In the late 19th century this town flourished. The railroad brought salaries and freight. Salaries brought business, and freight a means of commercial trade. Bankers and business entrepreneurs became wealthy. So wealthy that they could have established their estates anywhere they pleased, and enjoyed peaceful solitude. But the wealthy are pragmatic and understand their interdependence; they congregate together to foster relation ships.

Some 100 years later, the homes that once housed Ogden’s original elite families stand along Jefferson Avenue between 25th and 27th Streets. Ogden City recently renovated the street and public utilities and is looking to attract investors to do the same for the district’s historic homes.

The $325,000 project was financed by a federal Community Development Block Grant. Public improvements included replacing sidewalks, installing new crosswalks, exposing historic trolley tracks that ran down that portion of Jefferson Avenue, installing historic-styled street lamps, and performing landscape work. According to Ward Ogden of Neighborhood Development, the goal of the district program is to attract owner-occupants into the neighborhood and encourage private renovation of 16 existing historic homes, hopefully restoring those converted into multiple units back into single family homes.

Jefferson Avenue is a wide, well landscaped residential street lined with mature trees. It was a grand avenue of mansions for the city’s turn-of-the-20th century aristocracy. It is one of the first established neighborhoods that steadily progressed from west to east up the valley bench area. Most of the houses are substantial Victorian homes reflecting the economic backgrounds of their original owners. Some of the other houses are larger bungalow and Four Square styles.

The most recognizable landmark is the Bertha Eccles Community Art Center on the corner of Jefferson and 26th Street. David and Bertha Eccles purchased this massive Victorian structure in 1896. At that time the neighborhood was already occupied by several influential community leaders including Thomas Jordan Spencer and Hiram Spencer, whose historical homes, together with that of Isadore Marks, are the initial focus of the Jefferson Avenue project.

Ogden City currently owns the former home of Thomas Jordan Stevens, who was executive vice-president of Utah Loan and Trust Company, City Commissioner, and one-time Weber County Sheriff. The city plans to renovate the 3,002 square foot Victorian house, or find a buyer who will do the same.

Hiram Spencer was manager of Eccles Lumber Company, president of Ogden Rapid Transit, and vice president of Amalgamated Sugar, all business interests of David Eccles. He served two terms on the city council, and the year the Eccles moved to his neighborhood he began a term as Ogden City mayor.

In 1903, David and Bertha’s son William bought Hiram Spencer’s two- story Victorian home at 2555 Jefferson. During a trip to the Southern United States, Mrs. Eccles became enamored with Colonial Greek Revival styled mansions of that region. As a result, their Victorian styled home was retrofitted with a squared portico surrounding the front facade with large Greek Ionic styled columns. The house is now a 13- unit multi-family apartment complex. The city currently has an option to purchase the house and hopes to interest an owner to convert the building to fewer apartment units--or even back to single family use--remove the portico and rebuild the original porch.

Several executives of Commercial National Bank made Jefferson Avenue their home. The first was Thomas Whalen, who was a member of the Bank’s executive committee and a City Council member. Three vice presidents later joined Mr. Whalen and built their homes in the Jefferson District: Patrick Healy; Abbott R. Heywood, who was also an Ogden City mayor; and Isadore Marks.

The city has an option to purchase the Isadore Marks home at 2547 Jefferson, which is currently a boarding house. They would like to make this house available to an owner wishing to restore the house to single family or convert to a lower density multiple unit, remove a front extension added in 1977 and rebuild the porch and front entry.

After her husband’s death in 1912, Bertha Eccles traveled widely, collecting art along the way for her Jefferson Avenue home. She must have truly loved her home, as she instructed her children to keep it intact and used for educational and cultural purposes.

Bertha Eccles' concern that progress would overcome her home was well founded. As the city grew, the commercial district began to encroach on the Jefferson District. The original residents and their children moved to residences eastward up the valley bench. Some of the larger homes in the Jefferson District were converted into office complexes or apartments. However, many older homes remain, or have been returned to single family use after many years of being subdivided. According to Ward Ogden, half of the 16 historical houses in the district are currently single-family homes occupied by the owners.

Special low interest financing is available to purchase or renovate the grand homes within the Historic Jefferson Avenue District. Design and construction management services are also available. Interested owners, buyers and investors can get information on the program from Ogden City Neighborhood Development by calling (801) 629-8942.

James Bohne - Winter 2003

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