National Register of Historical Places in Spanish Fork

Over the last couple of days I came across the National Register of Historic Places for Utah .  In Utah County, there are 172 locations on the list.  I wanted to talk about the two places in Spanish Fork that are found on that list.

The first is the Spanish Fork High School Gym, which I talked about in a previous blog post.  This was added to the National Register on April 1, 1985.  The gym was placed on the Register because of its importance in the art deco style.  The building was built in 1934 and is now part of the Nebo School District Office.  Here is a picture of what it looks like today:

The other building on the Register is the David H. Jones House which is located at 143 S. Main.  This building was added on October 24, 1985.  The plaque located on the house says,

"This craftsman bungalow was built c. 1912 for David H. and Mary E. Nielsen Jones, who lived here until their deaths in 1959 and 1976, respectively.  In addition to running his own farm and livestock operations, David Jones served as Commissioner of Agriculture for Utah, as president of the Utah State Farm Bureau, and as president of the Utah County Cooperative Dairy for 20 years.  His political career included six years of service as a Spanish Fork city councilman and two terms as a state senator." 

Here is the building as it is found today:

One of the coolest things about this property is that several pioneer era buildings are located on the property recreation of pioneer era buildings; the pioneer buildings are located in what is called Pioneer Park.  I found a great article online that describes this area and the history behind it:
        
"On 143 S. Main Street there is an old home that has been completely renovated. It belonged to David H. Jones who built it in 1911-1912. Now Jones's granddaughter, Elaine Jones Hughes, and her husband J.P. own the home, and have worked to turn the entire property into a sanctuary of the pioneer past. Through the years, Elaine and J.P. have worked to acquire and move several pioneer cabins and other buildings onto the property, and they open it up to the public. Elaine said they consider themselves in a small way, curators of the past, and they love to share what they have learned with others.

"The park is open every July 24 for the public to come and see first hand authentic pioneer antiques and cabins, but Elaine clarifies that they don't actually open their house for touring.

"The property is also the place for the Fiesta Days quilt show. Elaine said the quilts are beautiful draped along the property, and even hung directly on to the house.

"'We especially like to have pioneer quilts hung on the house.' Elaine said.

"Some years the Hughes family has had blacksmithing, soap making, spinners, basket weavers and other pioneer craftsmen at work at the park on July 24.

"The first log cabin on the site was donated by the Henry/Hansen family over 15 years ago. Their pioneer ancestors, Peter and Elena Hansen on Spanish Fork built it, and the Hansen family wanted to preserve it, but needed the property where the cabin was situated for other purposes, so they donated it to Elaine and J.P. who moved it to their property.

"Another cabin on the site belonged to Archibald Gardiner from Salt Lake, but his son Neil Gardiner, was a prominent Spanish Fork citizen so the cabin was moved to the Spanish Fork site as well. Archibald Gardiner is the great[great paternal] grandfather of J.P. Hughes.

"Another cabin on the site was belonged to David Abbot Jenkins (Ab Jenkins), and it is the second oldest log cabin in Spanish Fork history. Ab Jenkins was born in the cabin in 1883. The Hughes family turned this cabin into a cobbler show with authentic cobbler tools and tables. It was dedicated at the 2006 Fiesta Days Celebration on July 24, 2006.

"There is also a mill at the site that came from Leland and a pump house that had its origins in Salt Lake.