Richard M. Fairbourn Farm, 170 West, 11, 400 South, South Jordan

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS UTAH,18-SOJO,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The house structure is a good example of a modest Queen Anne cottage of a type common- ly built in Utah between about and The Queen Anne was the most popular Victor- ian style built in parts of urban Utah during the late A number of Queen Anne homes have been found in Utah rural settings near urban centers.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS UTAH,18-SOJO,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Michael R. Polk, Sagebrush Archaeological Consultants, Ogden, Utah. September Illustrator: Kate McLeod, Cooper/Roberts Architects, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah. July, Photographer: Aleksander Kecor, Salt Lake City, Utah. July, Richard M. Fairboum Farm HABSNo. UT-131 (page 2) H. HISTORY A. Settlement of Crescent The initial European-American settlement of the Salt Lake Valley occurred in July when Brigham Young, the spiritual and secular leader of the Mormons, led a large group of Mormons from Navoo, Illinois to Utah Territory. After founding Salt Lake City as the Mormon initial settlement, Young ordered exploration and, eventually, colonization of areas beyond Salt Lake City.

In the settlements of Draper and East Jordan (later called Midvale) were established by some of the first Mormon pioneers to settle in the area east of the Jordan River and south of Salt Lake City. These communities, located 10 to 15 miles south of Salt Lake, grew rapidly and they, along with other settlements further south, increased traffic along the Territorial Road (later called the State Road) from Salt Lake City south toward Provo. In a man named Bell settled along this road on Dry Creek and built a four-room, two-story log house to use as an inn for travelers.1 His improvements, in what had become known as Dry Creek, were later sold to a man named Benjamin Barr Neff.

In the first telegraph office south of Salt Lake City was established in Neff's home.2 Another man, named Milo Andrus, also settled in the area and built another inn for travelers.3 By the this area had become known as Pleas- ant View and was attracting other settlers who homesteaded land in the area. Pleasant View had grown considerably by the mid with the arrival of a number of farming families including William Fairboum, brother of Richard M. Fairboum, builder of the house under study here.4 In addition to clearing and culti- vating a large parcel of land, William Fairboum, along with Albert G. Brown dug a portion of the East Jordan and Draper Canal to bring irrigation water to the Crescent area.

It was this canal and the Salt Lake And Jordan Canal (completed in which provided all of the water to irrigate farms in the Crescent area.5 By there was enough population in the Pleasant View community to justify construction of public buildings. In that year the first was built, a brick "meeting house" for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church).6 Two other brick structures were also built in both the eastern and 7north- em portions of the community. These were primarily used as school houses. In the Pleasant View population had grown to 50 families, 40 of which were members of the Mormon Church.8 This increase in numbers prompted the Mormon Church leadership to create a new "ward", a term used to denote a geographic unit of church members.

Prior to this time the community had been a part of the nearby Draper Ward. When the new ward was established, the name "Crescent" was suggested as a new name for the ward and community because the nearby Wasatch Mountains in this area were shaped like a crescent moon.9 By the population of Crescent10had grown to 420 and the brick Meeting House was replaced by a larger structure. In the brick schoolhouse in the northern part of Crescent was also replaced by a larger structure near the center of the community. Crescent continued to slowly grow, but remained a farming settlement with most services provided by the surrounding towns of Draper, Sandy and, to some extent, South Jordan. The few businesses known to operate in the community Richard M. Fairbourn Farm HABSNo.

UT-131 (page 3) over time included the J. P. Jensen Brick Yard which later became the J. R. Jensen Brick Yard Company, a general store operated by a Mr. Vom Bouer, another store operated by a Mr. Pearson and11Gem State Poultry, a company which operated from into the post-war period. By the Salt Lake City suburban communities had begun to grow in the area surrounding Crescent. The Interstate 15 freeway was completed through the middle of Crescent in providing rapid access to services in surrounding towns and cities and also encouraging residential and commercial growth in the surrounding towns. In the and 80s most of the unincorporated community of Crescent was annexed by the growing cities of Draper, Sandy and South Jordan.

The Fairbourn Farm area, upon which this study focuses, was annexed by South Jordan during this period of time. B. The Richard M. Fairbourn Farm Richard M. Fairbourn was born December 12, at Mill Creek, Utah, the son of Edward Fairbourn and Eliza Ann Wright, both Englishnimmigrants. Edward Fair- bourn came to Utah in and Eliza Wright in They were married in and moved to a farm in Mill Creek south of Salt Lake City.13 Richard Fair- bourn was born and raised on this farm and went to school there. On January I4 26, he married Myrtle Rhodes who eventually bore them three children. In the Fairbourns moved from Mill Creek to a 30 acre farm in Crescent (appar- ently with his mother Eliza Fairbourn).15 Richard Fairbourn purchased that farm from his brother and sister-in-law George W.

and Tillie Fairbourn in for The house and farm under study here are located on that property. Richard's wife Myrtle Fairbourn died in The following year Richard wed Ida Jensen, daughter of James P. Jensen and Anna Petersen.17 Shortly after this wed- ding he filled a "mission" for the Mormon Church to Great Britain and stayed until It is unclear whether his wife Ida accompanied him on mis mission. It was apparently during this absence that the Victorian house under study here was con- structed. A mortgage was not taken out on the property to build the structure.

In the property held by the Fairbourns had grown to 40 acres that was worth By the property had increased in value to During their marriage the Fairbourns had five daughters22 and Richard rose steadily in the Mormon Church leadership hierarchy. On November 11, Ida Fairbourn died at the24family home.23 On December 22, Richard also passed away at the residence. The property passed to the Fairbourn's son Rulon R. Fairbourn, to Richard Fairbourn's25 sister, Maud Hanger, and to the Fairbourn's daughters until they were married. During the the property went through a number of mortgage and tax sale transactions between Rulon Fairbourn and the Jordan Valley Bank. In Rulon Fairbourn and his wife Alberta (who were then living in Salina, Utah) sold the property to Dale A. and Elin Y.

Martin.2627 In June, the Martins sold the property to Leo R. and Glenda F. Kemp. The Kemps, who were horse breeders, became locally well-known for the Arabian horses they raised on the property and Richard M. Fairbourn Fann HABS No. UT-131 (page 4) sold all over the western United States. In Interstate 15 was built through the farm and took out much of the property. This forced Kemp to relocate all of the farm outbuildings. Leo Kemp died in leaving the property to his only heir, his son Richard, who still retains ownership. Outbuildings were added to the property throughout its history, although information is only available on this from assessment cards beginning in the late It appears that the property once had a 14-by-16-foot granary built ca. a 21-foot barn built ca.

two "lean-tos" measuring 24-by-14-feet and feet built ca. and four coops measuring 20-by-77-feet, 20-by-70-feet (shown as 20-by-40-feet in 20-by-53-feet and 20-by-20-feet built between and The 20-by-20-foot two-car detached garage which still stands on the property was built in If these dates are accurate, it appears that Richard Fairbourn operated a modest farm with no particular specialization. However, either late in his life or early in Rulon Fairbourn's ownership of the property, several large coops were built suggesting that a change in the farm operation occurred at that time, perhaps toward poultry farming.

With the exception of the garage, all of the outbuildings which may have existed in were dismantled, moved or rebuilt in a new location due to construction of the freeway through the property. Presently standing structures include two barns, a chicken coop, an equipment shed, a granary and a garage. The two barns were rebuilt in partially with cinderblock. The chicken coop and equipment shed may have been dragged to their new locations and the granary definitely was skidded to where it now stands. Interestingly, the only present building which approximates the size for those buildings described by the county assessor in or is the garage. The chicken coop and granary are close to the listed sizes, however, and may be the original buildings. m.

Architectural Perspective

The residence at the Richard M. Fairbourn Farm is an example of a modest small-scale Queen Anne cottage. Queen Anne was the most popular American residential style during the late nineteenth century. In parts of Salt Lake29City, especially along the avenues, Queen Anne was the dominant Victorian style. Its popularity in Utah coinci- ded with the building booms of the and early The smaller scale one-and- one-half-story versions of the Queen Anne style, represented by the Fairbourn30residence, were also quite popular, but usually lacked the towers and expansive porches.31 The Queen Anne style was popularized by published pattern books of the period.

The beginning and popularization of the Queen Anne style is credited to a group of nineteenth century English architects, the most well-known of which was Richard Norman Shaw.32 The style had little to do with the formal Renaissance architecture popular during Queen Aime's reign from to Rather, its antecedents date even earlier, to the late Medieval styles of the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras.33 The style arrived here in the United States in the mid-1870s and became known to a large American public at the Philadelphia Exposition of at which the British Government built and exhibited two large Queen Anne structures.34 The style was even more widely Richard M. Fairbourn Farm HABS No.

UT-131 (page 5) spread through publication of examples in pattern25books and the first architectural maga- zine, The American Architect and Building News. Additionally, the expanding railroad system of the country helped popularize this and other Victorian styles by making pre-cut architectural details accessible to many parts of the nation. The original American examples of the style resembled the English architects' half- timbered and masonry residences common in England. By the however, the highly embellished American interpretation of the style was well-established. The Queen Anne became one of the most picturesque styles of the late nineteenth century.

The houses were built to present visually striking structures that still remained esthetically pleasing.36 Embellishment appears to have been the most important element of the style: Steep, irregular shaped roofs, often hipped and with several intersecting planes, topped floor plans of considerable informality. Front facades were almost never symmetrical, but were instead a balance of contrasting shapes. Spacious first level porches commonly spanned part or all of the front and sometimes overflowed along one or both sides. Dormers, oriels, and characteristic cutaway bays were typical components of the ensemble. Balconies, overhangs, and protruding walls were similarly employed. Turrets and towers - both round and multisided - many times protruded proudly from one front comer or the other.

Collectively, these many elements created quite complex designs.37 The Queen Anne style was dominant in many parts of the country during the last two decades of the especially in the western United States. As with most house styles in Utah, the popularity of all Victorians, including the Queen Anne style, lagged behind the rest of the country by five to ten years. In Utah it continued until about The Fairbourn residence contains all of the elements expected in a modest small-scale Queen Anne cottage. The construction of brick with voussoirs over the window open- ings, the irregular-shaped roof, stylish front facade with full cornice return, the hipped roof dormers, the wrap-around porch and colonnades are all elements consistent with the style.

Changes evident in the structure since its original construction include the addition of an exterior brick chimney and three additional window openings. It also appears that the exterior doors have been replaced and that siding was added to the front gable and dormers. Other than these more obvious changes, the structure appears of largely origi- nal design. The Richard M. Fairbourn residence is an example of the Queen Anne house built in the waning days of popularity of the style. It is not known why Fairbourn chose to build his home in the Queen Ann style. He was 39 years old and held a rising position within the Mormon Church when the house was constructed. Perhaps it took him until this age to achieve enough financial success to afford such a structure.

Victorian forms of this late period were commonly built in the rural, agricultural areas of Utah, especially those near the urban centers of Salt Lake City and Ogden. The popularity of the style itself along with the availability of materials, and architects and contractors familiar with the con- struction may have contributed to the decision to build this Queen Anne style home. Richard M. Fairboum Farm HABS No. UT-131 (page 6) IV.

Description

This structure is a modest example of a Victorian Queen Anne cottage constructed somewhat late in the style's period. In Utah this style was most commonly built between and The one-and-one-half-story structure was built in an L cross-wing plan. It has a gable-on-hipped roof with a front gable facing the street. The gable end is clad with clapboard siding and has three adjoining windows including a two-light double- hung window flanked by two single-light fixed-sashes. A clapboard sided hipped-roof dormer with double-hung window is located on both the east and west sides of the house. The house is made of regular stretcher bond brick set on a mortared native rock founda- tion.

A wrap-around colonnade-supported open porch with hipped roof was built onto the east and south sides of the structure. This porch has wooden strip flooring and a grooved wood strip ceiling. Five full Roman doric columns with smooth shafts support the porch roof. A low balustrade connects the columns except where porch openings occur. The balustrade is made of a series of simple square wooden posts set between a wooden handrail and subrail. Similar to the structure itself, the fenestration on the house is quite modest and appears to have been altered over time to incorporate several vernacular elements commonly found in structures. There are four two-light double-hung windows which may represent the only original first-story windows on the house.

These windows, two located on the south side, one on the west side and one on the north side, all have wooden lug sills and wooden frames which extend above the panes to meet slightly projecting brick voussoirs. All other windows, located on the north and east sides of the house, also have wooden lug sills, but the window frames are fit into simple rectangular openings in the brick with no ornamentation. This suggests that they were added at a later date. The rear or north side of the house has two newer in-period windows in addition to the original. It in- cludes a casement window in the kitchen with eleven lights in each frame. This window is identical to the U1106 Casement Sash illustrated in the Universal Design Book No. Also on the north side of the house is another kitchen window.

This one is a square, single light fixed-sash window. There are four exterior doors on the house, three of which are in-period styles. The entrance doors on the south and north sides of the house and the door to the cellar on the east side, are all multi-paneled, wooden doors with a single pane window in the upper portion of the unit. The styles appear to date to the The east exterior entrance to the house is fitted with a modern hollow-core and veneer covered door with a half moon window inset into its upper portion. The residence also has two brick chimneys. One appears to be an original interior slope chimney made of regular stretcher bond brick. The other is a double flue, out-of-period, exterior eave wall chimney located on the west side of the house.

It is made of modern regular, stretcher bond brick and rests on a mortared cinder block base. Richard M. Fairbourn Farm HABSNo. UT-I31 (page 7) Jrdanl ^ [>' , fetery; 1" -!; 'D SCALE o ..1 : I..;._:^E 0 fEET i 1 KILOMETER CONTOUR INTERVAL 5 FEET NATIONAL GEODETIC VERTICAL

Datum of

Location of Richard M. Fairbourn Farm at 170 West South, South Jordan, Utah. Taken from: USGS Quadrangle Midvale, Utah and Richard M. Fairbourn Farm HABSNo. UT-131 (page 8) Interstate 15 South e?IT FW \UW^A^^A N CT Richard M. Fairbourn Farm HABS No. UT-131 (page 9) D a nV/ir-$" x D r> m *feup ^ =Q V a " v, 1^7'xE^^ 11 v - | A I , i| l? E? ^ ^ o a -k MMN Pi^^ l PLAN i, -_ r^/T'i t/& -i^ Richard M. Fairbourn Farm HABS No. UT-131 (page 10) TZ& 22 ,1 ,, X A \o-o\ \i-4 P 5F UFF^ ?ICV^ PLAN aw i/^-r^'1 Richard M. Fairboum Farm HABS No. UT-131 (page 11) Ajn""-J3S.BuXon B. Falrbourn, Maud Banger, Life Owner". Addro^-Sstix-Sandj^^ I^H,^ WT SEC 4, T ft 1W Kind of SuUdiDj.;. s:rsst,Ko._ Schedule...^/ Clam...ff 1 B ... o^Bi^^rja.^^^i ^jggnarr^gT^prgag-^ | y4vAfesj .

b Original Record A ::II:II^:::^ ft s. A f^. i... -. .1 \ State or UUb Stu* Card No 1L Front and back of tax appraisal card dated June 10, for Richard M. Fairboum Farm at 170 West South, South Jordan, Utah.40 Richard M. Fairbourn Farm HABS No. UT-131 (page 12) OwiMf't Nwni Loe*ilen Hew l/ ItMi^"" TVH I 1 4. Co.i i c . ; Front of tax appraisal card dated February 3.1 for Richard M. Fairbourn Farm at 170 West South, South Jordan, Utah/ Richard M. Fairboum Farm HABSNo. UT-131 (page 13) Addendum to tax appraisal card dated February42 3, for Richard M. Fairbourn Farm at 170 West South, South Jordan, Utah. Richard M. Fairbourn Farm HABS No. UT-131 (page 14) V. ENDNOTES 1. Hazel G. Nelson, Families of Crescent Vfard, Mt. Jordan Stake, copy on file: Family History Library, Salt Lake City, p.

2; The Utah Historical Records Survey, Inventory of the County Archives of Utah No. 18, Salt Lake County (Salt Lake City), Ogden, Utah: The Utah Historical Records Survey, p. 24; Le Landgren, Compiler, A Fairbourn Family History Limited First Edition, p. 4. 2. Le Landgren, Compiler, A Fairbourn Family History p. 4. 3. Hazel G. Nelson, Families of Crescent Vford, Mt. Jordan Stake, p. 3. 4. Le Landgren, Compiler, A Fairbourn Family History p. 5. 5. Andrew Jensen, Crescent Vfard History. Microfilm copy on file at the Archives, Historical Department, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Salt Lake City. 6. Hazel G. Nelson, Families of Crescent Ward, Mt. Jordan Stake, p. 2; The Utah Historical Records Survey, Inventory of the County Archives of Utah No.

18, Salt Lake County (Salt Lake City), p. 24. 7. Hazel Nelson, Families of Crescent Wird, Mt. Jordan Stake, p. 2. 8. Andrew Jensen, Crescent Vihrd History. Microfilm copy on file at the Archives, Historical Department, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Salt Lake City. 9. Le Landgren, Compiler, A Fairbourn Family History p. 6; Jon W. Van Cott, Compiler, Utah Place Names, Salt Lake City: The University of Utah Press, p. 96. 10. Steven K. Madsen, Precinct Government in Salt Lake County, Utah, M.A. Thesis, Department of History, Brigham Young University, Provo, 11. Arvid Larsen, Crescent, Communities of Jordan School District, pp. Jordan: Jordan School District, pp. 12. Andrew Jensen, Latter-Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, Salt Lake City: Andrew Jensen History Company, p.

Le Landgren, Compiler, A Fair- bourn Family History p. 8. 13. Ibid. 14. Andrew Jensen, Latter-Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, Salt Lake City: Andrew Jensen History Company, pp. 15. Andrew Jensen, Loner-Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, Salt Lake City: Andrew Jensen History Company, p. R. L. Polk and Company, Utah State Gazetteer and Business Directory, Second Edition, Salt Lake City: Polk and Company, Publishers, p. Richard M. Fairbourn Farm HABSNo. UT-131 (page 15) 16. Salt Lake County Book of Abstracts February p. 78, line 12, Salt Lake City: Salt Lake County Recorder's Office. 17. Andrew Jensen, Latter-Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, Salt Lake City: Andrew Jensen History Company, p. 18. Ibid. 19.

Salt Lake County Appraisal Cards June 10, and February 3, Salt Lake City: Salt Lake County Appraiser's Office. 20. R. L. Polk and Company, Utah State Gazetteer and Business Directory, Seventh Edition, Salt Lake City: Polk and Company, Publishers, p. 21. R. L. Polk and Company, Utah State Gazetteer and Business Directory, Tenth Edi- tion, Salt Lake City: Polk and Company, Publishers, p. 22. Deseret News, [Obituary of Ida Jensen Fairbourn], 13 November p. 5, col. 2. 23. Ibid. 24. Salt Lake Tribune, [Obituary of Richard M. Fairbourn], 23 December p. 19, col. 2. 25. Salt Lake County Book of Abstracts p. 52, lines 1, 4, and 5, Salt Lake City: Salt Lake County Recorder's Office. 26. Salt Lake County Book of Abstracts p. 93, lines 9. Salt Lake City: Salt Lake County Recorder's Office. 27.

Ibid., p. 93, line 43. 28. Salt Lake County Property Appraisal Cards, June 10, February 3, 29. Karl T. Haglund and Philip F. Notarianni, The Avenues of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society, p. 57. 30. Ibid. 31. Thomas Carter and Peter Goss, Utah's Historical Architecture A Guide, University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, p. 32. Virginia and Lee McAlester, A Field Guide to American Houses, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, p. 33. Ibid. Richard M. Fairbourn Farm HABS No. UT-131 (page 16) 34. Marcus Whiffen, American Architecture Since a Guide to the Styles. Cam- bridge, Massachusetts: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press, p. 35. Virginia and Lee McAlester, A Field Guide to American Houses, p. 36.

Scott and Beth Warren, Victorian Bonanza, Victorian Architecture of the Rocky Mountain \fest, Flagstaff, Arizona: Northland Publishing, p. 44. 37. Ibid. 38. Thomas Carter and Peter Goss, Utah's Historical Architecture A Guide, p. 39. M.A. Disbrow & Co, Universal Design Book No. 25 on Builder's Wodwork. Dubuque, Iowa: Universal Catalog Bureau, p. 40. Salt Lake County Property Appraisal Card, June 10, 41. Salt Lake County Property Appraisal Card, February 3, 42. Ibid. VI. BIBLIOGRAPHY A. BOOKS AND PUBLISHED

Sources

Carter, Thomas and Peter Goss. Utah's Historical Architecture A Guide. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, Disbrow, M. A., & Co. Universal Design Book No. 25 on Builder's Wodwork. Dubuque, Iowa: Universal Catalog Bureau, Haglund, Karl T. and Philip F. Notarianni. The Avenues of Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society, Jensen, Andrew. Latter-Day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia. Salt Lake City: Andrew Jensen History Company, Landgren, Le, Compiler. A Fairbourn Family History Limited First Edition, Larsen, Arvid, Crescent. Communities ofJordan School District, pp. Jor- dan: Jordan School District, McAlester, Virginia and Lee McAlester. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Richard M. Fairbourn Farm HABSNo. UT-131 (page 17) R. L.

Polk and Company. Utah State Gazetteer and Business Directory, Second Edition, Salt Lake City: Polk and Company, Publishers, R. L. Polk and Company. Utah State Gazetteer and Business Directory, Seventh Edition, Salt Lake City: Polk and Company, Publishers, R. L. Polk and Company. Utah State Gazetteer and Business Directory, Tenth Edition, Salt Lake City: Polk and Company, Publishers, Van Cott, John W, Compiler. Utah Place Names. Salt Lake City: The University of Utah Press, ^^&r^en, Scott and Beth Warren. Victorian Bonanza, Victorian Architecture of the Rocky Mountain Viest. Flagstaff, Arizona: Northland Publishing, Whiffen, Marcus. American Architecture Since a Guide to the Styles. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press, B. NEWSPAPERS Deseret News.

[Obituary of Ida Jensen Fairbourn], 13 November p. 5, col. 2. Salt Lake Tribune. [Obituary of Richard M. Fairbourn], 23 December p. 19, col. 2. C DOCUMENTS AND REPORTS Jensen, Andrew. Crescent Ward History. Microfilm copy on file at the Archives, Historical Department, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Salt Lake City, Madsen, Steven K. Precinct Government in Salt Lake County, Utah, M. A. Thesis, Department of History, Brigham Young University, Provo, Nelson, Hazel G. Families of Crescent Vford, Mt. Jordan Stake. Copy on file: Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County Property Appraisal Card, June 10, Salt Lake City: Salt Lake County Assessor's Office. Salt Lake County Property Appraisal Card, February 3, Salt Lake City: Salt Lake County Assessor's Office.

Salt Lake County Book of Abstracts February p. 78, line 12; p. 93, lines 9 and 43. Salt Lake City: Salt Lake County Recorder's Office. Richard M. Fairbourn Farm HABS No. UT-131 (page 18) Salt Lake County Book of Abstracts p. 52, lines 1, 4, and 5. Salt Lake City: Salt Lake County Recorder's Office. Salt Lake County Book of Abstracts p. 93, lines 9 and 43. Salt Lake City: Salt Lake County Recorder's Office. The Utah Historical Records Survey. Inventory of the County Archives of Utah No. 18, Salt Lake County (Salt Lake City). Ogden, Utah: The Utah Historical Records Survey.