St. Mary of the Assumption School, Park Avenue at Main Street, Park City

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS UTAH,22-PARK,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

This is the oldest Catholic School and church in the Diocese of Salt Lake City and the State of Utah, PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Original and subsequent owners: St. Mary's of the Assumption Catholic Church 2. Date of erection: 3. Architect; "builder, suppliers, etc.: Unknown h. Original plan and construction: School and church were built of stone, standing side by side, approxi- mately the same size, 5. Alterations and additions: Repairs after the fire in January considerably altered the interior of the church. No architect was used. Father Kennedy, the Pastor, and his congregation had the church repaired and it was rededicated in June B.

Historical Events and Persons Associated with the Building: This is the oldest Catholic School and Church in the Diocese of Salt Lake City and in Utah, The present Pastor is Father Patrick Curran. It pre-exists the Diocese by almost eight years, the Diocese having been established by Pope Leo XIII on January 27 From to a priest by the name of Father Lawrence Scanlan made regular visits to this mining camp and held mass in Simon's Hall on Main Street, where now stands the old New Park Hotel. (Father Scanlan later became the first Bishop of Salt Lake City.) The congregation soon found the hotel lobby too small and decided to build a church. A plot of ground was obtained on the west slope of the canyon, ST. MARY'S OF THE ASSUMPTION SCHOOL HABS No. U-31!

(Page 2) and a frame church and school were "built In the fall in and spring of It was the first church in Park City, and its first pastor was Father P. Blake. The school "Was operated by the Sisters of the Holy Cross from Indiana, and in its opening year had a total of 133 students. On July U, fire, set "by a pyromaniac "to get even with the towns- people who, he considered, had mistreated him" destroyed the church and school buildings, hut they were immediately re- built of stone and school commenced again that fall. (Other accounts date the fire on July, and one states that the fire occurred in The depression, the silver mining slumps and other circumstances forced the school to close in "but it is still used for religious classes taught by the Missionary Sisters of Victory Noel.

In fire struck the church and severely damaged it, hut it was repaired and re-dedicated in June, C. Sources of Information: 1.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS UTAH,22-PARK,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Harris, W.E. The Catholic Church in Utah, 1776-1909a Salt Lake City, Hansen, Clyde W. A History of the Development of Non- Mormon Penominational Schools in Utah, Masters The- sis, University of Utah. The Intermountain Catholic Register, January 1^, Utah Historical Quarterly, Vol. XXVIII, No. 2, April, I960. Woodbury, J. Weston. A History of the Park City School District, Thesis, University of Utah, I960. Worlds' Fair Ecclesiastical History of Utah. George Q. Cannon & Sons, Publishers, D. Likely Sources not yet Investigated: A History in Catholic Education in Utah. Sister M. des toires, Masters Thesis, University of Notre Dame. Prepared "by John L. Guisti, AIA September U, # ST. MARY'S OF THE ASSUMPTION SCHOOL HABS No. U-3^ (Page 3) PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION - SCHOOL A.

General Statement: 1. Architectural interest: This is an early parochial school in a Utah mining town. 2. Condition of fahric: Good B. Description of Exterior: 1. Over-all dimensions: The form is a one-and-a-half story rectangle 33' x 60* 7". 2. Foundations: Limestone 3. Wall construction, finish and color: Buff colored limestone, coursed range ashlar. k. Structural system, framing: Masonry bearing walls with wood framed floor and roof. 5. Porches and stoops: A narrow porch along the long south- east wall is probably not original but a similar covered area appears on an Sanborn Map. 6. Chimneys: A brick chimney at each end of the gable. 7. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: Four panel doors with single light transom and timber lintels. b.

Windows: Two-over-two double hung under timber lintels. 8. Roof: a. Shape, covering: Gable with standing seam metal roof painted green. b. Cornice: Simple cornice without returns. c. Dormers: There are two narrow gabled dormers on the southeast. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: Both floors are quite open now but the first floor shows evidence of having been divided into four class- rooms, each with its own exterior entrance. ST. MARY'S OF THE ASSUMPTION SCHOOL HABS No. U-3k (Page k) 2. Stairway: At the southwest end of the "building, the land- ing once had an exterior door to the higher ground level "behind the school. 3. Flooring: Modern resilient floor tile. h. Wall and ceiling finish: Wallpaper over plaster. #. Site and Surroundings: 1.

Orientation: The long side of the building opens toward the southeast. The front end faces Park Avenue on the northeast. A high retaining wall raises the site above the street and the mountainside rises steeply "behind the site to the southwest. 2. Outbuildings: St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church is adjacent on the northwest. 3. Landscaping and walks, enclosures: There is a concrete walk along the southeast side and across the fronts of the school and church. Steps at two locations lead down to the street. Prepared by Paul Goeldners A1A Supervisory Architect Utah Project July l8, PART III.

PROJECTINFORMATION This record is part of a Utah Survey conducted in the summers of and under joint sponsorship of the Historic American Buildings Survey of the Office of Areehology and Historic Preservation of the National Park Service and the Utah Heritage Foundation* Field work, historic research and record drawings were done under the direction of Project Supervisor Paul Goeldner, AIA (Texas Tech Univer- sity) assisted by Project Historian John L. Giusti, AIA (University of Utah). Photographs were made by P. Kent Fairbanks of Salt Lake City. Student Assistant Architects on the team were Robert M. Swanson and Charles W. Barrow, (University of Texas) and Kenneth L. Lambert and Keith Sorenson9 (University of Utah). Student Assistant Architects were Keith Sorenson, Charles D.

Harker and Robert Schriever (University of Utah) and Donald G. Prycer, (Texas A. & M. University).