Reynolds Building and Springville Bank

    Today we are headed back to Springville.  I have to say again how surprised I was at the number of historic places in Springville, and today I wanted to cover one of the best historic places in Springville.  It starts off with the Reynolds family.  I am not totally positive but I believe that the Reynolds lived in South Yorkshire, England and immigrated to Utah and eventually Springville.  In 1881, Joseph Reynolds established the Reynolds Bros and Company.  He constructed a building to house the company on the corner of 200 S and Main in Springville.
    In 1891, Springville experienced a huge boom due to the construction of the Denver and Rio Grande rail lines.  The rail depot was built at the end of 200 S and a freight depot was eventually added to accompany the growing traffic.  If you have ever wondered why Springville's downtown is centered around 200 S rather than Center Street (as is the custom of most cities in Utah), it is because the rail depot was located at 200 S.  The large number of masonry buildings constructed along South Main Street only prove that Springville was truly going through an economic boom.
    One of the most important buildings was the Reynolds Building, which is located at 192 S Main.  The building is a Victorian Romanesque building which features a rusticated stone main story and brick upper floors. This building replaced the earlier building of the Reynolds Brothers and Company.  Here is a picture of it from around 1920:

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

     Another important building constructed at this time was the Springville Bank, built directly across the street from the Reynolds building around 210 S Main Street.  Here is a picture of it from around the same time, in addition to a panorama of downtown which includes the two buildings:

Courtesy of the Springville Historical Library

Courtesy of the Reynolds Building

      The bank located in the Bank Building was the Springville Banking Company which was established in 1891, making it the oldest active chartered bank in Utah (it is now Central Bank).  The wikipedia article about the bank states that "up until 1890, the local townsfolk of Springville stored their gold at the Packard Brother's store, Deal Brothers and Mendenhall Company, or H.T. Reynolds and Company. It was decided between these stores that it would be advantageous to establish a bank for the stability and security of the community."  The bank was very successful and was one of the few that did not need Government Debenture Capital during the Great Depression.
     Both of these buildings still stand but their history since the 1900's has been quite different.  The bank underwent a renovation in 1941 which drastically altered the outside of the building, in addition to removing the tiny dome on the corner of the building.  I don't really like the current look.  May be in the 40's it was cool (especially with the art deco feel), but now it definitely pales in comparison to several of the other historic buildings around town.  Here is a picture of it:

     I don't know what happened to the Reynolds building during much of the 20th century, but in 2008 a company named Trivani International moved into the building.  They spent more than three million dollars in renovating the building.  Trivani's CEO stated that the renovation is both a tribute to the building's historical significance and an economic boost to downtown Springville.  And he was right, as seen by Maglebys moving away from Provo and into the historic building in Springville.  The building currently looks amazing and Trivani has added a nice area downstairs dedicated to the history of the building.  Here is the current building in addition to some of the things from inside the building:

     There is also a plaque almost hidden on the side of the building that reads: "As I've watched our children and their friends catapult themselves up and down on those fun contraptions called 'pogo sticks' I couldn't help but want to capture their joy and excitement as they master the balance and synchronicity of this fun toy.  It seems very Leonardo Da Vinci-ish to me, a simple but ingenious invention launching children off to new heights of adventure and discovery (-Gary Price)".  Here is a statue by Gary Price located in the back of the building:

     Like I said earlier, the Reynolds Building is currently beautiful, and the best looking building in downtown.  I hope that one day the Central Bank will decide to renovate their building and restore it as well as the Reynolds Building has been restored.

Provo's Most Hidden Historical Area

     A few months ago one Sunday I got a little bored and decided to go for a walk around where I live.  As I was walking I found one of the coolest and best preserved historical areas in Provo aside from downtown.  I have always enjoyed this area and was going to discuss it in my post about the Provo ZCMI building when amazingly I found a picture of this old historic place.  Interestingly enough, the history of the entire area revolves around candy.
     In 1830, a man named William Startup began a candy company in Manchester England.  William "made confections in the basement of his store in Manchester, England. His son, William Daw Startup  was born September 8, 1846 and, as a young boy, he learned the process from his father. William developed a delicious hard candy as a medicine and named it American Cough Candy because he wanted to come to America. His American dream never materialized. He died in March, 1862.
     William Daw met and married Hagar Hick (what a name) and both converted to Mormonism and immigrated to Utah in 1968.  William Daw brought his father's candy making supplies in addition to buying candy molds while stopping in Philadelphia.  They settled in the Salt Lake Valley and started their candy company, which included selling candy to individuals at Temple Square around general conference.

     In 1874, the family moved to Provo and opened a candy store located at 230 W Center.  In 1878, William Daw died expectantly and Hagar was forced to take over the candy shop, in addition to raising her four young children.  However with the help of her children, the business continued to grow and in 1894 they opened their first candy factory located at 69 S 300 W in Provo.  Here is a picture of the old building:

Photo courtesy of the Provo City Library

     The business continued to thrive and in 1895 they developed the first candy bar in America with a filling called "the Opera Bar."  They also developed a forerunner to modern breath mints, they were one of the only distributors in the area of Coca Cola, and they were one of the first producers of chewing gum.  At this time, Hagar's two sons William and George took over the company business.  Here is a picture of George's residence located at 260 S 100 W:

Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society, all rights reserved.

     By 1898 the company had outgrown the small building and a new factory was built at 534 S 100 W.  Here is a picture of it from 1908:

Photo courtesy of the Provo City Library

     Business continued to grow and the company started to sell ice cream in a new ice cream parlor located at 82 W Center.  Ice was cut from Utah Lake and then stored and covered in saw dust to preserve it during the summer months.  During the Great Depression, business fell dramatically and the company had to be sold.  Walter was eventually able to buy back part of the factory and the building that currently houses the company.  Walter's son, Harry, is the current president of the company while his son Jon is the manager.  They hope to make a candy museum to show the ways that candy used to be made and display several of the old candy making tools that were brought to Utah from England.  If you would like to find out more about the Startup Candy Company, click here.

     Amazingly much of the history relating the the Startup Candy Company can still be found in Provo.  The original factory is currently a parking lot across from the police station, but both George's House and the candy factory on 500 W still stand.  Here are pictures of all three:

     The historical area that I was talking about is 100 W between 500 and 600 S.  There are several really cool historic buildings, in addition to a couple that are located on 600 S around Freedom Ave.  Here are a couple of pictures from the area:

     The Consignment Store is located about 150 W 600 S and if you are into indy or trendy looking things, I would totally recommend it.  It is a really cool place.  I would also just recommend going to walk around this area.  I really like it and the whole block is kind of a walk in the past.
     I am really excited about this area because of the potential that it has.  In the past, I think that this area has been a really shady area and avoided by lots of people.  However, there are plans to build a the future Provo bus terminal and frontrunner station across the railroad tracks.  The station will essentially be bound by the railroad tracks, University Ave, Freedom, and 900 S.  You can kind of see a map of it at this site.  Also there are plans to add some kind of crazy/cool art work (here is a picture).  I love this area, and I think that it has a lot of potential.  I hope that the train and bus station brings in a lot of new business and revives it so that Provo can have one more historically important area.

A Little BYU History For You

     Yesterday's entry about BYU's use of the Central Building really peaked my interest about BYU history.  Most people recognize the Academy Building, which was renovated a few years back and has since been turned into the Provo library, as the start of BYU.  But the Academy Building was finished in 1892.  Brigham Young University (or Brigham Young Academy as it was known back then) started in 1875.  Where was it located before 1892?
     The wikipedia article about BYU states that "Brigham Young University's origin can be traced back to 1862 when a man named Warren Dusenberry started a Provo school in a prominent adobe building called Cluff Hall, which was located in the northeast corner of 200 E and 200 N."  Even though Brigham Young had previously hinted about building a school in Draper, in 1875 he purchased the Lewis building which was located somewhere along Center Street and turned it into the school with Dusenberry as principal.  This is known as the official start of Brigham Young Academy.  Here is a picture of it from 1879:

Photo courtesy of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University

     A history of BYU found on their website says, "The first home of the Brigham Young Academy was the Lewis Building. The J. W. Lewis Store was built in 1867 and was soon purchased by Brigham Young. The Lewis Building was a brick building located in downtown Provo. When Brigham Young executed the deed of trust establishing Brigham Young Academy he stipulated that the school be held in the Lewis building. Due to repairs that were being made on the old building, the new school’s opening was delayed until January 3rd, 1876."  The Lewis Building served as BYA's home until January 1984 when it was destroyed by a fire.  Here is a picture of it after the fire:

 Photo courtesy of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University

    Anyone who has ever eaten in the Cougar Eat in the Wilkinson Center on BYU campus may have noticed a mural of the Lewis Building burning.  The artists who created this piece stated that it is about the history of BYU.  The Lewis Building is found right above the head of the guy who looks like a missionary.  The only problem I have with the picture is that I don't think the artists ever looked at a picture of the Lewis Building because it looks quite similar to the Academy Building (where the Provo library is located).  Even if it does look like the Academy Building, it is supposed to be the Lewis Building.

Photo courtesy of Brigham Young University

     Brigham Young Academy resumed classes the day after the fire in several buildings around the area.  They did find a home after a couple of months in the ZMCI (Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution) Building which was located on the Northeast corner (although as I am now researching, it could have been the Northwest, where the swap meet parking lot is located.  The address was 589 S Academy Ave and odd addresses are on the west side of University.  However, it that is true, then the main entrance would have been on 100 W, which doesn't make sense.  I'll just keep thinking that it was on the Northeast untill someone corrects me) of Academy Avenue (now University Avenue) and 600 South.  Here are a couple of photos of the old building from 1884:

 Photo courtesy of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University

Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society, all rights reserved.

     Attached to the photos is a description of the ZMCI warehouse.  It reads: "Classes opened in that facility on September 1, the beginning of an eight year occupancy.  All of the upper floor and part of the lower floor were remodeled to provide classrooms, a music room, a laboratory, and a principal's office, with the entrance and stairway on the north side.  While the warehouse was rough and temporary, it provided more room that the school had had in the Lewis Building.  But the adjacent railroad yards were used by both the Union Pacific Railroad (which reached Provo in 1873) and the Denver and Rio Grande (which reached Provo in 1881), and there was considerable screeching, and roaring of trains to disturb the classes, according to Alic Louise Reyonds, an English faculty member.  A report in the Territorial Enquirer of August 12, 1884, tells of a tour through the building led by Professor James E. Talmage: 'We were amazed at the excellent arrangement that had been made for the work of the next academic year, and were compelled to acknowledge that the new premises, as now prepared, afford advantages, conveniences, and facilities that are superior to those enjoyed in the old building.'"
     The building has since been torn down (and the area is actually a little difficult to reach since University Avenue and 600 don't even intersect.  University Avenue now is overpass over the railroad tracks at 600 South) and replaced by the Interstate Roofing Supply Company.  The building that currently occupies the location is similar to the old ZCMI and even has wording on the roof like the old building.  Here is a picture of the current location:

     In 1892, the Academy opened at University and 500 N, and the rest is history.  I feel like BYU went through a huge building explosion in the 60's and 70's, during which it was decided that the entire campus should be brown brick.  Most people who I talk to today don't like that color and I think that BYU has started to listen over the last couple of years.  If you look at most of the new buildings that BYU is building, they are still using the brick, but they are using a cool marble at the bottom (like the JFSB and the Hinckley Building) or a more metallic look (like the new Communications Building or the JKB).  There is a lot of other stuff going on around BYU campus (look here for a list of a few of the projects).  There are also plans to build a huge building just east of the duck pond on 800 North which will cascade down the hill side (this building will replace the Widtsoe Building which will be turned into a garden type area.  While it is sad cause the Widtsoe is one of the oldest buildings on campus and was the tallest building on campus when it was constructed, it is also good because the Widtsoe is also one of the ugliest), a huge monstrosity of a church on 900 E, and a renovation to the Snell Building (which I am really happy about.  The Snell is often used by the construction management program, yet it is one of the ugliest).  I love the new renovations to the buildings, especially the Snell.  The Snell is going to look a lot more historic and university like, rather than a ugly box from the 60's.  I really like the transformations going on right now around BYU campus.

A Request for the Communal Building

     A couple of weeks back I had a friend request that I do the building located on the northeast corner of 100 N and University Ave in Provo.  This building is currently occupied by Communal, a local restaurant, on the bottom and Legends Salon on the top.  My friend heard that the building may have been the previous Provo post office.  I did some researching, and after looking around 10 times I finally found the following photo from around 1940:

Photo courtesy of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University

   The iconic Knight building is on the far right.  The Communal building is the second building from the left (it looks like it is next to a theatre).   This building was built in 1913 as the home of the Consolidated Wagon and Wheel Company.After this time, it had several uses, including a goldsmith shop and the local Greyhound bus terminal for 40 years.  In 1976, a local businessman bought the building from Heindselman-Maw and turned it into a jewelry store.  This businessman still retains ownership of the property, and continues to lease it out to local businesses.  You may remember the previous occupant of the building, the Crazy Canuck, the hockey/Canadian store.  Here is the photograph as it currently appears in addition to the Communal building:

     The most noticeable thing about the new photo compared to the old is the giant Wells Fargo Building that has since replaced the previous buildings that were located on the corner of 100 N.  Here is an additional photo from 1898 of the buildings that were previously located where the Wells Fargo Building currently is:

Photo courtesy of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University

     A caption was added to the photo.  It reads: "Because of increased enrollment in 1896, the eight grades and kindergarten of the Normal Training School were transferred to the Central Building on the southeast corner of First North and Academy Avenue, where the First Security Bank now stands.  The classes were held on the upper floors of the building, partially obscured in this photograph by the Farrer Brothers and Co. float in the Pioneer Day Parade, July 24, 1898".  In this article from the Deseret News, it says that when the Wells Fargo Building was constructed in 2004 it replaced "an older two-story Wells Fargo bank and two abandoned buildings and a small men's suit shop."  Since I moved to Provo in 2004, I don't know if the buildings destroyed were the Central Buildings, but it is possible.  I couldn't find any information on the buildings besides what was attached to the photo.  Here is the second picture as it is currently found:

     You can  see the Communal building on the right hand side.  I love all of the development that is going on right now in downtown Provo, but I just hope that it doesn't come at the sake of the history that is found there.  I love the additions, but I hope that progress and history can work together rather than be put on opposing sides as they often are.  I hope that Provo continues to grow, but at the same time I hope that Center Street is kept as historical as possible.

Springville Railroad Depot

     I wanted to piggy back a little on the entry from yesterday.  While researching the Kelly House, I found a lot of interesting information about the railroad in Springville.  Here is a really interesting piece from onlineutah.com about the history of Springville:

"Completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 made rail shipment of stock to market possible, so stock men used more intensive grazing practices.  The railroad also helped make mining products profitable, and many mines started to be developed.  Beginning in 1878, Springville merchant Milan Packard built a railroad to bring coal from Scofield to Utah Valley.  The Rio Grande Railroad bought out the line in 1882."

     I also wanted to add an interesting piece that I found on the Kelly House's application to become part of the National Register of Historic Places.  It reads:

"The first, Spring vine-based construction operation of note was undertaken in the late 1870s by Milan Packard, a local businessman, who proposed to build a narrow gauge railway from Springville to the rich coal deposits at Scofield, about sixty miles southeast of Springville.  Although cash was in short supply to pay the work crews, Packard was able to obtain their services by offering them credit at his mercantile store.  The men on the crews were mostly Springville men, and the skills which they had obtained through their freighting experiences helped to make the project a success.  This initial contract launched several of these local men into the railroad construction business, which was a booming industry throughout the territory and the west up through the turn of the century.  Though possessing a population of only a few thousand people, Springville surpassed both Salt Lake City and Ogden as a center for the contract construction industry, apparently due to the early establishment and success of construction firms in the town.  As railroad construction waned, most of these firms became involved in the construction of highways and irrigation canals.  Many of the have continued in operation up to the present and the town is still regarded as a center of construction activity."

   The railroad depot was located at the end of Depot Street (200 S) and 400 W.  Here is a picture of what it looked like around the turn of the century:

 Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society, all rights reserved.

Photo courtesy of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University

     Here is the second photo as it looks today:

     I attempted to rephotograph both photos only to return home and realize that the area I was photographing was just a little off.  I thought that the depot was on the east side of the street (I know it doesn't make any sense to have to cross a street to get on a train, but that's where the empty lots are, so I figured that that's where it had stood).  However, now that I am looking at the first photo, I realized that the depot used to be on the west side of the street and that the first photo was taken looking westward (which is why there is only one new photo.  This photo was somewhat in the right area, while the other one that I didn't use was facing the wrong direction).  Also, when I rephotographed the photo, I probably should have been about 50 feet north (although it doesn't change the picture very much, since it is still mainly a road with empty lots next to the railroad tracks with mountains in the distance)
     The reason why the exact location was difficult to find is that the building has since been torn down.  When talking with some of the older residents in Springville, many of them can remember the old depot, which makes me assume that it was at least standing around the 50's.  It is interesting because as important as the railroad industry was in Springville, I don't even know if it has a train station currently.  When I googled to find a Springville train station, the only thing that I could find was in Provo.  Here's to the days when Springville was an important center for railroad transportation in the Valley.