24th Street Walking Tours

Walking Tour of 24th Street:

                As the City of Ogden first developed it appeared that 24th Street (or 4th Street as it was named in the early days) * would be the main street of business and activity in the city.  It was on this street that some of the first businesses developed—one account says that Richard Ballantyne’s store on the northwest corner of 24th and Washington (or main in the early days) was the first business established on 24th Street in the 1860’s and a gazette in1878 said that “Fourth Street, one of the principle thoroughfares, was considerably built up by the creation of a fine structure by J.W. McNutt, a new post office, Harkness and Company’s Bank and the Opera House.  One the street was also located the county court house, the Church of the Good Shephard, the Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church, and the St Joseph’s Catholic Church.  The bridge across the Weber River to West Weber County was at the end of 24th Street, and 24th Street was also the route to the railroad station in former times.  The first station was located in the railyards at the west end of the street.  Access to the station was by a wooden sidewalk that started from the end of 24th Street and slanted south west to the station area.  When the new station was built on 25th Street, 24th Street lost some of its importance.  Even though recent construction and development on 24th Street has torn down some of the earlier sites there are still placed on the street which are worth a tour.  Start the tour at the Union Station on 25th and Wall Avenue.

*The names of the streets in Ogden were originally named Wall Avenue (because of the wall of the city fort that was along that street), Franklin Street (after Franklin D. Richards (who was a church and community leader), Young Street (after Brigham Young, Mormon Church leader), Main Street, Spring Street (because of a number of springs along the brow of the hill), Smith Street, Pearl Street, Green Street and East Street).  The east-west streets were numbered 1st through 10th Street.   In 1889, when the non-Mormon Liberal Party won the election, one of the first actions they took was to change the names of the streets to Wall Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Grant Avenue, Washington Boulevard, Adams Avenue, Jefferson Avenue, Madison, Monroe and so forth.  Also, the numbers were changed from 1st Street to Twenty-first Street and numbers in order after that*

1.            Union Station

                The Union Station represents a great deal of the culture and history of Ogden and Weber County.  Ogden has been a railroad town and this fine structure represents the most importance of railroading in Ogden.  The station which stands here now is the third station to stand in this vicinity since the beginning of Ogden.

                The first station (1A) was a clap-board structure painted bright red which stood further west and north than the present station.  That station was built in 1870 and was replaced in 1889 by a large red sandstone and brick structure (1B) which was highlighted by a high clock tower and dormer windows.  This station was a hotel-station which served to accommodate the volume of transcontinental passengers that passed through Ogden.  The designer of that station was a famous American architect Henry VanBrant.  The station burned down in February 1923.

                The present station (1C) was completed in 1924 and was designed by Los Angeles architects, Donald and John Parkinson.  The style is Italian Renaissance with a Spanish Cordovan roof.  The station for many years was the hub of activity of the city with a volume of 119 passenger trains moving through the Ogden station every 24-hour period during World War II.  Over the years passenger service has declined but the freighting service still is done in big volume.  The statin building stands as a monument to the great days of railroading in Ogden – the Junction City.

2.            Cross to the east side of Wall Avenue at 25th Street and walk along Wall Avenue to 24th Street.  On the east side of the Wall is the area where the station of the Utah Central was located.  Trains of the Utah Central from Salt Lake City would pull into the Ogden yard and move to the Utah Central Station (2A) on an east-west track located in the area between the Burton Walker Lumber Company building and the Grocery Wholesale Cash and Carry building.  By the use of the Y track the trains could be backed around and return to Salt Lake City.

                As you walk you can view to the west the railroad yards which at one time served seven different railroad systems – the Union Pacific; the Central Pacific (later the Southern Pacific); the Utah Central; the Utah Northern (later the Oregon Short Line); Denver, Rio Grande Western Railroad; Western Pacific; and the Ogden Transit Lines.  The large yellow brick shop building of the Southern Pacific located north of 24th Street was built in 1913.  The brick shop is still visible and used today.  At one time up to 700 Ogden workers were employed in this shop.

3.            At the corner of 24th Street and Wall Avenue the impression of a busy thoroughfare is still evident.  In early days this block on the west end of 24th Street was a business and residential area with the street leading to the bridge over the Weber River and to West Ogden.  At one time the frame house of George Kerr (3A), the train master at the Ogden Depot, stood on the Northwest corner, and business houses of Spencer Lumber Company (later the Bernard White Lumber Company) (3B) was on the South side near the corner.  Further up the street the Ogden Wholesale Drug Company at 155, (the building still stands) and the Chicago Meat Market at 181 graced the south side.  One the north side the Rio Grande freight buildings, the Eccles Lumber Company at 154, (Anderson Lumber – from the Anderson family which were early partners in the lumber business) and the David Peery flour mill (Cole Transfer Company) dd business.  In the sidewalk east of the building are three iron rings which were used to tie the horses when business was conducted at the mill.

4.            At the corner of 24th and Lincoln (formerly Franklin Street) the visitor is struck by the void on the south side of the street as new construction is started on a hotel complex. Formerly, the south side had a variety of business houses.   Around the turn of the century Hyrum Belnap Lumber Company (4A) was located at 229 and the Volker Scowcroft Lumber Company at 237-245 and at the corner of Grant and 24th Thomas Brothers Grocers were major businesses on the street.   Later the Forestry Building which housed the offices of the Regional Forestry Division was there until torn down in 1980. 
On the Northside going East at 220 in stood the Anderson-Larson General blacksmithing (Jack’s Blacksmithing and now Shepherd’s Bush.  At 258 Crittenden’s Glass and Paint occupies the building that served as the Salt Lake and Ogden and later the Bamberger and Utah-Idaho Central Railroad station (an urban line from Salt Lake to Ogden and Ogden to Idaho, which it existed from 1917 to 1946).   In the 1870s the “Old Woodmansee Building” (built by Charles Woodmansee prominent Ogden business) stood at 274.  In this building where the offices of the Ogden Standard Examiner for several years after 1870.   Next is the Old Post Office building constructed in a Greek revival motif with plaster bas relief and oak carvings which demonstrate the skill of craftsmen of the earlier part of the century. The building served as post office, federal court and office building from the turn of the century to 1974, when the Post Office was moved to the south side of Ogden City.

5.            At the corner of 24th Street and Grant (formerly Young Street) on the north side one is impressed with the Church of the Good Shepherd which although it fronts on Grant is a part of the 24th Street interest.  This church was built in 1874 by the Episcopal faith and its architectural and religious contributions have long been noted.  For that reason, the Church of the Good Shepherd is the only building on the whole block which has not been taken over by the Ogden Mall.   The style is “Carpenter Gothic” and it is built of stone quarried in Mendon, Utah.  The church was a gift of a Mr. Hammersley of New York in memory of his daughter who died while traveling through Ogden.   Formerly the north side had several prominent businesses where the mall now stands, including A.L Brewer Supply at 318 which also became Joe's Tire Shop in 1921 (5A) when Joseph W Brewer sold tires from this location.   The Brewer company has expanded throughout the Rocky Mountain states. Before the turn of the century Nelson and Fell-Livery and Feed Stable (5B) was located at 326.   In the 1920’s Edward Williams and Sons Groceries was at 328 and the Eldon Hotel at 330.   At 336 – 340 the JG Read and Brothers company (5C) was established in 1883 as a Harness and Saddlery manufacturing and supply shop and remained on the corner of 24th and Kiesel from the 1905 period until 1978 when it was forced to move to 12th Street with the building of the Mall.  Through the years the Read Brothers building displayed a black horse statuary on the roof of the three-story building.  The horse was a representation of an old favorite horse of JG Read and the statue still remains on the 12th Street store.

Farther up the street in 1890s was the John Farr Coal Company at 344 and W. Farr and Company of flour, grain, hay and feed supply at 346.  The Farrs were descendants of Lorin Farr early founder of Ogden and longtime mayo and Church leader.  At 350 - 368 was Woodmansee-Union Block (5D) - one of the most prominent architectural structures in Ogden during its time.  The building was designed by Ogden architect William W. Fife who also did Ogden's first City Hall, the Utah Loan and Trust Building, the W.H. Wright and Sons Store and Office Building, the Lincoln Hotel, and one of Lorin Farr’s (Ogden's first mayor) residences.  In the early days Fife had his architecture office in the building.  The building was constructed in 1890 by Charles Woodmansee who had built the largest general merchandise business in Ogden at the time.  The building was one of the first examples of Richardsonian Romanesque style* in Utah.  It had varied and an extensive stone work, brick and galvanized tin detailing.  Part of the building that was used as hotel had large high-ceiling rooms with hallway bathrooms and stairway and landing guarded by hard wood railings and newel post that were hand carved. 
Standing on the northwest corner of 24th Street and Washington Blvd. was a building constructed in 1880 and remained a commercial place until it was the last building torn down to construct the Mall.  This corner is believed to be the spot where Richard Ballyntyne opened the first store in downtown Ogden in 1860.  At one time Chauncey W. West, Bishop of the Ogden 1st Ward, had a barn on the site, and it was used by the young people for dances and parties.  In 1880 the ZCMI and First National Bank Building (5E) was commenced, and on February 4, 1881, it was dedicated.  The building was designed by Obed Taylor, Salt Lake City architect and NC Flygare of Ogden supervised the construction work.  ZCMI conducted business there until the W.H. Wright Company took over the building in 1907.  The Wright family, a prominent Ogden business family doing business in town since 1875, stayed in the building until 1938 when it moved to another location and the JC Penney Company took over the store and did business there until 1981 when the building was demolished to incorporate the corner into the Mall.  
*A style of architecture in the late 1800’s named after American architect, Henry Hobson Richardson.  It was characterized by rounded arches and heavy looking construction.

On the southside of 24th still stand some prominent buildings.  At 321 is the Berthana which was originally built as the Union Opera House in 1878 and was the city's Main theatre for dramas and entertainment until the Grand Opera House was finished in 1890 on Washington Boulevard.

In 1890 this property was acquired by David Eccles, and he built a building which was named after two of his daughters Bertha and Anna, thus Berthana.  Through the years it has been used for operas, theaters, dancing, roller skating and wedding proposals.  The architectural importance of this building is still obvious.  
Before the Berthana was constructed on this site the Old Post Office building was located there, and after 1900 the Utah Construction Offices were located at 327 in the Eccles Berthana Building. The Utah Construction company was the railway and general construction business incorporated into Ogden in 1900 with David Eccles, W.H. Wattis, Thomas Dee, A.H Christiansen, Adam Patterson, C.W. Nibley, W.W. Corey and Jim Pingree as organizers and leaders of the company.  This company became internationally important for its construction projects such as Western Pacific RR, Oakland Bridge, Grand Coulee Dam, Boulder Dam, Union Square Parking in San Francisco and other projects.  Recently Utah Construction merged with General Electric as Utah International, Inc. one of the major corporations in the United States. 
At 337, the corner of 24th and Kiesel (formerly Hudson Avenue until 1924) is located the Kiesel Building originally known as the (Colonel Hudson Building) actually fronting on Grant.  Formerly, Fred J. Kiesel did business on this corner as a wholesaler in groceries, liquor and tobacco.  Kiesel a native of Ludwigsburg, Wurtenburg Germany came to Ogden in 1866 and sold a load of goods, and then set up a business house at 2349 Washington Boulevard, and later established his business on 24th Street where he acquired the Kiesel building.  In 1889-92 Fred J. Kiesel served as served a term as mayor of Ogden (the first non-Mormon Mayor) and always was a major booster of Ogden City.

Other businesses on 24th Street East of Grant where the G.H. Tribe Company wholesale, wines liquors and cigars at 347 (1869) and C.S. Hoffman, cigar maker (1889).  At 349 in 1870 stood the Joseph Taylor home and at 351 in 1910 Proudfit Sporting Goods Company established in 1895 by owners and operators AJ Proudfit and Robert C. Proudfit.   In the 1890s at 355 was H.M. Bond and Company, wholesale and retail groceries and at 367 was F.B. DeVoto, Abstracts and Title (the father of Bernard DeVoto, prominent historian and literary figure).  On the southwest corner of 24th and Washington was the Utah Loan and Trust Company (5F) building built in 1891 and later replaced by the present Eccles building.  The Ogden Loan and Trust building with a fine example of Richardson Romanesque. In March 1893, it burned, and David Eccles acquired the gutted building and rebuilt it at a cost of $100,000.  In 1911 another fire destroyed the building and the present Eccles building was built there in 1913.

                Located in the first building were many offices and business operations including the Utah Loan and Trust Company, and the Utah Stationary Company which was owned and operated by Ogden business people such as Lewis W. Shurtliff, (who served as the Weber Stake President of the Mormon Church from 1833 to 1922 and after who Lewis Peak a mountain east of Ogden was named), E.S. Rollap, W.L. Wattis, and Wilford Brasswell.  It also served as meeting place for the Weber Club and as office of the Utah Construction Company.  Today the Eccles Building houses many important offices and businesses.

5.            At the corner of 24th Street and Grant (formerly Young Street) on the north side one is impressed with the Church of the Good Shepherd which although it fronts on Grant is a part of the 24th Street interest.  This church was built in 1874 by the Episcopal faith and its architectural and religious contributions have long been noted.  For that reason, the Church of the Good Shepherd is the only building on the whole block which has not been taken over by the Ogden Mall.   The style is “Carpenter Gothic” and it is built of stone quarried in Mendon, Utah.  The church was a gift of a Mr. Hammersley of New York in memory of his daughter who died while traveling through Ogden.   Formerly the north side had several prominent businesses where the mall now stands, including A.L Brewer Supply at 318 which also became Joe's Tire Shop in 1921 (5A) when Joseph W Brewer sold tires from this location.   The Brewer company has expanded throughout the Rocky Mountain states. Before the turn of the century Nelson and Fell-Livery and Feed Stable (5B) was located at 326.   In the 1920’s Edward Williams and Sons Groceries was at 328 and the Eldon Hotel at 330.   At 336 – 340 the JG Read and Brothers company (5C) was established in 1883 as a Harness and Saddlery manufacturing and supply shop and remained on the corner of 24th and Kiesel from the 1905 period until 1978 when it was forced to move to 12th Street with the building of the Mall.  Through the years the Read Brothers building displayed a black horse statuary on the roof of the three-story building.  The horse was a representation of an old favorite horse of JG Read and the statue still remains on the 12th Street store.
Farther up the street in 1890s was the John Farr Coal Company at 344 and W. Farr and Company of flour, grain, hay and feed supply at 346.  The Farrs were descendants of Lorin Farr early founder of Ogden and longtime mayo and Church leader.  At 350 - 368 was Woodmansee-Union Block (5D) - one of the most prominent architectural structures in Ogden during its time.  The building was designed by Ogden architect William W. Fife who also did Ogden's first City Hall, the Utah Loan and Trust Building, the W.H. Wright and Sons Store and Office Building, the Lincoln Hotel, and one of Lorin Farr’s (Ogden's first mayor) residences.  In the early days Fife had his architecture office in the building.  The building was constructed in 1890 by Charles Woodmansee who had built the largest general merchandise business in Ogden at the time.  The building was one of the first examples of Richardsonian Romanesque style* in Utah.  It had varied and an extensive stone work, brick and galvanized tin detailing.  Part of the building that was used as hotel had large high-ceiling rooms with hallway bathrooms and stairway and landing guarded by hard wood railings and newel post that were hand carved. 
Standing on the northwest corner of 24th Street and Washington Blvd. was a building constructed in 1880 and remained a commercial place until it was the last building torn down to construct the Mall.  This corner is believed to be the spot where Richard Ballyntyne opened the first store in downtown Ogden in 1860.  At one time Chauncey W. West, Bishop of the Ogden 1st Ward, had a barn on the site, and it was used by the young people for dances and parties.  In 1880 the ZCMI and First National Bank Building (5E) was commenced, and on February 4, 1881, it was dedicated.  The building was designed by Obed Taylor, Salt Lake City architect and NC Flygare of Ogden supervised the construction work.  ZCMI conducted business there until the W.H. Wright Company took over the building in 1907.  The Wright family, a prominent Ogden business family doing business in town since 1875, stayed in the building until 1938 when it moved to another location and the JC Penney Company took over the store and did business there until 1981 when the building was demolished to incorporate the corner into the Mall.  
*A style of architecture in the late 1800’s named after American architect, Henry Hobson Richardson.  It was characterized by rounded arches and heavy looking construction.

On the southside of 24th still stand some prominent buildings.  At 321 is the Berthana which was originally built as the Union Opera House in 1878 and was the city's Main theatre for dramas and entertainment until the Grand Opera House was finished in 1890 on Washington Boulevard.

In 1890 this property was acquired by David Eccles, and he built a building which was named after two of his daughters Bertha and Anna, thus Berthana.  Through the years it has been used for operas, theaters, dancing, roller skating and wedding proposals.  The architectural importance of this building is still obvious.  
Before the Berthana was constructed on this site the Old Post Office building was located there, and after 1900 the Utah Construction Offices were located at 327 in the Eccles Berthana Building. The Utah Construction company was the railway and general construction business incorporated into Ogden in 1900 with David Eccles, W.H. Wattis, Thomas Dee, A.H Christiansen, Adam Patterson, C.W. Nibley, W.W. Corey and Jim Pingree as organizers and leaders of the company.  This company became internationally important for its construction projects such as Western Pacific RR, Oakland Bridge, Grand Coulee Dam, Boulder Dam, Union Square Parking in San Francisco and other projects.  Recently Utah Construction merged with General Electric as Utah International, Inc. one of the major corporations in the United States. 
At 337, the corner of 24th and Kiesel (formerly Hudson Avenue until 1924) is located the Kiesel Building originally known as the (Colonel Hudson Building) actually fronting on Grant.  Formerly, Fred J. Kiesel did business on this corner as a wholesaler in groceries, liquor and tobacco.  Kiesel a native of Ludwigsburg, Wurtenburg Germany came to Ogden in 1866 and sold a load of goods, and then set up a business house at 2349 Washington Boulevard, and later established his business on 24th Street where he acquired the Kiesel building.  In 1889-92 Fred J. Kiesel served as served a term as mayor of Ogden (the first non-Mormon Mayor) and always was a major booster of Ogden City.

Other businesses on 24th Street East of Grant where the G.H. Tribe Company wholesale, wines liquors and cigars at 347 (1869) and C.S. Hoffman, cigar maker (1889).  At 349 in 1870 stood the Joseph Taylor home and at 351 in 1910 Proudfit Sporting Goods Company established in 1895 by owners and operators AJ Proudfit and Robert C. Proudfit.   In the 1890s at 355 was H.M. Bond and Company, wholesale and retail groceries and at 367 was F.B. DeVoto, Abstracts and Title (the father of Bernard DeVoto, prominent historian and literary figure).  On the southwest corner of 24th and Washington was the Utah Loan and Trust Company (5F) building built in 1891 and later replaced by the present Eccles building.  The Ogden Loan and Trust building with a fine example of Richardson Romanesque. In March 1893, it burned, and David Eccles acquired the gutted building and rebuilt it at a cost of $100,000.  In 1911 another fire destroyed the building and the present Eccles building was built there in 1913.

                Located in the first building were many offices and business operations including the Utah Loan and Trust Company, and the Utah Stationary Company which was owned and operated by Ogden business people such as Lewis W. Shurtliff, (who served as the Weber Stake President of the Mormon Church from 1833 to 1922 and after who Lewis Peak a mountain east of Ogden was named), E.S. Rollap, W.L. Wattis, and Wilford Brasswell.  It also served as meeting place for the Weber Club and as office of the Utah Construction Company.  Today the Eccles Building houses many important offices and businesses.

6.            At 24th and Washington Boulevard a short digression off 24th is a worth-while part of the tour.  Today to the north of 24th Street on the west side of Washington Boulevard stands the Ogden Mall, but in former days there was a street full of a variety of shops.  North, from the corner which was earlier discussed, at 2365 stood the Kuhn Brothers Block (6A).  I was a building built in 1886 to house the men and women’s furnishings business of Adam and Abraham Kuhn who did business in Ogden from 1869 to 1926.  The Kuhn brothers had other stores in Idaho and Wyoming.  They are first sold “everything that could be worn by man, woman child” but was time went on they specialized in men’s furnishings.  The building was incorporated in the JC Penney building before being torn down as part of the Mall.   

The address of 2357 Washington was also an important business site.  Here Jessie J. Driver established his drug store in 1890 and it stood there for the rest of the century.  In 1905 G.H. Tribe and Company dealing in wholesale wines and liquors was there; in 1912 O.D. Rasmussen, Cloaks and Suits and in 1915 Economy Sample Shoe Store.  In 1926 Ogden knitting store was there followed by Shipler Studio in 1934 and the Reeds Millinery in 1935-37.  There was no listing at this address from 1942-46, but in 1970 Fashion Fabrics moved in and stayed until forced to move for the mall in 1979.

2355 was established as the W.H. Wright and Sons store when the building was built in 1891.  W.H. Wright have been in Ogden since 1875 and use this address from 1891 until 1907 when they moved to the corner of Washington and 24th Street.  In the 1920’s it became the Taylor-Wright store until 1970, and the Kwick-Stop Drug until 1979 when the mall took over.

 The building at 2343-2345 Washington with the Cassin Block built by James Cassin early railroad worker in the 1860s through 1880’s and then Chief Deputy U.S. Marshall. He later was involved in real estate and also a leader in the Masonic Lodge in Ogden.  
The number of 2329 Washington was the longtime address of Boyle’s Furniture Store (6B). Boyles occupied this location until forced to move to 28th and Washington by in 1979 by the Mall construction.  The new location at 28th Street is not far from where the founder of the firm Peter Boyle started a furniture-making shop at his house on 28th above Adam's in 1862.  He later joined with his son John to form Boyle and Son Furniture Dealers and moved the store to the east side of Washington between 24th and 25th.  The company suffered through two fires in 1873 and 1884 but continued to do business.  In 1890 the Boyle Furniture Company moved to 2464 Washington and later to 2424 Washington before moving to 2329 Washington the old W.H. Wright & Sons building that was constructed in 1891, in 1907.

At 2323 Washington was the location of the W.S. Beeville and Company Meat Market from 1890 and by 1912 was the Ogden Meat Company.  In 1915, it was the Shoemart and in 1926 the Palace Candy Shop for sweets and in 1952 the Boulevard Shop of Women's Clothing and in 1960 it became the Hi-Fi Shop with the hideous torture murders of three Ogden citizens took place in 1974.

The location at 2321 Washington was A.E. Weatherby's meat market in 1895 and N. Mark and Son Meat Market in 1905.  Greenwell’s Cash Market did business in 1912 and Grill and Son Meat Store was there from 1916 to 1926.  A restaurant was run there from 1934 to 1937 by Edward Greenwell, then Jerome Feiler, optician ran a shop there in 1956 and Nate Morgan Jewelers until 1977. 
At 2313 the Olympia Candy Company did business in 1912 and by 1915 the Bank Smokery ran a business until 1954, and at 2301 Washington G.F. Cave, druggist retailer, was there from 1903 to 1946 with physicians, surgeons and doctors L.H. Crenshaw, I.W. Pedcock, C.E. Wardleigh using offices upstairs.  The building at 2301-2305 was the Staynor Building with G.A. D’Hemecourt as the architect.

On the Eastside of Washington Boulevard at the northeast corner of 23rd Street in 1897 stood the Consolidated Implement Company (6C) which carried a variety of machinery - McCormick Harvesting Machines, Fish Brothers Wagons, Haydock Brothers Carriages and Kauffman Buggies.  Today Wolfe's Sporting Goods occupies that spot.  Just south of the corner of 23rd and Washington once stood the Burton Implement Company established there in 1905, but William F. Burton had been in business 30 years previous to that time.  In 1906 the building burned but was rebuilt and Burton continued business.   Today the location is occupied by Madison Furniture. 
Other businesses along that side in earlier days include the C.J. Herrick and Company dealers in furniture, stoves and carpet at 2340; T.B. Evans and Company wholesale and retail groceries, who claimed to be the largest Grocer in Ogden in the early 1900’s.  In 1910 the Ogden Music Company (6D) successor to Consolidated Music Company is located at 2370 Washington.  The Charles Cafeteria at 2376 claimed a French Chef and could serve up to 4800 persons at banquets, which was done at the National Irrigation Conference in Ogden in 1911.

On the northeast corner of 24th and Washington stood the First National Bank (6E), a five-story building done in the Richardsonian Romanesque style.  The First National Bank included as officers and directors David H Perry, John Sharp, James Pingree R.J. Taylor, David Eccles, George W. Thatcher, James Sharp, James T. Little, H.S. Young, John Watson, James F Burton, Joseph Clark, Adam Patterson. W.W. Peter, John Spiers, R.B. Porter and Bernard White.  The corner is now occupied by the ZCMI.

7.            Continue along the east side of Washington Boulevard south from 24th Street there are now other sites of historical interest.  The southeast corner in early days of Ogden was another location of a business which Richard Ballantyne established in the 1850s.  Ballentyne had his first started on the northwest corner, then moved to the south east corner.  It is believed in that Ogden House (or Ogden Hotel) was also located on this corner later, and after that it was the site of the Woodmansee Hall which was used in early days as a dance hall.  Sidney Stevens, a prominent North Ogden resident, later established a block of business houses on this corner known as the Stevens Block (7A).  This building housed the Corey Brothers Construction Company which was one of the major railway construction companies west of the Missouri River.  This company participated in the building of the Oregon Short Line, Northern Pacific, Canadian Pacific, Union Pacific in Washington and Idaho, the Chicago and Northwestern, Burlington and Missouri, Colorado Midland, Rio Grand Junction and Rio Grande Western Railroads.  It is also built the Bear River Canal in Box Elder County.  The company was established in 1881 with W.W Corey, C.J. Corey and A.B. Corey as founders.  In 1887 E.O. Wattis and W.H. Wattis joined the company and it became Corey Brothers and Company, and later taken over by the Utah Construction Company.

The Stevens Block was also the meeting hall of the A.O.U.W (An Ancient Order of United Workers) a fraternal order that was popular in the late 1800s.  
Today the corner is occupied by the 15 story First Security Bank, a corporation which was founded in 1928 by joining the assets of the Eccles and Browning fortunes by Marriner A. Browning and Marriner S Eccles. The building was designed by architect Eber Piers.  
At 2414 Washington in the 1890s was the Citizen’s Bank Building which also housed the Hendershot Abstract Company, founded in 1890 by F.J. Hendershot, C.A. Hendershot and J.C. Hendershot.   At 2416 was the Masonic Hall (7B).  Ogden had several fraternal orders of which the Masons were one of the strongest groups 
At 2436 Washington the Fred M. Nye building now occupies the property.  Mr. Nye is a long time Ogden businessman. This spot at earlier times was the location of the Methodist School and later the Boyle Furniture before becoming the Nye Co. store.  At this point the tourist should direct his attention across the street to the Egyptian Theater, which can be better viewed from this point. This part of Washington Boulevard in earlier times was busy with a variety of commercial houses.

The only buildings indicating the earlier nature are those located at 2474 Washington a four-story red sandstone and old red brick building with colored glass windows.  In earlier times it was the Cortez Block (7C) which was designed by W.W. Fife.  This building was named after John J Cortez who was born in Brewslaw, Prussia as John Kort’ez.  He came to the United States and served in the US Navy during the Civil War and became a naturalized citizen in 1870, when his name appeared on the papers as Cortez.  He came to Utah in the employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad in the 1870s.  He worked for a time as a conductor in the Salt Lake Division but left to become a farmer and real estate promoter.  He acquired a farm on the east side of Ogden bordered by 34th Street, Monroe Avenue, 36th Street and Harrison Boulevard to Beus Farm on the east.  Some of the farm became a part of the Weber State College campus.  The Cortez farming and real estate enterprises are other companies have had offices in the Cortez building.

At 2476 Washington is a three-story yellow brick building that at one time was the Idan – Ha Rooms and Apartment Building.  At 2478 Washington is a three-story red brick structure.  In times past it housed the A. Beckstead Meat Market and later the John Siebold Meat, Fish and Poultry Market.  At 2478 is a three-story red sandstone building, now much deteriorated.  It formerly had been an office for John Farr Coal Company and the area for the Cave Lunch Room which in 1910 advertise a $0.15 merchant lunch.  It is known as the Warren Building and was designed by W.W. Fife, prominent Ogden architect.  At the corner today is the FMA Thrift and Loan which has preserved a building which has stood on the corner since the turn of the century.  It had earlier house a drugstore.

8.            Crossing over to the west side of Washington Boulevard and 25th Street and working back north are some interesting historical places.  On the southwest corner of Washington and 25th Street is the Commercial Security Bank.  This place was formerly the location of the Broom Hotel which really belongs to the story of 25th Street and is treated in the tour of that street.

At 2471 - 2481 is the Howell Building which is named after Judge James A. Howell early Ogden lawyer and judge of the Ogden City Court.  In early days the Scowcroft Building (8A) was located at 2473. The Scowcroft family was one of the major business families in Ogden dealing in candies and eventually diversifying into clothes manufacturing with a plant on Wall Avenue.  At 2453 Washington is the site of the William Driver Drugs Building (8B).  William Driver established his drug business in Ogden in 1871 and in 1880 he joined with his son and George W. Driver to form the William Driver and Son City Drug Store.  The building was a three-story brick building and was reported to be the first three story building by seven years.

At 2451 Washington Boulevard was a five-story red sandstone and brick building is the only building still standing which represents the style built before 1900 on the west side of Washington Boulevard.   It is the Lewis building, where was once located the J.S. Lewis Company, jewelry store.  Lewis was a prominent booster of Ogden community activities and established Lewis Camp in Ogden Canyon.

The location 2435-2439 is presently occupied by the Egyptian Theater.  On this site an adobe house stood in the 1860’s.  David H. Peery and his family moved there at that time.  David Peery was a prominent businessman who later became Ogden Mayor as did his son Harmon Peery.  David had migrated from Virginia to Utah in 1864 and to Ogden in 1866.  He lived first in an adobe house on 27th and Washington and then moved to the 2400 block of Washington.  Later her built a three-story business building known as Peery’s Block (8C) on the same site.  This building burned in March 1923.  The fire destroyed the Last and Thomas Co.  general merchandise store which was owned by J.H.F. Last and Joseph F. Thomas.  The Arlington Hotel above the store and the Wisteria Candy Co. were also destroyed in the Peery Building fire.  One man was killed and $365,000 lost in damages.  In 1924 the Peery’s Egyptian Theater was built on this location and remains one of the fine structures on Washington Boulevard.

  At 2415 Washington, where the Standard Optical now stands, the Elite Café did business for many years.  It advertised seafood specialties of shellfish and oysters and wines and liquors served in a dining room furnished with walnut bar and double plate windows.

Next to the Eccles Building which was built in 1913 after the old Richardsonian Romanesque Eccles structure burned.  Business operating here were B.f. Sooy, Photographer, Fred M. Nye Company clothing established in 1899 and doing business at 2413 Washington in 1910, and William H. Wright’s first store at 2414 in 1891.  H.M. Bond Company Wholesale and Retail Groceries and Fruit Produce was located at 2411 in 1892 and A.W. Putnam, Gent’s Furnishings Store was at 2409 in 1892. 

9.            Going East of Washington on the south side of 24th Street the visitors again become aware of the importance of David H. Peery in Ogden.  At 441 24th was formerly located the David H. Peery Block (9A), a three-story brick building which was a business location and had a hall which was used by various organizations such as the Presbyterian Church which held religious services there.  In recent days a small modern business building known as the Virginia Professional Building stands there.  The Ogden River Canal cut across 24th Street north and south just west of this point along the brow of the hill where the alley now runs.

                The crowning building on the south side of 24th Street at the corner of 24th and Adams was the residence of David H. Peery (9B).  The residence was named “The Virginia” as a remembrance of the family’s origin in Virginia.  The building was constructed in 1893, and designed by Samuel Whitaker, a noted Ogden architect.  It was made of red sandstone and red brick.  It was a place of prominence in the City since David Peery was a Mormon Church leader and Mayor of Ogden.  Here were entertained many important people of the time including William Jennings Bryan and other influential Americans.  The Ramada Inn stands on that location today.

10.          One the north side of 24th Street east of Washington at 440 24th Street was the Weber County Courthouse.  The original building (10A) was a three-story complex with a clock tower.  The first level was built of native rock and the tow upper levels were of brick with the clock tower covered with metal.  The architect for the building was Walter Thompson, and it was constructed between 1871 and 1876.  County Court was held there as well as at one point of time was Professor Lewis Moench’s school.  It was also the jail for county prisoners, and in 1895 one of the prisoners started a fire which burned the building and brought about the construction of a new court house (10B).  The new court house was a two-story building, with basement and attic, constructed of native rock to the first floor level and brick on the upper levels.  The roof and clock tower were wood, covered with metal.  The clock tower extended above two staggered wings of the building.  The building was there until mid-1950’s when it was demolished.  The court moved to the new City County Building in the 1940’s and the building was used in those years as a dormitory for youths employed for Works Progress Administration.  A terraced parking lot is there now.  East of the County Court House was located the Methodist Church (10C), a beautiful sandstone and brick structure with a tall spire.  Today the Fraternal Order of the Eagles (FOE) building with a modern façade uses the basic structure of the church.  A close examination reveals the old church foundations and walls.

At 466 24th Street was the old location of the George W Larkin and Sons, Professional Undertakers and Embalmers Parlor (10D).  It was one of the oldest undertaking firms established in Ogden.  George W Larkin Larkin, founder, and his sons, Elijah A and Alma had been in business since 1880.  Today this funeral business is located on the southwest corner of 24th and Adams.

11.          In the middle of the street at Adams and 24th Street on May 19, 1881, the Ogden Electric Light Company attempted to illuminate the city with the new invention of the incandescent light.  The light globe was mounted on the top of a steel structure erected on the upper level of the hill at the corner.  The experiment failed in lighting the entire city, but it did encourage the development of electricity throughout the city.

East of Adams Avenue on the north side of the street is located the St. Joseph's Catholic Church. This building was completed in the Fall of 1902 after ten years of work.  It is constructed of red and yellow sandstone.  The tower on the south west corner is 22 feet square and 132 feet high.  The furniture, doors, and interior trim are of quartered oak and designed in the harmony with the architecture of the church.  The windows are of stained glass.  The organ inside has a story of community cooperation behind the building of the musical instrument.  The basic organ was provided by the Mormon church to help the Parish, the wiring of the instrument was provided by a protestant electrician, and parish members carried out many of the other tasks associated with the construction of the instrument. The Father of the church used to relate this episode as a demonstration of how the community should work together.

Next to the church is the rectory which was built in 1948 on the location where the parochial house formerly stood.  
12.          Crossing over the southeast corner of Adams and 24th Street brings the tourist in front of the American Legion Baker-Merrill Post.  This building was formerly the First Presbyterian Church.  It was built in 1906 at a cost of $30,000.  It was designed by G.A. D’Hemecourt, architect, in the gothic form of composed of brick and stone.  It had a seating capacity of 600 people, a church school area of four rooms, a dining room and kitchen.  Stained glass windows depicted the “Nativity” theme.  The Presbyterians held services there until September 1949 when the congregation moved to a new building at 880 28th Street.  Original windows from the Adams and 24th Street church were put in the east side of the 28th Street church. 
At this point the tourist might consider how much time and energy he or she has to continue the tour.  What remains is a considerable amount of walking.  The vigorous might continue but others might consider doing the rest of the tour at another time.

Going east on 24th Street the existing houses represent the architectural trends of the early 1900s in Ogden.  At 590 24th Street in early days was located J.R. Horspool grocery store and bakery. When the Brockman Company is located today. 
13.          Proceed to the Lester Park in the 600-700 block of 24th.  This park was named after Lester Herrick, Mayor of Ogden, 1871-1876 and 1879-82.  In former times this area was a sage brush hill where some hunting was done for wild birds and later baseball games were played on diamonds there.  Finally, the area was made into a public park with a bandstand which was used in summer months by local groups to entertain to the public.  Today the Weber County Library and the Golden Hours Center are located on the park property.  Also, located on the north west part of the park is a monument dedicated to Father Pierre Jean de Smet, Priest of the Society of Jesus, who had long been a missionary and explore in the West and provided information to Brigham Young and the Mormons as they moved westward in 1847 trek to Utah.

 14.         On the north east corner of 24th and Madison (2380 Madison) is located a Victorian style building which was built in 1887.  It features multi-entrance, cubicles and angled areas which are typical for the era in which it was built.  It was occupied from 1919 until recently by the Sidney O. Stevens family.  It is now the office of Boise Cascade.

15.          Walking north along Madison towards 21st Street the tourist can observe the location of some of the early Mormon Churches in the Community.  On the northwest corner of 23rd and Madison is the old 6th Ward Chapel of the Mormon Church.  It was recently closed after serving 71 years of time.  The building was built in 1910 of yellow brick with 18-inch walls of rock and cement.  There are colored glass window scenes in the windows of the building.  The building is of a Greek classical style.  Farther along at 2121 Madison Avenue (15A) was the place of the old 4th Ward Chapel which was razed several years ago.  Also located at 2149 Madison Avenue was that Hyrum Belnap House (15B).  Belnap was a prominent businessman and community leader, and the other building has been made into an apartment building.  
On the east side of Madison Avenue and 21st Street is Liberty Park.  A red brick building facing south on 21st Street is an LDS chapel of the day for the Deaf Branch which was erected in 1946. 
16.          The tour continues down 21st Street to Jefferson Avenue on the southwest corner the present-day LDS 4th Ward chapel presents a refreshing architectural style.  This church built in 1930 is a polychromic brick structure in a Tudor style.  A diversion to 2139 Jefferson Avenue leads to the location of the Summerhill Foundry and Stokes manufacturing Company, an early iron works establishment in Ogden on Jefferson.  The building was recently raised after a fire destroyed it.  Continuing down 22nd Street to Adams Avenue and turning north along Adams Avenue the tour comes to the old location of the Hyrum Belnap house which was located at 504 22nd Street (16A) and another Belnap house had been located at 2188 Adams (16B).  These locations of the Belnap family give some ideas of how lives and situations of an early Ogden family changed.

17.          Going north along Adams Avenue to 20th Street the tourist comes to the Ogden City Cemetery.  By entering the cemetery and moving to the south west corner of the grounds one is brought to the location of the graves of Lorin Farr and his family.  Farr was the first Mayor of Ogden serving from 1851-1870 and 1877-1878.  He was a prominent community and church leader and established some of the early industry in the community being beginning with Farr’s Fort on the Ogden River.  Farr died in 1909 and was buried at this spot. 

18.          Proceeding from the cemetery down 20th Street to Washington Boulevard the tourist can observe on the south side at 445 20th Street the old Dee School building.  The first floor is stone and the upper floors in brick a common construction style for the turn of the century.  Moving south on Washington the tourist arrives at the Mormon Tabernacle in Temple Square at 21st and Washington. These buildings represent some of the architecture of the Mormon Church.  Visitors are welcome to take a tour of the grounds and the tabernacle building.  The temple is open to members of the Mormon Church in good standing only.  Also, on the southeast and northeast corner of 21st and Washington was the location of the houses of Lorin Farr (18A) and his polygamous families.  Lorin Farr had six separate houses for his wives on the east side of Washington Boulevard from 20th Street to the middle of the 2100 block and east up the south side of 21st Street.  In the early days in Ogden James Brown the first Mormon inhabitant had built a home on this block but was required to move to the east side of Washington Boulevard when the block was designated as a place for religious buildings in 1850.

19.          At this corner of 22nd Street and Washington Boulevard there are a couple of things to worth notice.  One is the old water trough a few yards north of the corner.  In early times this was a watering place for animals.  In 1856 a building known as the Ogden Tabernacle was constructed on the comer of Washington and 22nd Street.  It was later remodeled in 1896 into an “Exhibition” style (19A).  The building was used for church meetings, various public meetings and later as a genealogical library.  It was torn down in 1971 to make room for the new temple.

20.          This tour ends by going west down 22nd Street to Grant Avenue and turning north on the east side to the middle of the block.  Here is located the Museum of the Daughters of the Pioneers and Goodyear Cabin (20A) which is believed to be the original cabin belonging to Mile Goodyear, the first white settler to enter the Great Salt Lake Valley as a permanent settler in 1845.  It is believed this is the cabin which Goodyear built on the Weber River in West Ogden in 1845.  The edifice is not only a landmark but stands as a monument to the ingenuity and skill of the pioneer who employed primitive methods in the process of construction.  In seeing this cabin and then observing the present buildings of Ogden one becomes aware of the vision and creative changes and process that the community has brought about since the first settlers came here.  This concludes the 24th Street Tour.