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RICH UTAH HISTORY |  |
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The Home This
magnificent estate is on the National Register of Historic Places. The exterior
walls are constructed of three bricks. The two interior layers of a more inferior
brick quarried from a lot just to the southwest of the home and an outer layer
of high grade brick.
There were several wells on the Bountiful, Utah property.
A flowing artesian well is still used today. However, it is now on the property
of an LDS church Ward house at 660 North 800 West. This well was used as a "rest
stop" and to water the horses of travelers as it was "a half-day's ride" from
Salt Lake City.
A well just outside the west wall of the home was used
for drinking water. It was pumped to an attic storage tank and then used as pressurized
water within the home. This was a rather new concept at the time. The well was
capped in the late 70s.
Mrs. Eldredge painted flowers on the small glass
panes on the second floor French Doors. This was discovered several months ago
from a descendant making a visit to the home. Initial steps have been taken to
restore the panes as they had been carefully covered over with paper and then
painted. These are visible from the north side of the doors.
Mrs. Eldredge
also hand painted the floor coverings in the original Master Bedroom, now part
of the groom's room. We have left this artifact in place beneath the carpet of
the groom's room and exposed in a nearby closet
One of the more notable
facts is that the home has had very little renovation to the original floor plan:
- The south porch was enclosed sometime before 1970 but restored to its
original design during the 2005 renovation.
- The archway between the front
room and the original dining room has been widened. This appears to have happened
fairly early on as the flooring hardwoods are quite similar.
- The lower
section of the stairs has been altered. We are unaware of the original run of
the lower half of the stairs (below the landing). This was done sometime after
the Eldredges sold the home and prior to 1970.
- A doorway was cut into
the east exterior wall of family room leading outdoors, circa 1970.
- The
wall was removed between the Ballroom and the Original Master Bedroom. This was
done in the 1980s to create more room for the dining area.
- The third floor
was completely redone circa 1970. It has been used as a "caretaker" apartment
ever since.
- The grand porch on the East was added in 2005 as a second
dining room.
- A carport, likely constructed around 1930 has been enclosed
circa 1970 and recently renovated into a state-of-the-art kitchen.
Additionally,
several original items still remain with the mansion. In addition to those already
mentioned are: - Virtually all the wood moldings excepting the "window
boxing" on the walls.
- The mural on the west wall of the front room.
- The
ironing board in the second floor kitchen.
- Several of the window panes.
One can pick them out as the glass is quite uneven.
- The sandstone fireplace
mantle and hearth.
- The mirrored armoire
The Eldredges were innovators
as they were said to be among the first in Utah
to have indoor plumbing, radiant heat, closets, an elevator and an automobile.
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