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Show Heritage of Stone in Willard 293 George Mason built this large Greek Revival home in the 1860. Its eleven rooms make it one of the largest houses in Willard. Utah State Historical Society collections, courtesy of Gardner Barlow. Perhaps this criticism spurred new interest in architectural style, because in 1865 George Mason began to build what was then considered the showplace of Willard. Mason had left Illinois in 1852 for the Salt Lake Valley with an assignment as night guard over the cattle while crossing the plains. He carried mail as a missionary to Independence, Missouri, in 1857 and also hauled provisions to Echo Canyon during the invasion by Johnston's army. He was a prominent dairyman in northern Utah and southern Idaho.12 Echoing Greek Revival tradition, the: large, two-story Mason home was built of blue granite and timber from Willard Canyon. No nails were used in the construction of the original east wing. Larger rocks formed the exterior walls, and smaller rubble rock was used as filler. In 1880 the east wing was built, using the same materials. In all, the house has eleven rooms. There are both front and back stairways as well as upstairs and downstairs verandas on the north and south. The woodwork in the front entry and stairway was "comb painted" to resemble oak wood graining. A large barn was built in 1857 of huge twelve-by-fifteen-inch timber. No nails were used and all joints were mortised and pegged with wood. 12 Forsgren, History of Box Elder, 50. |
