2012 Historic Homes Tour

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to attend the 2012 Historic Homes Tour in Salt Lake City.
It's put on every year by the Utah Heritage Foundation in different historic neighborhoods around the valley.
This year they had eight homes along South Temple.  South Temple is also known as "Millionaire's Row".
From their website...
"Along South Temple Street you will find the homes of Utah's most influential families, churches, clubhouses from Utah's earliest private clubs, and one of the city's first hospitals. They reflect the work of Utah's most prominent architects and a wide range of architectural styles. The wealth of Utah's mining boom transformed South Temple from a dusty thoroughfare into a stately street with remnants with a prominent address. In addition to mansions remnants of this once opulent past, Sandstone curbs, carriage steps and hitching posts, and lattice light poles make this one of Salt Lake City's greatest treasures."
You can also read more about South Temple on the CityHome Collective blog.

The Governor's Mansion.  Photo source.

 I realized the importance of walking in a neighborhood.  I've driven up and down South Temple hundreds of times, but I had never walked the street.  It was fun to see all the beautiful homes, businesses and landscaping that you miss when you are driving 40 mph.

The Ladies Literary Club.  Photo: Wikepedia.

The homes that we toured were a mix of residential and some homes that had been turned into businesses.  The Holy Cross Chapel was also included in the tour and the Masonic Temple was having an Open House that day, so we walked through it too. 
The Holy Cross Chapel is part of the Salt Lake Regional Medical Center.  The interior of the chapel is stunning.  I felt like we were in a tv show or movie, it was so beautiful that it looked like every chapel you see in the movies.
The white marble and honey onyx in the chapel were amazing as well.

Holy Cross Chapel.  Photo: Flickr

I look at new homes every day, so it was fun to spend a day touring historic homes.
It reiterated to me how important good design, quality building materials and preservation are.


While looking online today I found this Historic South Temple Street Walking Tour.  I hadn't ever heard of it, but I think it would be a great way to see and learn about the area!