BYU Building that is Haunted by Pioneer Ghosts

Continuing with the tour of Brigham Young University campus, the next logical building is the Maeser Building.  The Maeser Building is the oldest building located on what is now considered BYU campus, where the BYU campus eventually moved to from the Academy Square.  Here is what it looked like in 1925 and what it looks like today (from the front, and the Karl G. Maeser statue on the back side):

Courtesy of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Lee Library, Brigham Young University 

The article on wikipedia gives a great summary of the building.  Here is what it says:

"Soon after the death of Karl G. Maeser in 1901, plans were begun to erect a fitting memorial to this great teacher.  Ten years later (1911) the beautiful Maeser Memorial Building was completed.  This graceful structure was the first permanent building on upper campus, the called Temple Hill.

"Designed originally as a classroom building, it has served thousands of students.  But that has not been its only function.  For a while, the spacious 175-seat assembly hall, occupying the central portion of the third and fourth floors, was used for college devotionals, and for forty years it served also for faculty meetings.  Briefly, in 1918, the building housed a unit of the Student Army Training Corps.

"In 1921, the Maeser Building, became the first home of the newly organized College of Commerce and Business Administration which, for the next thirteen years, occupied most of the building, except for part of the first floor, where the Purchasing Department, under the direction of Kiefer B. Sauls, was housed.

"In 1931 the offices of the University president and other administrators were moved from lower campus to the Maeser Building.  Two years later the BYU Press began its operation in the south end of the first floor, directly under President Franklin S. Harris's office.  Before moving out in 1947, the press had occupied the entire first floor.  For sixteen years the administrative offices shared the third floor with the campus telephone switchboard.

"In the 1950s the Maeser Building assembly hall [the large open theatre style classroom] was dismantled.  A partial floor was built across the second story, and the historic hall was chopped into temporary offices to help alleviate the growing pressure for office space as the University population exploded following World War II.

"Upon completion of the Abraham O. Smoot Building in 1961, the administration moved out and the Archaeology and English Departments moved in, the former to the first floor and the latter to the second and the third.  The Department of English stayed only two years, then History occupied the northern half and the Political Science the southern.  This arrangement lasted for the next fourteen years, until the French and Italian Departments moved into the suites vacated by the History Department, and the German Department took those left by Political Science.  Between 1981 and 1983, Anthropology-Archaelogy and the two language departments also left the building.

"With the decision of the administration and the Board of Trustees to restore the Maeser Building to its original classical dignity, and to make it the center for the University Honors Program, a complete renovation was carried out."  Today, the building is still the home of the University Honors Program.

While researching the building, I found a really interesting article from BYU's newspaper, The (Daily) Universe, which says that the Maeser Building was built atop a pioneer graveyard.  Since the paper did not give any references to where they found the information, I figured that it was probably just conjecture.  However, after doing some additional searches, I found an article from the Provo city library which verifies the Universe's claim.  The pioneer cemetery was original named Fort Field Cemetery (although this was the second cemetery that was named "Fort Field", the first being located across Geneva Rd. from Fort Provo).  Eventually, the cemetery's name was changed to Fort Field to Temple Hill.  By 1880, the site was discarded as a burial ground as the soil was too sandy, causing graves to cave in before burials could take place.

One other interesting piece of information about the Maeser Building is the statue of Karl G. Maeser that is located in front of it.  The statue was built in 1958 and was originally in front of the Eyring Science Center before it was moved to its current location (an article and picture can be found here).  Occasionally, people draw a circle in chalk around the statue, which I always found as a funny reference to one of Maeser's most famous quotes (that has often been used as a way of promoting the honor code): "I have been asked what I mean by "word of honor."  I will tell you.  Place me behind prison walls-walls of stone ever so high, ever so thick, reaching ever so far into the ground-there is a possibility that in some way or another I might be able to escape; but stand me on the floor and draw a chalk line around me and have me give my word of honor never to cross it.  Can I get out of that circle? No, never!  I'd die first."

I personally have fond memories of the Maeser Building, mainly because of a music video that I made inside the building.  A few years ago, I was somewhat crazy about Bonnie Tyler's music video for "Total Eclipse of the Heart" mainly because the music video is so crazy and makes no sense.  For one of my birthdays, my friends remade the video and had me be Bonnie Tyler (and if you were at all confused, yes I am a male, and no, I do not make an attractive Bonnie Tyler).  Most of the video was filmed in the Maeser Building and ever since it has always been a place of fond memories for me.  Here is the video:

"The Miracle at Academy Square"

Today I am focusing on my favorite building in Provo, the Brigham Young Academy Building at Library Square, located on University Avenue between 500 and 600 North.  This building has an incredible history, and at one point was as close to demolition as any building could possibly be.  Currently it is the home of the Provo Library and really a treasure for the Provo community.

The best history of the Academy Building is found on the Provo Library's website.  Here is what it states:

"The Academy Building was the first building specifically built to house the Brigham Young Academy. Previously the Academy had been housed in the Lewis building which burned to the ground on January 27, 1884. It was decided to rebuild. 

"The following appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune when the site for the building had been determined:

"President Taylor and others were riding around the town to-day, looking up a suitable site for the erection of the new building of the Brigham Young Academy. It is understood that the location has been determined upon, it being the Lewis block, on J street, a few blocks north of the First National Bank. The excavation will begin this next week and the material be hauled for the foundation immediately. The brick of the old ruin will be used again in the new.

"This week appeals have been made to the young men of Utah county to contribute their labor and teams for the unskilled part of the work. The contribution list is adding up to quite an amount, and is expected soon to reach the requisite sum.

"In the meantime the Academy is flourishing in its present quarters, and the people are determined it shall not die out, but rise Phoenix-like out of the ashes and be a better and more commodious institution."

"The architect was Don Carlos Young, a son of Brigham Young. Young's design was based on designs by Karl G. Maeser. It was located on J Street (later dubbed "Academy Avenue" and then "University Avenue"). The building was dedicated January 4, 1892 and was at that time one of the largest of its kind in the Intermountain West. It was designed to accomodate 1,000 students.

"The building was constructed of brick and trimmed in Kayune stone. 168' deep, 188' wide, and 50' high. Over the entrance was the inscription "B. Y. Academy 1891" in gray sandstone. There were two floors, an attic and a basement. From the beginning the building had electric lights powered with electricity from A. O. Smoot's sawmill two blocks to the west; however, there were no inside toilets for the first 10 years. The building was heated in part from forced air over steam radiators and in part by coal stoves.

"A variety of classes were taught in building: chemistry, typewriting, geology, and art.  In 1898 the building was renamed the "High School Building.  In 1912 a bell was purchased and installed in the belfry. Until this time a triangle hanging in one of the main halls was struck to signal class periods.

In 1919, following the demolition of the old Tabernacle, the bell from the old Tabernacle was installed in the Academy/High School building. This bell was a much better bell, having been made of nickel and cast by the McShane Bell Foundry of Baltimore in 1887.  In 1922 the building was renamed again, this time as the "Education Building" (it retained this name until the building was closed in 1968).  Also in 1922 "Leadership Week" began (renamed "Education Week" in 1962). Leadership Week was held in the Academy/Education building until the Joseph Smith Building on the upper campus was completed in 1941.

"In 1968 BYU stopped using the building, closing the Brigham Young High School and the Elementary School."

From 1968 until the time that the building was restored into the Provo library, the building stood vacant.  Every summer I went on vacation to Utah and I remember one particular time driving past the site.  There were fences around it, it was boarded up, and it looked incredibly awful.

The best summary of the restoration is found on the Brigham Young High School's website.  It is a little long, but I wanted to include most of it, because it is an incredible story of the Provo community rallying to save the most historic building in the city.  It is quite incredible the feat that they were able to accomplish.  Here is what it says (as a heads up, there were originally three other buildings located on the property where the Academy currently is.  During the renovation, these were bulldozed.  Hopeful this will help you understand the article and when it talks about the four buildings, rather than just one):

"[Individuals in Provo] kept the dream alive for the 19-plus discouraging years after the sale of lower campus in 1975. The property would change hands nine times, plans for it coming into focus, then fading: retail shops, offices, restaurants, museums, theaters, a gymnasium, a movie studio, housing, and centers for research, rehabilitation, entrepreneurialism, service, and the arts.

"We grieved about it being sold. I wrote lots of letters," remembers Shirley Brockbank Paxman, '68. "And when the lawn and trees were dying, my husband, Monroe, repaired the sprinkling system and we paid the water bill. For 25 years I've worked with every mayor and developer."

"Wallace A. Raynor, '57, also spent those years safeguarding Academy Square, advertising its potential, working to establish a trust fund toward purchase, taking up his flashlight and patrolling against vandals. Once when demolition threatened, he vowed to stop the bulldozers by chaining himself to the fence.

"Betty F. Harrison, '59, pulled nearly $80,000 out of her retirement funds to finance a community service center, and her partners, Mary Gay Hatch, '56, Valerie Kelson, and Dan Losee, also spent thousands. Their creativity in recruiting volunteers was remarkable, but the historic easement to protect the four buildings' exteriors prevented them -- like all the others before them -- from developing an affordable venture.

"Still, no truer champions could have protected BYU's birthplace. Because of them the venerable buildings were still standing when Provo City bought Academy Square in March 1994.

"Within weeks, believing that the square's dilapidation and liability now superseded its historic easement, the city announced that Georgetown Development was preparing to replace the old buildings with condominiums.

"To block demolition, that July the Utah Heritage Foundation (UHF) sued Provo City. Provo contested the suit. In November, responding to police and firemen's concerns about asbestos, hantavirus, and structural hazards, Provo's board of appeals ruled that the buildings were dangerous and ordered city officials to improve security.

"The time had arrived for another name to make Academy Square history. Early in the year of 1995 Dr. L. Douglas Smoot, BYU '57, answered the call to lead the preservation efforts of the Brigham Young Academy Foundation (BYAF). The great-grandson of premier BYA benefactor Abraham O. Smoot, Doug had the experience, the fund-raising contacts, and the vision. As former dean of BYU's College of Engineering and Technology, he could be believed when he said the neglected buildings were still sound.

"Smoot and his colleagues first worked with the Provo Library Board and the city council to approve a $70,000 feasibility study, paid for by the BYAF and conducted by Max J. Smith Associates. The time was right. Library board chair Paul K. Sybrowsky, '68, and director Julie Farnsworth were looking for a new library site, and there began to be talk of relocating to Academy Square.

"In July 1995 Suzy Calder Liechty, BYH '57 and BYU '60, spearheaded a 2,200-signature ad in Provo's Daily Herald asking the mayor and city council to do "everything in their power to preserve the Academy." It was the closest thing to a public mandate so far. Not long afterward the court ruled that the UHF easement was indeed valid.

"As BYU Homecoming approached, Mayor George O. Stewart offered Academy Square tours to the alumni and public. Portions of floor and roof were collapsing. Brickwork was crumbling. Pigeons and bats shared space with transients and vandals. In one room someone had painted a pentagram on the floor. The old buildings were considered such a hazard that the fire department said it would let them burn rather than endanger firefighters.

"Bulldozers were in place and ready to roll when BYAF member V. Maurine Jones Brimhall, '35, went to Mayor Stewart's office unannounced and persuaded him to consider preservation if sufficient money could be raised against a near-term deadline. Wally Raynor wouldn't have to chain himself to the fence after all.

"That winter a project that for years had not had a "snowball's chance" began to snowball. When the Utah legislature convened in January 1996, the foundations were laid for a major gift from the state. By April fund-raising was gathering momentum, spurred on by major financial help pledged by the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [no tithing funds were used]. August found the BYAF and the city agreeing that only the Academy Building would be renovated -- paid for by privately raised funds -- with a bond funding an architecturally compatible addition behind it and underground parking around it. In late November the city council approved a $16.8 million bond election for February 1997, and UHF's Lisbeth L. Henning said it would cease its legal battle to save all four buildings.

"It was a defining moment. Voters would decide if a library that included what Henning called the "most significant unrestored building west of the Mississippi" was worth a property tax increase of $3 – 4 per month.

"The next five months were rife with controversy. The Daily Herald supported the bond via its front page and editorials while opposing sides fought it out in letters to the editor. Some feared the cost would exceed estimates. Some thought it selfish -- why waste money on an old building instead of helping the poor? Some feared BYU students would monopolize the library. Some thought BYU students should not even be allowed to vote on the issue.

"The pace picked up through January 1997. Janelle Brimhall Lysenko, BYH '55 and BYU '59, set up a table in BYU's Lee Library to help returning students register to vote, urging them to vote yes. L. Lee Bartlett, '56, who later became president of the BYAF, created the campaign slogan "Vote once. Win twice." Fervent groups on both sides took out full-page newspaper ads. BYU's first lady, its legendary football coach, and a Provo city librarian smiled from smaller ads. The night before the election, a family set up a honk-and-wave rally on University Avenue.

"On election day, Feb. 4, 1997, an unprecedented number of voters cast their ballots -- 6,583 for and 4,731 against. It was a giant victory -- one 22 years coming.

"There remained the matter of raising the rest of the $6.5 million before the June 30 deadline. "One more miracle to go!" cried the faithful.

"That same month the public phase of the fund-raising campaign kicked off, headed by Smoot. Stephen R. Covey, '76, and LaVell Edwards, '78, served as honorary cochairs. Individuals, foundations, and corporations donated generously, and the BY Academy Alumni Club was organized to inform potential donors, many from out-of-state.

"In April Julie Roper enlisted several businesses to craft an aquarium, where library patrons, especially children, could donate cash. The BYAF sold pictures, T-shirts, and stationery. At Provo's Community Church, artists performed a benefit concert of Crawford Gates' works with the noted composer in attendance. Janie Thompson, '43, and family and Ruth W. Melville, '60, also gave benefits.

"In May Janita Anderson got Robert Redford to sponsor a dinner and silent auction at Sundance hosted by Kurt R. Bestor, '93. The Historic Families Program solicited contributions from families whose ancestors figured prominently in Provo and Academy history. A women's club donated several hundred dollars. A widow sold a rare book and gave the proceeds. Roper and Michael D. Ross, '86, organized an annual 5K race.

"With two weeks left, corrected project costs lowered BYAF's required donation to $5.4 million. Also, the city council announced it would allow no-limit letters of credit, thereby enabling more people to contribute. Some had met the earlier $100,000 minimum by using their homes as collateral.

"One week before the deadline, a celebration featuring six bands, food, games, and prizes benefitted the academy.

"Six days before, a family offered to match last-minute donations up to $125,000. Statewide, businesses set up a Web page, radio ads, and toll-free numbers to receive donations. B.Y. High alums conducted a telephone campaign.

"Four days before, supporters marched from the Center Street library to Academy Square, imitating the march from downtown more than 100 years earlier to dedicate the Academy. A child collected money door to door.

"Three days before the deadline, retired judge J. Robert Bullock arranged to sell at a bargain some property the city had long wanted -- if Provo acted in time for him to donate $75,000 of the sale to the BYAF. A part-time resident wrote a $150,000 check over lunch.

"Last of all, a California foundation sent a letter of credit for $1 million that put the project over the top. It arrived via Federal Express the afternoon of June 30.

"In all, more than 2,000 donated.

"Four years later, Jacobsen Construction and 65 subcontractors have nearly completed their work.""

To bring this back to my last post on the BYU Normal School, I just found out today reading a plaque near the Academy Building that the Normal School was one of the buildings that was demolished.  All together, the College Hall Building (1898), the Training School Building (1902), and the Missionary Preparatory Building (1904) were the three that were demolished.  I don't know which of the two is behind the Training School Building in the pictures on the previous post.

Here are a couple of incredible shots of when the Academy was be restored, what it looked like in 1898 and today:

Courtesy of Brigham Young University High School Webpage

Courtesy of Brigham Young University High School Webpage 

Courtesy of the Provo City Libray Historical Photographs Archive

Courtesy of the Lee Library, Brigham Young University

It is an incredible building, and if you haven't gone in it, I would encourage you to just go and walk around.  In fact, there is a brochure put out by the library that you can use to give yourself a self guided tour (you can download it here).  Even if you don't go on a tour, I would recommend at least looking at the brochure because there are some really interesting historical photos in it.

Brigham Young High School

Continuing on with my focus of Provo, I felt the need to discuss the most quintessential thing about Provo: Brigham Young University.  I have touched on it a little bit in the past, with posts about the Beehive Fountain (and Women's Gymnasium) and the Central Building.  However, I wanted to do a more in depth history about BYU.

Today's information is going to be a little scattered because I frankly have had a hard time finding information about it.  It is regarding the BYU normal school or the BYU training school (I believe that they are actually the same thing, just two different names).  Here is a picture of it from 1902:

 Courtesy of the Lee Library, Brigham Young University

Courtesy of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Lee Library, Brigham Young University

Here is my guess in regards to these two photos.  Brigham Young University, when first created (and was Brigham Young Academy) consisted of a full educational system.  The best description that I found is the wikipedia article about Brigham Young High School:


"As BYA matured, in 1895 a separate High School department was established in the Academy. In 1896, a College Department was added. Though it only had a few college-level students each year beginning in 1881, BYA principal Benjamin Cluff petitioned the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to create and sponsor a new entity to be named Brigham Young University. The modern era began in 1903, when Brigham Young Academy officially ceased to exist. It was replaced by two successor schools, Brigham Young High School and Brigham Young University. However, it was many years before University enrollment exceeded the High School enrollment. For example, in academic year 1903-1904, the school had 14 faculty members, 825 high school students, and 74 collegiate students.

"Brigham Young High School classes were taught in the BY Academy building, the Arts Building, College Hall, the Industrial Arts Building and both the Men's Gym and the Women's Gym, all on the "Lower Campus". BYH students also attended some classes on the "Upper Campus" of BYU. BYH continued full strength until 1968, partially as a training facility for student teachers taught by master teachers in the BYU's College of Education, and partially as a school where experimental educational programs could be conceptualized, implemented and analyzed for effectiveness -- or lack thereof."

I believe that the two buildings in the picture were connected to Brigham Young High School (although they had the names "Normal" and "Training" attached).  "Normal school" was a type of school where teachers were trained, which was the main purpose of Brigham Young High School.  I believe that the building was located somewhere near the current location of the Academy Building, between 500 and 600 North on University.  Also, Brigham Young High School runs an excellent website which may be of interest to anyone looking to learn more information about this subject.


I would argue that the most prominent and visible legacy of Brigham Young High has become part of BYU's legacy: Y mountain.  You can read the full story here, but in short, the high school class of 1907 (Juniors at the time) inscribed their graduation year in the mountainside.  The seniors were angry, shaved the heads of the junior students that participated in event, and fights began to break out.  It was decided that to solve the ordeal and create unity, the letters BYU would be inscribed on the mountainside.  The plan was to start with the letter Y, and after taking much more effort than expected, they decided to not continue with the B and the U.  And that is why there is only a Y there today.  Here is an interesting video about Y mountain (just a heads up, I'm not a huge fan of the video.  I feel like it is romanticized a little, but the info and pictures are interesting).

While many people may disagree with my opinion about the video, I don't think that Y mountain or "Y days" holds the significance that it used to.  In fact, I didn't even know what Y days are until watching the video (and I went to BYU for 4 years).  It doesn't have the impact to bring the community together like it once did.  However, climbing the Y is still a big event.  As a freshman, everyone climbed the Y.  I had a friend who jogged up it once a week.  The top of the Y will always hold a special place in my heart because that is where I held a short vigil and burial of my first pet, Boris the snake.

Also here are a couple of pictures of Y mountain from back in the 1906 (when it was finished) and what it looks like today:

Courtesy of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Lee Library, Brigham Young University

A couple more houses in Provo

There are a couple more houses that I wanted to focus on that are near Center Street on the east side of University.

There are several great historic houses intermixed with an occasional apartment complex.  I have always wondered what was there before the apartment buildings were built.  One such building is the Gates house, located at 80 N and 200 E.  Here is what it looked like probably around 1900 and what it looks like today:

Courtesy of the J. Willard Marriott Library, University

Unfortunately, as to any of the history of this house, I couldn't find anything.  The owner was Jacob F. Gates (not the same person as the Mormon leader Jacob Gates).  Gates was made partner of a furniture store in Provo with an individual named Snow, and built the Gates-Snow building, located at 41 E. Center Street.  It is a really cool building that is really easy to miss, so next time you are downtown there try to check it out.  At some time, his house was torn down and the apartment was put in its place.  It isn't the most attractive replacement.

The next house is the Van Wagenen House located at 415 E Center Street.  Here is a picture of it from the 1940s and what it looks like today:

Courtesy of the Provo City Landmark Register Website

There is a great description of this house on the Provo City Landmarks Register Website.  It says:

"This home was completed in 1917 which was the time of our entry into the World War I. The architect and builder was Joseph Nelson....  Mr. Nelson had been to Europe to get more information on European architecture. It was one of the few fine homes built in this depression era. Alma Van Wagenen, the owner of the home, came to Provo in 1898 from Wasatch County and Salt Lake City where he was working for the Studebaker Carriage and Automobile Company.  He had the first automobile agency in Utah south of Salt Lake City....  This was the home of two former Mayors of Provo, first Alma Van Wagenen in 1928 and Harold Van Wagenen in 1957."

The previous house was actually the second house built by Alma Van Wagenen.  The first, located at 267 North 100 East, was built in 1900 as way to entice his wife to marry him.  Here is a picture of it:

 Courtesy of the Provo City Landmark Register Website

Alma Van Wagenen also lived for a while in the house located at 905 E Center Street.  Here is a photo of that house as well:

 Courtesy of the Provo City Landmark Register Website  

Finally, I wanted to include a photo of one of my favorite houses on Center Street.  It is the Taylor home, located at 589 E. Center.  The reason why I like it so much is because it sort of looks like a cottage located right in the middle of Provo.  Here is a photo of it in the 1940s and what it looks like today:

 Courtesy of the Provo City Landmark Register Website 

The best information that I could get regarding the house is again from the Provo City Landmark Register Website.  It says:

"It appears that Fred R. Taylor and Mary J. Taylor were the owners of this property when this house was built. Dr. Taylor was a prominent pediatrician in Provo. From 1945 to 1947, the property was owned by lumberman, church and civic leader William Addison Spear. From 1950 to 1958, the property was held by the Arthur D. Sutton family. Mr. Sutton was a well-known druggist and theater/apartment house manager. This building is a good example of the English Tudor style, with steep roof pitch, plaster exterior walls and small window panes."

The druggiest looking historical house in Provo

When I first moved to Provo, I was attracted to the area around Center Street.  The houses are historical, look great, and it is just a cool area.  There has always been one house that has made me chuckle. In fact, I've always thought that it looks like a house inhabited by drug addicts, or at least constructed by drug addicts.  I have nothing to base that off of other than a huge onion looking thing on the house.  It really is an interesting place and it stands out quite a bit.  So today I am excited to be focusing on the Knight-Allen Home.  Here is a picture of it from the 1940s and what it looks like today:

Photo courtesy of the Provo City Landmarks website 

The Knight-Allen House is located at 390 E Center Street in Provo.  I couldn't find very much information about the house, but I feel like it is so unique that it deserves its own post.  The main information that I found about the house is from the Provo City Landmarks Register website, which states:

"Jesse Knight was instrumental in transforming Utah's early economy from basically an agrarian base to a more industrialized state by developing the mining of previous metals and minerals.  With the financial success of his mining industry, Jesse Knight was able to have the Knight-Allen House, the Jesse Knight House [this was part of a previous post] , and the Knight-Mangum House constructed [this was also part of a previous post].  Built in 1899, the Knight-Allen House was probably designed by the Richard C. Watkins, a prominent local architect.  The Victorian period's fascination with a variety of exotic styles is blatantly reflected in this house.  The design of the house combines a Moorish tin scalloped roof with an Italianate turret, Romanesque porch tiers, distinctive lintels, and several ornate window shapes.  By doing so, it is the best and most unique example of Victorian Eclecticism in Provo"

Wikipedia states that the Knight-Allen home was designated to the Provo City Historic Landmarks Registry on June 19, 1996.  Other than that, I couldn't find any information on the home.  I don't even know who the Allen is.  My one guess is that Jesse Knight built the house for his daughter Inez and her husband R. Eugene Allen (which is similar to the story behind the Knight-Mangum House).  The only problem with this theory is that the two were married in 1902 (you can read that in History of Utah by Orson Ferguson Whitney) while the house was built in 1899.  The Knight-Mangum Mansion was built specifically for Lester Mangum and his wife Jennie Knight Mangum.  However, it is possible that it was built before the two were married, given to them once they were married, and later named after them since they were the main inhabitants.

Here is one additional photo of the house:

So is the house actually a drug house?  Probably not (I hope there is someone that can prove me wrong). And were the builders drug addicts?  As far as I can read, that would also be a 'no' (Jesse Knight was famous for not allowing saloons in his mining towns).  Rather, the house is probably just the most flamboyant, unique, and interesting house on the Center Street area and as such one of my favorites.