7th School District, Salt Lake City (Pre-1877); Board of Education of Salt Lake City (Purchased April 29, Pioneer Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (April 18, 2. Date of erection: Architect and builder: Unknown 4.

Notes on original plan and construction of building: Original plan rectangular in form, brick walls,.wood shingle roof, with belfry above front entrance. Front entrance had vestibule with gable roof, same construction as main building. 5. Alterations and additions: Transepts were built at north endon east and west at a relatively early date. An addition was built to the north, extending main "nave" of building, which appears on the Sanborn Map. All additions were of similar construction to the original building, although varying in detail. B.

Historical Events and Persons Associated with the Building: The Trustees of the 7th School District originally held classes in a small adobe schoolhouse on this site until School was being held in the basement room of the adjacent LDS Church meeting house by lease in WHITTIER SCHOOL HABS No. U-23 (Page 2) In the Liberal Party in Salt Lake City, composed of those bitterly opposed to the LDS Church, was making a I'gS/UC determined fight to get control of the schools away from the local theocratic groups.

When it was announced that k- the Whittier School would be built with public funds, the Liberal Party brought suit in Judge Sane's court in January They lost their case, which probably set a precedent against agitation by other anti-church groups for a public school system, (which was not adopted until C. Sources of Information: 1. Primary and unpublished sources; Abstracts of Deeds, Salt Lake City, 2.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS UTAH,18-SALCI,6-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Sanborn Ferris Map Co., Maps of Salt Lake City, "Through the Years - A brief History of the Sixth- Seventh Ward, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, published by the Sixth- Seventh Ward Bishopric, Salt Lake City, Utah. Prepared by John L. Giusti, AIA August * WHITTIER SCHOOL HABS No. U-23 (Page 3) PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION: A. General Statement: ' 1. Architectural interest: An auxiliary building of the Seventh Ward Chapel built as a school before the public school system was inaugurated. 2. Condition of Fabric: Demolished - June B. Description of Exterior: 1. Over-all dimensions: This one-story school was originally a simple rectangle, 30' x Numerous additions were made at the rear more than tripling the size before to 73' x 2.

Wall construction, finish and color: Red brick painted gray. Brick buttresses perpendicular to side walls and diagonal at front corners. 3. Structural system, framing: Masonry with wood framed floor and roof. 4. Porches and stoops: Four concrete steps led to the front vestibule. 5. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The front entrance was a circular brick arch with a three-light fanlight. The pair of doors were curiously paneled. b. Windows: Tall windows were surrounded with a slightly projecting band of brick which arched slightly at the head. The lower sash of the double hung windows was almost twice as tall as the upper one and had eight nearly square lights. The upper sash was divided by three vertical muntins.

Horizontal muntins were not aligned but divided the side lights into three panes, the center ones into two. 6. Roof: a. Shape, covering: Gables - green mineral - surfaced asphalt shingles covered original wood shingles. t WHITTIER SCHOOL HABS No. U-23 (Page 4) b. Cornice: The raked cornice on the vestibule was bracketed, other cornices were not. c. Cupola: A small bell cupola had a steep hip roof , e surmounted by a spiked urn. " C. Description of Interior: The interior was of little interest although the matchboard wainscots may have been original. D. Site and Surroundings: 1. Orientation: Faced Fifth South Street on the south. Separated by a driveway from the Seventh Ward Chapel on the east. Prepared by Paul Goeldner, AIA Supervisory Architect Utah Project June 14,