Maynard and Edith Hamlin Dixon House and Studio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Maynard and Edith Hamlin Dixon House and Studio
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 Location in Utah
Location in the United States
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| Location | U.S. Route 89, Mount Carmel, Utah |
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| Built | 1939 |
| NRHP reference No. | 01001450 |
| Added to NRHP | January 11, 2002 |
The Maynard and Edith Hamlin Dixon House and Studio is a special home and art studio in Mount Carmel, Utah. It was once the home of famous artists Maynard Dixon and Edith Hamlin. Maynard Dixon was well-known for his paintings of the American West. He moved to Mount Carmel in 1939 with his wife, Edith Hamlin. She was a talented muralist, an artist who paints on walls.
The Dixons loved spending their summers in this home. They would spend their winters in Tucson, Arizona. Maynard Dixon passed away in 1946. Edith brought his ashes back to their Mount Carmel home. Later, she built a painting studio there. She created many of her own important artworks in this studio. In 1963, Edith Dixon sold the house to watercolor artist Milford Zornes. He also used the studio sometimes. Today, this property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is open for people to visit.
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The Story of the Dixon Home
Maynard Dixon was born in 1875 in Fresno, California. He started training as an artist in the early 1890s. For many years, he worked as a successful illustrator. Dixon loved the beautiful scenery of the American West. He began painting its landscapes in different styles. Later, he created works that showed Native Americans. He sometimes lived on reservations and in undeveloped lands to capture their spirit.
Maynard and Edith's Life in Utah
Maynard Dixon married Edith Hamlin in 1937. She was a famous muralist from San Francisco, California. Over 200 of Dixon's paintings were shown in museums and art galleries. He passed away in 1946.
The Dixons moved to Mt. Carmel, Utah in 1939. Maynard had first visited the area in 1933. He painted several pictures of the small town. Mount Carmel was also a great place to start trips to Zion National Park. This park inspired many of his most popular paintings. Maynard planned to return to Mount Carmel soon after he married Edith. They bought land next to their home. They built a wine cellar and a guesthouse there. The Dixons spent their summers in the Mount Carmel home. They spent their winters in Tucson, Arizona.
A Studio for Edith Hamlin
Maynard Dixon last visited the home in 1945. His health was not good, so he stayed in Tucson that summer. He died in Tucson on November 11, 1946. The next year, Edith buried his ashes under a large rock at the Mount Carmel home. She also put up a memorial plaque.
Edith continued to spend her summers at the Mount Carmel home. In 1948, she added a large painting studio. She remarried in 1951 and moved back to San Francisco in 1953. Edith sold the property to her friend, the famous watercolor artist Milford Zornes. Zornes sometimes used the studio for his own artwork. He later sold the house to the Bingham family. They carefully restored the building and the property.
What the House Looks Like
The main house is a 1+1⁄2-story log home. It has a strong stone foundation. The roof has steep gables and a tall chimney. The windows are double-hung. The top floor has a balcony. You can reach the upper floor by an outside staircase at the back of the house.
The garage also has a steep gabled roof. This was where the Dixons lived at first while their main house was being built. Edith's studio is a simple, one-story building with two rooms. The guesthouse was originally a log home. A flagstone extension was added to it later. The wine and fruit cellar is built into a hillside west of the house. It has shelves built into the walls. An outhouse was built in 1939, south of the main house. The house now has indoor plumbing.
A path from the studio leads to Maynard Dixon's memorial. It is still on a hill. East of the studio is a large rock with Maynard's initials carved into it. This was one of his favorite spots. The grounds were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. You can take self-guided or guided tours for a donation.
