Jump to content

Brigham City Co-op

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Brigham City Co-op was one of the most successful cooperative enterprises of the Mormons in Utah.

In 1990 five buildings associated with the Brigham City Co-op survived: the Mercantile Store (1891), the Flour Mill (1856), the Woolen Mill (1869–70), the Planing Mill (c.1876), and the Relief Society Granary (c.1877).[1]

Mercantile store

[edit]
Store in 2010
Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association Mercantile Store
Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association Mercantile Store
Location5 N. Main St., Brigham City, Utah
Coordinates41°30′39″N 112°0′56″W / 41.51083°N 112.01556°W / 41.51083; -112.01556
Area0.5 acres (0.20 ha)
Built1890-1891
Built byBrigham City Co-op
ArchitectSt. James, Woods & Co.
Architectural styleRomanesque
MPSBrigham City MPS
NRHP reference No.89000453[2]
Added to NRHPJanuary 24, 1990

The Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association Mercantile Store, at 5 N. Main St. in Brigham City, Utah, also known as the Brigham City Co-op Mercantile Store or the First Security Bank, was built during 1890-1891. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.[2]

It was designed by Ogden, Utah architects St. James, Woods & Co. It has a 50 by 80 feet (15 m × 24 m) room on its third floor which was used for dances and other events.[1]

The building "is significant primarily for its association with the Mormon Church-sponsored Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association (the Co-op). The Co-op was a highly successful socio-economic system that dominated the local economy during most of its years of operation, 1864-1895. It was also a model for Mormon cooperatives established throughout the Utah Territory in the 1860s-80s. Most of the other co-ops failed quickly, and none approached the level of success attained in Brigham City."[1]

A fire at the store on December 19, 1894 contributed to failure of the Co-op in 1895. The building later served as a bank.[1]

The NRHP nomination states the building "is also architecturally significant as the best example of Victorian Eclectic commercial architecture in Brigham City."[1]

Flouring mill

[edit]
Flouring mill
Backside of the Box Elder Flouring Mill in 2019
Box Elder Flouring Mill
Location327 East 200 North, Brigham City, Utah
Coordinates41°30′55″N 112°0′32″W / 41.51528°N 112.00889°W / 41.51528; -112.00889
Area1.2 acres (0.49 ha)
Built1857
Built byKessler, Frederick; Et al.
Architectural styleIndustrial vernacular
MPSBrigham City MPS
NRHP reference No.89000452[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJanuary 24, 1990
Removed from NRHPAugust 15, 2023

The Box Elder flouring mill was built in 1857 and served as a flour mill into the 1870s. It was a two-story 30 by 39 feet (9.1 m × 11.9 m) building. The building was sold and began use as a monument factory in the 1890s, and remains a monument factory in 1989. It was expanded by additions during about 1892 to 1933, including a c.1933 two-story frame addition which is 32 by 120 feet (9.8 m × 36.6 m) in plan.[3]

The mill had portholes intended for defense from Indian attacks, in its first story walls on the west, north and south sides. These were changed into windows and a door by John H. Bott during his ownership during the 1890s to 1914.[3]

It has also been known as the Gristmill, and as Snow and Smith Mill and as Bott's Monument Factory. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Box Elder Flouring Mill,[3] and was delisted in 2023.[4]

It was water-powered by Box Elder Creek.

Granary

[edit]
Granary
Granary of the Relief Society
Location100 North 400 East, Brigham City, Utah
Coordinates41°30′46″N 112°0′29″W / 41.51278°N 112.00806°W / 41.51278; -112.00806
Area0.1 acres (0.040 ha)
Built1877
Built byBrigham City Co-op
Architectural styleVernacular industrial
MPSBrigham City MPS
NRHP reference No.89000455[2]
Added to NRHPJanuary 24, 1990

The granary was built in 1877. It was NRHP-listed as Granary of the Relief Society in 1990.[2][5]

Planing mill

[edit]
Planing mill
Planing Mill of Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association
Location547 E. Forest St., Brigham City, Utah
Coordinates41°30′39″N 112°0′21″W / 41.51083°N 112.00583°W / 41.51083; -112.00583
Area0.5 acres (0.20 ha)
Built1876
Built byJames Pett; Brigham City Co-op
Architectural styleIndustrial vernacular
MPSBrigham City MPS
NRHP reference No.89000454[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJanuary 24, 1990
Removed from NRHPMarch 26, 2018

The planing mill was built in 1876. It is NRHP-listed as Planing Mill of Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association. It was also known as Merrell's Planing Mill.

It was water-powered. [6]

John F. Merrell, a worker at the mill, obtained ownership in 1892 and operated it until 1931.[6]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Bradford, Kathy; Larry Douglass (December 1989). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Brigham City Co-op Mercantile Store / First Security Bank". National Park Service. Retrieved September 10, 2017. With six photos from 1891, c.1910, 1988.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c Bradford, Kathy; Larry Douglass (December 1989). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Box Elder Flouring Mill / Gristmill;Snow and Smith Mill;Bott's Monument Factory". National Park Service. Retrieved September 10, 2017. With six photos from 1920 and 1987-88.
  4. ^ "WEEKLY LIST OF ACTIONS TAKEN ON PROPERTIES: 8/14/2023 THROUGH 8/18/2023". National Park Service. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  5. ^ Bradford, Kathy; Larry Douglass (December 1989). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Brigham City Relief Society Granary". National Park Service. Retrieved September 10, 2017. With two photos from 1988.
  6. ^ a b Bradford, Kathy; Larry Douglass (December 1989). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Planing Mill of Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association / Merrell's Planing Mill". National Park Service. Retrieved September 10, 2017. With five photos, historic and from 1988.
[edit]

Media related to Brigham City Co-op at Wikimedia Commons