Brigham Young Winter Home and Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Brigham Young Winter Home and Office
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 Location in Utah
Location in the United States
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| Location | Corner of 200 North and 100 West St. George, Utah United States |
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| Built | 1871 |
| Architect | Miles and Miles Park Romney |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000863 |
| Added to NRHP | February 22, 1971 |
The Brigham Young Winter Home and Office is a special old house and museum in St. George, Utah. It was once the winter home of Brigham Young. He was a very important leader for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He led many people to the Utah Territory to build new communities.
As Brigham Young got older, he had arthritis, which made winters in Salt Lake City difficult. So, a warm winter home was built for him in St. George. This area is known for its warm, dry weather. Young lived here during the colder months from 1873 to 1876. Today, the building is a museum. Church members give tours and share its history.
History of the Winter Home
Brigham Young was born in Whitingham, Vermont. He became a member of the LDS Church in 1830. He worked closely with Joseph Smith, who started the church. Later, Young became the second president of the church.
After Joseph Smith died, Brigham Young led many church members west. They were looking for a new home where they could live peacefully. In 1847, they arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. Here, they decided to build a permanent settlement, which became Salt Lake City. Young then sent groups of people to settle other areas. They helped build new towns and communities.
Building the St. George Home
St. George was one of the communities Brigham Young asked people to settle. It was meant to be a place to grow cotton. The region was famous for its warm temperatures, even in winter. This warm weather was good for Brigham Young's arthritis.
Local settlers built a home and office for Young in 1871. He started spending his winters there after a front part was added in 1873. Young's presence helped inspire the people to finish the St. George Temple. He dedicated the temple himself in 1877.
Brigham Young passed away on August 29, 1877. He left the property to a local dentist. The house was later empty for a while. Then, one of Brigham Young's descendants bought it and fixed it up. In 1959, the house was given to Utah State Parks and Recreation. It was restored again to look like it did when Young lived there.
Design and Features
The first part of the house was designed by Miles Romney. His son, Miles Park Romney, designed the addition in 1873. The house has two stories and is made from light brown adobe bricks. The basement is made of red sandstone and has two rooms. The roof has wood shingles.
Inside, the house has four fireplaces. Three are made of red sandstone, and one is made of adobe. Many of Brigham Young's original furniture pieces were moved back into the house. Other old furniture was added to make it look like the 1870s. The office part of the building is next to the living area. It has stucco walls and a sandstone chimney. The wood for the house came from nearby mountains.
The Brigham Young Winter Home and Office was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. It is located at the corner of 100 West and 200 North in St. George. You can visit it today as a museum.
See also
