Ephraim United Order Mercantile Institution, Main & First North Streets, Ephraim

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Vacant Statement of This building is one of the few remaining Significance examples of a Mormon Cooperative store in Utah. Stores like this one were founded throughout Utah Territory in the and T for reasons of economic self-sufficiency by providing an outlet for local goods and commodities. Constructed of Sanpete limestone in the second floor of the structure served as a meeting place for various civic and educational functions related to the town of Ephraim. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erections 2. Architect: Not known 3. Original and subsequent owners: The Ephraim United Order building is located on the northwest corner of lot 5, Block 21, Plat A of the Ephraim City Map.

The following references to the title of this lot are found in the Sanpete County EPHRAIM UNITED ORDER MERCANTILE INSTITUTION HABS No. UT-106 Page 2 Recorder's Office, County Building, Manti, Utah: Deed, signed January 1, filed January 18, recorded in Book 2, page Trustee of the Ephraim Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bought from Ephraim City all of lot 5 for Deed, signed February 13, filed February 26, recorded in Book A19, page 39. Ephraim Mercantile Coop Institution bought from Trustee of Ephraim Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all of lot 5 for Deed, signed April 7, filed April 7, recorded in Book A16, page Ephraim South Ecclesiastical Ward bought from Canute Peterson, Church Trustee, part of lot 5 for no money.

Deed, signed February 27, filed March 11, recorded in Book 31, pages Junction Coop bought from E. C. Willardson part of lot 5 for Deed, signed February 3, filed April 28, recorded in Book 47, page Mons Nielson bought from Peter Sundvall for Junction Coop part of lot 5 for Deed, signed May 10, filed January 23, recorded in Book 58, page John Sorenson -bought from Christian A. Sarsen part of lot 5 for EPHRAIM UNITED ORDER MERCANTILE INSTITUTION HABS No. UT-106 Page 3 Deed, signed November 14, filed November 15, recorded in Book 60, page 54. P. M. Peter- son, Jr. bought from John Sorenson of lot 5 for Deed, signed May 8, filed May 10, recorded in Book 91, page 56. Evan C. Erickson and Vera Erickson bought from P. M.

Peterson part of lot 5 for Deed, signed July 5, filed July 18, recorded in Book 96, page Inez Hermansen bought from Evan C. Erickson part of lot 5 for Deed, signed September 17, filed Septem- ber 17, recorded in Book page Ephraim Milling and Elevator Co. bought from Inez Hermansen part of lot 5 for Deed, signed June 30, filed October 31, recorded in Book page Bank of Ephraim bought from the Ephraim Milling and Elevator Co. part of lot 5. Deed, signed January 30, filed February 2, recorded in Book page Sanpete Development Corporation bought from Bank of Ephraim part of lot 5. 4. Original plans, Construction, etc.: There are no plans of this building. The structure EPHRAIM UNITED ORDER MERCANTILE INSTITUTION HABS No.

UT-106 Page 4 housed the United Order Mercantile Institution on the main floor and a recreation hall and meeting place for the Relief Society on the second floor. The building is constructed of locally quarried San- pete limestone. The main entry was in one of the three bays of the west gable end of the structure which faces Main Street. The surface of this facade is of finely dressed ashlar limestone, while the other ex- terior wall surfaces are of coursed rubble limestone. Above the three main floor bays are window openings in which originally set 12 over 12 double hung windows.

In the gable above the row of windows is a semi-circu- lar crest which originally contained a representation of a beehive and the phrase "Holiness to the Lord." The gable itself is framed with a bracketed, boxed cornice and frieze. 5. Alterations and Additions: Addition: stone masonry storage room added to the rear of the structure between and The rear addi- tion at some date was made into living quarters with the addition of window and door openings on all three facades. The following series of alterations took place in the late when the building was converted for use as a granary: EPHRAIM UNITED ORDER MERCANTILE INSTITUTION HABS No. UT-106 Page 5 Main facade: a. first floor bays were bricked b. second floor windows were bricked South facade: a. windows bricked b.

exterior stairs to the second floor were removed c. exterior chimney was added Roof: Aluminum standing seam roof was added over the original cedar shingles. Plan: The original plan is not available and during the building's subsequent history as a granary the spaces have been altered with the addition of various bins, par- titions and grain equipment. B. Historical Events and Persons connected with the Structure: This United Order Mercantile Institution was patterned after the parent company, Zions Co-operative Mercantile Institution, or Z.C.M.I., in Salt Lake City. For reasons of economic self-sufficiency these stores provided an out- let for local goods and commodities. Thus, the Mormon Brethern avoided having to rely to a great extent on import- ed or "gentile" products.

This Mormon cooperative retail effort ultimately failed often due to poor management and too liberal a credit policy (Arrington, p. Co-ops declined in the and the Ephraim Institution was purchased by private individuals and operated as the Junction Co-op. At the turn of the century it was used as a meeting place for the Latter-day Saints High Council. EPHRAIM UNITED ORDER MERCANTILE INSTITUTION HABS No. UT-106 page ^ In the second story which formerly functioned as the Women's Relief Society meeting place was used as classroom space by the newly founded Sanpete Academy. The Academy was the forerunner of the present Snow College, a state liberal arts college. C. Sources of Information; 1. Primary and unpublished sources: a.

Deed Books: Sanpete County Recorder's Office, Sanpete County Building, Manti, Utah. b. Old Views: ex: view of the Ephraim United Order Mercantile Institution showing the main (west) facade and north facade and the Relief Society Granary to the south. Utah Historical Society Photo Collection, Salt Lake City. 2. Secondary sources: a. Books: Arrington, Leonard J. The Great Basin Kingdom. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, Lever, W. H. History of Sanpete and Emery Counties. Ogden, Utah; W. H. Lever, Nelson, Lowry. The Mormon Village, Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, b. Pamphlets, booklets, newspaper clippings, etc.: Sanborn-Perris Map, Ephraim, Sanpete County, September EPHRAIM UNITED ORDER MERCANTILE INSTITUTION HABS No.

UT-106 Page 7 Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Sanpete County, comp. These . . . Our Fathers: A centennial History of Sanpete County from to Springville, Utah: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Deseret Evening News. November 18, p. 2. Nelson, Lowry. "The Utah Farm Villages of Ephraim." Provo, Utah Brigham Young University, Prepared by: Peter L. Goss, Architectural Historian Graduate School of Architecture University of Utah Salt Lake City November PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: Federal/Greek Revival Style 2. Condition of fabric: Poor. Building has been exten- sively changed to accommodate different functions. B. Description of Exterior: 1. Over-all dimensions: 64I-10" x Addition: x 2. Foundations: limestone (whitestone) 3.

Wall construction, finish and color: Limestone, cut- stone, coursed, front elevation trimmed edge with stippeled center, quoins at all corners. White sides and rear have cutstone, coursed. 4. Structural system, framing: Stone masonry wall bearing, wood beams and joists and 2nd floor) wood trusses and rafters at roof, log columns (basement and 1st floor) EPHRAIM UNITED ORDER MERCANTILE INSTITUTION HABS No. UT-106 Page 8 5. Chimneys: Limestone (2 at east and west ends); brick (1 on south side) added ca. 6. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: Front entrance remodeled with all openings bricked up. b.

Windows and shutters: Double-hung wood, splayed jambs with 2 piece pine casing, stool and apron along sides, 2nd floor front windows bricked up - label type head with molded trim and decorated lug sill. 7. Roof: a. Shape, covering: Medium gable with boxed cornice with brackets, wood shingles covered with aluminum ribbed panels. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: a. Basement: Partial (east end), log columns with brick floor, divided into two rooms. b. First floor: West entrance leads into a single retail sales room. This room has had all log columns removed and walls erected to create storage bins. A platform exists across the east end of the building. Stairs located in the northeast corner serve both the basement and the second floor, c.

Second floor: Original exterior staircase on the south side (demolished) led into a single multi- EPHRAIM UNITED ORDER MERCANTILE INSTITUTION HABS No. UT-106 page 9 purpose room. Present enclosed interior staircase from the 1st floor is located in the northeast corner of the building. A storage bin has been erected in the middle of the room while the floor has been removed across the west end. Stairs located in the southeast corner serve the attic (truss space). d. Attic: Truss space unoccupied except for access to storage bins. 2. Stairways: Exterior stairs demolished. New interior stairs (northeast corner), enclosed, lead to second floor and early enclosed stairs to basement. 3. Flooring: Solid board, 1x8 pine. 4.

Wall and ceiling finish: First floor ceiling, 1x8 T & G pine with plaster on masonry walls, cove molding at ceiling and wall intersection; plaster on second floor ceiling. 5. Doorways and doors: Demolished 6. Trim: Pine 7. Hardware: Missing 8. Heating: ~ No indication remaining other than chimneys above roof line. D. Site: 1. General setting and orientation: Building faces west on a corner site, adjoining building demolished, granary beyond extant. EPHRAIM UNITED ORDER MERCANTILE INSTITUTION HABS No. UT-106 page 10 2. Addition: Stone addition, x located on the east side was originally constructed for storage; presently remodeled into an apartment. Prepared by: Burtch W.

Beall, Architect Project Supervisor Graduate School of Architecture University of Utah Salt Lake City November Transmitted by: Jack M. Barker, Jr. Historic American Buildings Survey National Park Service July Addendum to HABS No. UT-106 Ephraim United Order Mercantile Institution (Ephraim Co-op Building) Main and First North E phraim i Sanpete County Utah PHOTOGRAPHS Historic American Buildings Survey National Park Service Department of the Interior Washington,