Ashley Post Office, 1335 West 2000 North, Vernal

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS UTAH,24-VERN,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Utah, this hand-hewn, square-notched, log struc- ture located in the town of Ashley (now Vernal) also contained a general store. Constructed by the first postmaster in it continued to serve as a post office until PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: 2. Architect: Not known 3. Original and subsequent owners: This log structure is located in the old Ashley Townsite. There are no block or lot numbers for the property. The unnumbered lot is located in the Southwest Quarter of Section 10, Township 4, South Range 21 East, Salt Lake Meridian. County records are incomplete and there is no complete chain of title. The following references to the property are found in the Uintah County Recorder's Office, Vernal, Utah: ASHLEY POST OFFICE HABS No.

UT-94 Page 2 Deed, signed March 18, filed June 4, recorded in Book page Uintah County- Daughters of Utah Pioneers bought from Theo Morrison, Robert M. Gray and Linford Batty the following lot: "beginning South along the West section of line 189 feet and South 88 East feet from West quarter corner, South 66, 22 feet. North 89 43' East 36, 32 feet. North feet. North 88 13' West 36, 37 feet to point of beginning. 4. Builder, Contractor, Suppliers, etc.: Wilbur carlton Britt built the combination post office and store of logs. 5. Original Plans, Construction, etc.: There are no existent plans. The rectangular cabin was constructed of native timber from neighboring forests. The logs were smoothed with a broadax on the exterior and interior surfaces and some are num- bered for construction.

They are square notched but the ends are not cut flush with the wall surface at the corners. The roof was sheathed with boards and covered with approximately 6 inches of dirt. The interior space is divided by a log partition which separates the post office from the store. 6. Alterations and Additions: In the building was moved eighteen feet forward ASHLEY POST OFFICE HABS No. UT-94 Page 3 towards the road. The windows in the structure appear to have been altered at one time and since restored to the approximate size of the original windows. B.

Historical Events and Personages connected with the Structure: Wilbur carlton Britt, born in Council Bluffs, Iowa in arrived in Ashley Valley in September of He began constructing the office and store in and was appointed the first postmaster on April 16, He was also the first Justice of the Peace and the first school teacher in Ashley (Vernal). C. Sources of Information: 1. Primary and Unpublished

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS UTAH,24-VERN,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Deed Books: Uintah County Recorder's Office, Uintah County Courthouse, Vernal, Utah. Interviews: Margaret D. Elisen, Vernal, Utah, June 30, Thelma Oaks, Vernal, Utah, June 30, 2. Secondary Pamphlets, booklets, newspaper clippings, etc.: Camp Buena Vista Daughters of Utah Pioneers, comp. Ashley Valley's First Post Office. Daughters of Utah Pioneers, ASHLEY POST OFFICE HABS No. UT-94 page 4 Daughters of Utah Pioneers, uintah County, comp. Builders of Uintah: A Centennial History of Uintah County, Springville, Utah: Art City Publishing, 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: Frontier log cabin 2.

Condition of fabric: good B. Description of Exterior: 1. Over-all dimensions: x 2. Foundations: concrete 3. Wall construction, finish and color: square cut logs, chinked with suntar. 4. Structural system, framing: wall bearing solid logs, pole beam rafters with sheathing. 5. Chimneys: brick 6. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: wood frames and board casing- plank door and four lite doors, wood thresholds. b. Windows and shutters: double hung - six lite with board trim both sides, wood stool. ASHLEY POST OFFICE HABS No. UT-94 Page 5 7. Roof: a. Shape, covering: gable with sod finish C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: a. First floor: plan has two rooms. East room was the post office and the west room was a general store. A door connects the two rooms. 2.

Flooring: 1 x 4 T & G in post office and 7%" to board and 1 x 4 T & G in store. 3. Wall and ceiling finish: exposed rafter and roof sheathing. 4. Trim: plain boards 1 x 4 at doors and windows. 5. Hardware: mortise locksets, brass knobs and bolts, with ogee-shaped top knobs, surface porcelain knobs. 6. Heating: stove D. Site: 1. General setting and orientation: rural setting - structure has been moved to present location. Prepared by: Burtch W. Beall, Architect Project Supervisor Graduate School of Architecture University of Utah Salt Lake City November Edited by: Jack M. Barker, Jr. Historic American Buildings Survey National Park Service July s j*. t*.:fi 1 f\ * '9 ; rest's vittf^ Ashley Post Office HABS No. UT-94 W.

North Sternal Uintah County Utah REDUCED COPIES OF MEASURED DRAWINGS Historic American Buildings Survey National Park Service Department of the Interior Washington, DC