Brigham Young Winter Home
Brigham Young Winter Home, located in St. George, Utah is an important piece of history for the Mormon religion. This historic home was the winter residence of Brigham Young for several years in the late 1800s. Brigham Young was a leader and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 to 1877. During that time he made St. George his winter home and oversaw the expansion of settlements in southern Utah.
The city of St. George was founded by Mormons as a refuge from religious persecution, with Brigham Young as its first governor in 1861. The two-story sandstone house was built during this time and served as his official residence until he died in 1877 at age 76.
The city of St. George, Utah has a long and rich history. Established in 1861 by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the city was originally named after the apostle George A. Smith. Early pioneers of the area experienced a harsh climate, with temperatures routinely reaching over 100 degrees in summer months and dropping below freezing during winter months. Despite this difficult climate, early settlers were able to carve out a successful community through hard work and innovation.
In 1863, Brigham Young visited southern Utah for the first time and directed LDS church members to colonize St. George as part of his larger plan to develop areas with potential for farming and industry growth throughout Utah’s Dixie region. After his visit, Young began building homes in St. George.
Built-in the late 19th century, the Brigham Young Winter Home in St. George, Utah is a historic site that has been preserved and maintained as a testament to the former leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The home offers visitors an opportunity to experience life as it was during this period, with its original furniture and artifacts still intact.
The construction of this two-story stone house began in 1869 and took three years to complete. It was built by brick mason and stonemason Andrew Jackson Stewart under the direction of Brigham Young himself; who owned several other properties throughout Utah at that time. The home was originally made up of three rooms on each side, a central kitchen and dining area as well as a grand entrance hall with an impressive staircase leading up to the second-floor bedrooms.
For centuries, the home has been a place of refuge and comfort for its inhabitants. Throughout history, homes have also served as a symbol of status, style, and wealth. In St. George Utah, one such home stands out from the rest – the Brigham Young Winter Home.
This historic structure was built in 1871 by Latter-day Saint church leader Brigham Young and his family. Designed in typical Greek Revival fashion with large columns at its entrance, this two-story brick building is one of the oldest surviving structures in St. George Utah’s old downtown district. The home was used by Brigham Young himself until 1880 when it passed on to his son David John Young who then lived there with his family until 1917 when it eventually became a museum dedicated to honoring Brigham Young’s legacy as well as displaying artifacts related to early Mormon settlement in Southern Utah.