Kimball Hotel, U.S. Route 40, Silver Creek Junction

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

This .is one of the few remaining original stations of the Overland Stage. It also served as a station for the Holladay Stage Line and the Wells Fargo Express Company as well as a hotel. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History 1. Original and subsequent owners: U.S. to William Henry Kimball, Patent (January 17, William Henry Kimball and wife to Brigham Sellers (January 5, Brigham Sellers and wife to Milton 0. Bitner (January 10, Milton Bitner to Bitner Land and Livestock Co. (April 29, 2. Date of erection: Early 3. Architect, builder, suppliers, etc.: Unknown 4. Notes on original plan and construction of building: The stage stop and hotel was originally an eleven room two story rock structure, with a one story appendage KIMBALL HOTEL HABS No.

U-53 (Page 2] on the east which served as a post office and bar. U1V1H The barn was a log structure, situated across the *;; stage road (to the north) from the hotel. 5. Alterations and additions: According to a recent account, the owners have added "modern comforts", relocated the stairs, removed some partitions and enlarged the kitchen. Dates of changes are not known. No architect was retained. B. Historical Events and Persons Associated with Building: The Kimball Ranch is located in Parley's Park in Summit County at the head of Parley's Canyon, 25 miles east of Salt Lake City. The area was explored in by Parley B. Pratt, after whom the area was named, Mr. Pratt built a road through the canyon in called Parley's Canyon or the Golden Pass Toll Road.

The ranch is located in a valley of feet elevation just east of the intersections of Routes 40 and 248 on the north side of Route 40, It is crossed by Kimball Creek, which flows into East Canyon stream, a tributary of the Weber River. The first settler in Summit County was Samuel Snyder, who bought out Parley Pratt's claim and built a sawmill in Parley's Park. William H. Kimball was the next permanent settler. Mr. Kimball was born April 10, in Mendon, Monroe County, New York and was the eldest son of Heber J. Kimball, a President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon).

He came to Utah with his father in He was also a Mormon missionary in England from to was one of those who met the Edward Martin "Frozen" Handcart Company survivors and brought them into the valley, served as Captain of Minute Men in early Indian troubles, and as Brigadier General of the Utah Militia. He drove the mail stage line between Park City and Salt Lake City from was postmaster at Parley's Park, and organized and directed the Park City Ice Company. He also was honored for discovering the first coal in the Salt Lake City area, his claim becoming the Sprague Mine at Coalville, Utah. To take advantage of the steadily increasing traffic down Parley's Canyon Road, Mr.

Kimball built a substantial eleven room rock hotel with a large log barn during the early Both buildings are still in use. A lean- to portion on the east end was the Post office. It also contained a bar over which ice cold drinks were sold to thirsty travelers. The only exit or entrance to this room was through an outside door opening to the porch on KIMBALL HOTEL HABS No. U-53 (page 3) ' TP H the north side of the building. A recent account states * that "Interior modern comforts have been added, to the house, S; - some partitions removed, the stairs more conveniently placed and the kitchen enlarged." The building was one of the original stations of the Overland Stages, the Holladay Stage Line and later became part of the Wells-Fargo Express Company.

The Overland Stage followed the Weber River to Three Mile Canyon, later up Silver Creek to Kimball's Junction and over the summit of the Wasatch Range down Parley's Canyon to Salt Lake City. Its route was sometimes confused with the Pony Express which traveled for 18 months over the Pioneer Trail simultaneously. The Pioneer Trail traveled through Echo Canyon and followed the Weber River to Henefer, through East Canyon and Emigration Canyon to Salt Lake City. The hotel and barn are one of the best preserved of the Overland Stage serving stations. Still standing are the old stables, coach repair shops and feed storage. Traces of the old route exist nearby.

The "Transcontinental Tourist's Guide" in describes the area as follows: "Parley's Park - This is a beautiful valley on the stage road, about five miles long by three miles wide. It is very fertile, producing fine crops of small grain. Several hundred settlers have located and made themselves homes. There is a fine hotel, once kept as a stage station, now kept by William Kimball, oldest son of Heber C." Mr. Kimball also constructed a toll bridge here. On July 8, he was granted the right to collect a toll of 25 cents on all freighters, (citizens of the county passed free), but this permit was revoked in March The hotel was famous for its dinners of trout, wild duck, sage hen, beef or mutton prepared by Mr. Kimball's second wife, Melissa Burton Coray Kimball.

(Melissa was one of the few women of the Mormon Battalion, being the wife of Sargeant William Coray of Company B, who died soon after his arrival in Itah.) After she wearied of the responsib- ility of managing the Kimball Hotel, she moved to Salt Lake City, and another wife, Martha Vance Kimball took her place. Guests at the hotel included Horace Greeley, Walt Whitman and Mark Twain. The ranch is now owned by Milton O. and Blaine Bitner, who engage in sheep raising and dairying. t KIMBALL HOTEL HABS No. U-53 (page 4) C. Sources of Information: ! TAM Crofutt, George A. Transcontinental Tourists' Guide, 71 Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Echoes of Yesterday, Salt Lake City. Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Heart Throbs of the West, and Salt Lake City. Daughters of Utah Pioneers.

Treasures of Pioneer History, Salt Lake City. Deseret News, June 8, (Salt Lake City)* "The Ax-I-Dent Ax", Employers Magazine, U.S. Smelting Refining and Mining Company, Salt Lake City, July, Prepared by John L. Giusti, AIA July 26, # KIMBALL HOTEL HABS No. U-53 (page 5) PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION , .- A. General Statement: 1. Architectural interest: The exterior of the Kimball Hotel is almost unchanged from its days as a stage station. 2. Condition of fabric: Good basically. Needs minor maintenance. B. Description of Exterior: 1. Over-all dimensions: This two-story building with partial basement has a "T"planf 50' 10" x 54* 3" 2. Foundations: Sandstone 3. Wall construction, finish and color: Buff and red sandstone coursed rubble. Some wood framed additions. 4.

Structural system, framing: Stone masonry with wood framed roof and lean-tos. 5. Porches and stoops: Porch along north side has concrete floor but posts and roof are original. Screened porch on southeast has concrete foundation and floor but roofline is old, possibly original. 6. Chimneys: Original stone chimneys above each stone gable. 7. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: All openings have wood lintels. Front entrance has four light transom over four-panel door. Other doors - four-panel. Evidence of former door opening at west end. b. Windows and shutters: Double hung six-over-six except in east gable which has six light fixed sash in second story and loft. 8. Roof: a. Shape, covering: Two-story gable with gable shed and hip roofs over one-story portions.

Wood shingles some portions covered with composition shingles. KIMBALL HOTEL HABS No. U-53 (page 6) b. Cornice, eaves: Unornamented cornice with one foot overhang. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: Interiors inaccessible - have been converted to two apartments. 2. Stairway: Has been relocated. D. site and Surroundings: 1. Orientation: Faces north although present highway (U.S. 40) passes at the rear (south) side. One of a group of farm buildings. NE 1/4 of SW 1/4 SEC 20 TIS R4E. 2. Outbuildings: Two of the barns are contemporary with house and other barns and house (built by Railroad) are also old. 3. Landscaping and walks, enclosures: White picket fence on west and north is a discontinuous limit to driveway area outside.

* Prepared by Paul Goeldner, AIA Supervisory Architect Utah Project July 2,