Johnson–Hansen House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Johnson–Hansen House
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Johnson-Hansen House, July 2011
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 Location in Utah
Location in the United States
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| Location | 485 East 400 South Provo, Utah United States |
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| Built | 1870 |
| Architect | Neils Johnson |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 94001346 |
| Added to NRHP | December 1, 1994 |
The Johnson–Hansen House is a historic home located in Provo, Utah, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized as an important historical site.
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About the Johnson–Hansen House
This special house is located at 485 East 400 South. It's important for both its history and its unique design. The property includes a log cabin, a brick house, and a garage. These parts were built between 1870 and 1938.
The different parts of the house show how Provo grew over time. The log cabin connects the old brick house with the more modern garage. This shows how the past, present, and future are linked. The buildings are great examples of architecture from the 1870s. The garage also shows a cool mix of old and new styles from the late 1930s.
How Provo Was Settled
Provo was first settled in 1849 when a fort was built there. People started moving outside the fort around 1850-1851. In the 1850s, two canals were dug to bring water to the fields. Farming was the main way people made a living back then.
The way towns were set up in Utah followed a plan called the "plat of the City of Zion." This plan was created by Joseph Smith, a leader of the Mormon church. Even though the plan wasn't fully used everywhere, it guided how many Mormon towns were built across the western United States. Brigham Young, another church leader, helped direct these settlements.
The town plans were very organized. Each town was designed to be one mile square. The land was divided into ten-acre sections. Within these sections, lots were placed in a special way to create nice garden views from the houses. Each house was supposed to have a small front yard. Most houses were built using stone and brick.
Towns were laid out in a grid pattern. Public buildings and the church were in the center. Homes surrounded these buildings, and farmlands were located outside the main town area.
This way of living, combining town and farm life, had a purpose. It offered better protection and gave people more chances for religious and social activities. Farmers and their sons would go to their farms each morning. They would then return to their homes in town every evening.
Meet Neils Johnson and Ray Hansen
Neils Johnson was born in Denmark on August 5, 1848. He was a farmer and also worked as a sexton for the city cemetery. A sexton takes care of a church or cemetery. Neils was married to Josephine C.M., who was born in Norway on December 17, 1846. They had five children together.
Neils Johnson lived in this house from 1871 to 1923. He owned the home until he passed away in 1937. After his death, the property went to his daughters, Caroline Hinckley and Christine Hinckley Robinson. Later, Mr. Ray Hansen bought the house.
Ray Hansen was born in Benjamin, Utah, on February 22, 1902. He married Blanche Mcbeth on July 2, 1927. They lived in Provo before buying the Johnson–Hansen property. Ray Hansen worked for a company that made pipelines. He became a foreman in 1939 and later a patternmaker in 1959. A patternmaker creates models or patterns for things that will be built. Ray Hansen married a second time to Helen Hansen. He passed away on June 3, 1989.
The House Today
The Johnson–Hansen home is one of only a few houses from the 1870s still standing in this old, tree-lined neighborhood. These older homes show the original grid pattern of the town. The log cabin is still there, showing what kind of buildings were made when Provo was first settled.
Ray Hansen used the log cabin as his gunsmith shop for over 50 years. A gunsmith repairs and makes guns. We don't know why he moved the log cabin to its current spot and connected it to his house and the "modern" garage.
The current owners, Dr. and Mrs. M. Gary Hadfield, bought the home in 1990. They have carefully restored the brick house and log cabin. This work included removing many layers of paint from both buildings. The home is still used as a single-family residence.
The Neils Johnson Home was named a Provo City Historic Landmark on April 28, 1995. These buildings have been well cared for. They still look much like they did in the past and keep their important historical connection.
