| OCR Text |
Show 8. Statement of Significance o Certifying official has considered the significance of this property in relation to other properties: nationally statewide locally W 0 Applicable National Register Criteria 0 A 0 B ~ cOO Criteria Considerations (Exceptions) 0 A 0 B 0 cOO 0 Areas of Significance (enter categories from instructions) Architecture E 0 FOG Period of Significance Significant Dates 1900 Cultural Affiliation Significant Person Architect/Builder Unknown State significance of property, and justify criteria, criteria considerations, and areas and periods of significance noted above. Moses Johnson and Anne Kearns Johnson bought the ground and began construction of their hotel at a time when Utah was adapting to statehood, moving away from ecclesiastical domination and toward a more recognizable secular world. Ecclesiastical leaders, traveling from town to town, would usually stay with local church leaders. The development of small town hotels, can be seen as a significant attempt to accomodate the secularization of Utah. The 1891 Springville directory lists 3 hotels (the Boyer House, the Crandall House and the Harrision House). The Kearns Hotel would be a major addition, and meets the criteria on the basis of its architectural merit and the way that it fits into the broader history of the region. The original owner of the site (by mayor's deed, 1870) was Mary Williamson Snelson, widow of Thomas Snelson. She sold the property (1890) a year and a half before her death, to her grandson William Henry Kearns. William sold it the following year to local businessman and contractor Henry Taylor Reynold: H.T. Reynolds Company had a lumber yard and general store on the same block and to-the east. Henry Reynolds sold the ground the following year (April 14, 1893) to Moses Johnson. Moses Johnson was the youngest surviving son of Springville pioneer, Bishop and postmaster Aaron Johnson, and his third wife Jane Scott. Moses was born in Springville in 1860 and married Anna Kearns (who was a half sister of William Henry Kearns' father. The Johnsons began construction of the hotel before 1898, and probably complet, ~,s;::~.Y'-1~,...,....3-~~ ....--..--~ ...... -------------.,. ~..r.:. .... " ..... ..:I--b....c:a. ---.....~ .....oC\....1~..;a,o'" ~,,~.::a.. • .....-...:I=..3-O....ll...ll ~.... ., ..7~"'"Q, ~~""-a. __ ---c:t.-::L.-",..----e.~ ...~ .:o: __ __ '-~~:::L.___.a.,,;:, ~ .I.!:-'=...D.J:l ~~......-__ ~-v "'"l~-""~__cl~. _-= """'1""1 . m "1. Reynolds & Company also files a notice of lien against the property in August of 1900 for the non-payment of a $263.62 bill for building materials. The building was completed by the end of 1900 and appears in Don C. Johnson's history of Springville (Don C was Moses' elaest full brother). The photo caption indicates that Anna ran the hotel. Moses is listed in 1891 as a teacher of elocution. [i] See continuation sheet |
