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Show 0MB No. 1024-0018, NFS Form United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section No. 8 Page 23 Ogden Central Bench Historic District, Ogden, Weber County, UT Erickson's daughters. After selling the homes in Rue Anne Court, the Skinners and Ericksons moved to Hollywood, California. Several other builders from Ogden took part in developing the district during the 1920s. Wilford Bramwell is a good example. Wilford Bramwell was born in Plain City, just west of Ogden, in 1881, a son of George and Isabelle Bramwell and was the brother of one-time Ogden mayor Kent Bramwell. He attended Ogden schools and graduated from Weber College in 1898. During the early 1900s, before becoming involved in building, Mr. Bramwell had owned and operated Bramwell's Books and Stationary Company, and as a hobby raised pedigree chickens for exhibition throughout the country. Drawn by the opportunity of the building industry in the 1920s, he became a contractor. One of his earliest and largest undertakings occurred in 1926, when he designed and started construction of the Bramwell Court, located between Monroe Boulevard and Quincy Avenues and 26th and 27th Streets, the land surrounding his family home (Photo 46). Bramwell's Court was a bungalow court, a type of development that was popular in the United States but rare in Utah. Bramwell initially opened up Binford Street then Bramwell Street and started the court by building two homes, then ran into financial problems with the lending institution Beneficial Life. He then opened up and paved Gramercy Avenue (which was where his prized chicken coops once stood), while his financial situation improved. Within a short amount of time his loan was cleared and over a dozen more homes were constructed. Each home had a small driveway, shed, and yard. Later, during the 1930s, the court extended and construction of four new duplexes and other bungalow type homes were completed. In recent years, the Ogden Redevelopment Agency has renovated the homes and improved the streets and sidewalks, revitalizing the area. Mr. Bramwell continued to build homes in Ogden and in the Central Bench District until the 1940s, when he then moved to Los Angeles, California to manage the Franciscan Apartments. H(\ Charles A. Udy, Joseph A. Wright, and Ray O. Whitmeyer were other Ogden individuals who also became involved in building during the 1920s. In addition to the individuals, several families of builders became active during this era, including the Postma brothers, McGregor brothers, and Saunders brothers. The Great Depression: The 1930s Social History The years of great expansion were quickly brought to an end shortly after the stock market crash in October of 1929. Even the most successful building company during the twenties, the Taylor Building Company, could not keep its business going, closing down in late 1930. Many families lost their homes in the district due to unpaid mortgages and taxes, as was the case with the David H. Peery's house, known as the "Virginia House." Mr. Peery was heavily involved in Ogden politics, business, and real estate, and in 1893 he had the home built at 24th Street and Adams Avenue. Resembling a Victorian castle, at the time the home was one of the largest Ogden City Redevelopment Agency, "Home Court," Block to Block. Sept/Oct 1993, Ogden, Utah. Barry H. Bramwell, My Bramwell Family History. 1985, typed manuscript, Family History Library, Ogden, Utah, p. 36-39. |
