Capitol Hill Historic District (Boundary Increase)

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United States Department of the Interior National Park Service 0MB No. 1024-0018, NFS Form National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section No. 8 Page 8 Capitol Hill Historic District (Boundary Increase), Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, UT S. Jones (1860-1938), the owner of a hack service, and his wife Annie Sims (1865-1918), lived in the house only a few years before buying it, moving out and becoming landlords. A number of important institutional buildings were constructed during this period. The 19th Ward was divided to create the 22nd Ward in 1889, and subsequently replaced its 1866 adobe meetinghouse with a new brick one in 1890 located at 172 West 500 North within the original district boundaries.23 The 22nd Ward took the area west of 300 West and built a meetinghouse on 400 North between 400 and 500 West. However, pressure from expanding rail lines forced the ward to move to a new location at 465 North 300 West (later demolished in the 1960s). Two other congregations had buildings in the area: the Plymouth Congregational Church built circa 1893 was located at 230 West 400 North and St. Peter's Episcopal Church built in the 1890s at 657 North 300 North (both demolished). Other nearby institutional buildings included the Irving and Washington schools (both demolished), and two small private hospitals were located within the boundaries of the original district. Substantially altered portions of the larger St. Mark's Hospital built in 1894 still stand within an office complex at 825 North 300 West, just north of the increase area. The presence of church buildings other than those of the Mormon Church suggests that after the 1880s the number of non-Mormon immigrants had increased in the Capitol Hill neighborhoods. Because of the proximity of the railroad yards and shops, many engineers and railroad men chose the Marmalade district and the neighborhoods immediately west to settle their families. Men with mining-related occupations found the Capitol Hill neighborhoods attractive and within their means as did many trained in the new trades of telegraph, telephone and electricity. Meanwhile the LDS population remained prominent and growing. The neighborhood's strong association with the original 19th Ward, despite being subdivided up to four times, meant there was no ready division between the residential neighborhoods that spread down the west slope and the residential blocks to the west. A Pugsley from west of 300 West was as likely to sit on the ward building committee as an Asper from Quince Street. The 300 West corridor had more shops but was essentially another residential street.24 By the time of the 1900 census renters occupied half of all households. Out of nearly 200 households, only two farmers were listed. One was Chin Pay (1830-?), a former Chinese railroad worker who came to United States in 1867. He settled in Salt Lake and established a vegetable garden on 400 West. This Chinese farmer's humble circumstances were probably a great contrast with the then mayor of Salt Lake City, businessman, Ezra Thompson (1851-1923), who was living two blocks away. The economic diversity of the boundary increase area is astonishing. From farmer to mayor, from railroad laborer to university professor, there are almost as many different occupations as there are workers. Family makeup had also changed by 1900. The census lists an average of 23 This building along with an adjacent Relief Society Hall is still standing, though no longer owned by the LDS Church. 24 Capitol Hill Historic District National Register nomination, 1978. Available at the Utah State Historical Society.