William D. Alexander House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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William D. Alexander House
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William D. Alexander House
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 Location in Utah
Location in the United States
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| Location | 91 W. 200 South Provo, Utah |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1891 |
| Built by | William Alexander |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003195 |
| Added to NRHP | 07/28/1983 |
The William D. Alexander House is a historic home in Provo, Utah. It is special because it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important building in American history. Many people believe it is the only house in Utah built in the unique Stick Style architecture.
Discovering the William D. Alexander House
The William D. Alexander House was built in 1891. Its builder was William Denton Alexander. This house is very special because it might be the only example of the Stick Style in Utah. The house mixes different architectural styles. It has fancy details on the porch and shingled walls on the top floor. These mix with the main Stick Style on the ground floor. This creates a complete and interesting design.
The house looks even more complex because of its roof. It has both hip and gable roof shapes. There are also parts of the walls that stick out. Some corners of the house are even clipped, which means they are cut off at an angle. The city of Provo recognized the house as a historic landmark on March 7, 1996.
What is Stick Style Architecture?
The William D. Alexander House is painted a bright turquoise blue. It is one of the most unusual homes in Provo, Utah. It is important for more than just its color. The house shows off an architectural style called "The Stick Style." This style was very popular in America during the 1800s.
The Stick Style makes the wooden frame of the house visible. It looks like the house's "skeleton" is on the outside. Over time, builders started using more and more wooden "sticks" as decorations. The Alexander House shows this decorative use of sticks. You can see horizontal and vertical wooden pieces around the windows and doors on the first floor. They are also on the dormers (windows that stick out from the roof) on the second floor.
The way these sticks cross each other creates geometric patterns. This pattern might remind you of Japanese building styles. Japanese architecture was shown at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. This event influenced the Stick Style and other styles like the Prairie Style. It might have also influenced this house. The home is still in great condition today. Its outside has been painted different colors over the years.
Who Was William Denton Alexander?
William Denton Alexander was born on December 4, 1851. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. He moved to Provo in the 1860s when he was a teenager. In 1878, he married Helena Coray. After she passed away, he married Prudella Allman in 1906.
Alexander was an important person in the Provo area. He worked as a contractor and builder. This means he planned and built many structures. He also helped the community in other ways. He served on the Provo City School Board. He was also a justice of the peace and a city councilman. William was active in his church too. He served as a missionary in the Hawaiian Islands from 1878 to 1881. The William Alexander House is still owned and lived in by the Alexander family today.
