The Brigham Young Winter Home is a popular tour site in St. George, Utah. The winters in St. George are very mild compared to that of Northern Utah, so many times Brigham and his family would spend the winter here. The Brigham Young home is open all year round for those who may wish to visit.
Brigham Young was born in Vermont, June 1, 1801, and as a young man moved with his family to New York. There he learned the trades of cabinet maker and furniture builder. He also worked as a painter and glazier. He appreciated the skills necessary to build this handsome pioneer home and he loved good furniture. Brigham Young was 69 years old when he spent his first winter in St. George and he came here to enjoy the mild weather and to nurse rheumatism.
The front portion of the house was built by Brigham Young and was completed in time for President Young's fourth winter in the area in 1873 and '74. The fireplace mantle is made of metal over wood and painted to resemble marble and above it is a picture of Brigham Young on his 75th birthday in St. George, June 1, 1876. The woodwork throughout the house is pine taken from the Pine Valley mountains to the north and has been hand grained to look like hardwood. Because the timber from these mountains was usually straight and free of knots, it was used in 1866 to make the original pipes for the famous Salt Lake Tabernacle organ. The parlor was comfortably furnished, but was not intended for entertaining large numbers of people.
The Dining Room was part of the original house which stood on the property when Brigham Young bought it. The ceilings are lower and the feeling is not as spacious as in the newer part of the house. The adobe walls are 12 inches thick, while in the newer section they are 18 inches thick. In the floor you can see some old square nails which were made by one of the earliest nail machines in the Utah Territory at the Cedar City "Iron Works".
Brigham Young once said he believed in working 8 hours, sleeping 8 hours, and spending the other 8 hours of the day in recreation. He enjoyed dancing, he liked good theater, and delighted in entertaining guests at dinner parties, known as "sociables".
The butler's desk doubled as a desk and a linen storage cupboard. Brigham Young had a picture of Joseph and his brother Hyrum Smith, and one of the Salt Lake Temple hanging in this room (see 4th picture) just as it is today. The dishes are part of Brigham Young's own china set with the serving dish monogrammed with B.Y.
We know that a large stove similar to this one was brought to St. George by Brigham Young in 1873. This stove has a reservoir for storing hot water. On top are cast iron muffin trays, a tea kettle, irons, a stewing kettle and a waffle iron. The "dough table" for making bread is particularly interesting, with its pull-out kneading board and a tilt-out flour bin.
The home was lighted with kerosene lamps. It is easy to imagine the cook rising early in the morning, lighting the fire in the stove, and preparing breakfast by the flickering lights of these lamps.
The pantry is located next to the kitchen. Note the "pie safe" with perforated tin panels on its doors to let the air in but keep the bugs out.
This bedroom was probably used by the maid or cook. Brigham Young employed many people to help with household duties, but he never called them "servants". It was his custom to refer to them as "helpers", and in most cases they were included in family activities. If they possessed special skills, such as music, language, or art, they served as teachers for the children.
Brigham Young had little formal education himself, but he placed great emphasis on education for the Latter-Day Saint people. He founded many schools, including Brigham Young University in Provo. BYU was founded in 1875 and is now the largest private university in the United States.
The sewing machine was made by Wheeler and Wilson in about 1860. Laying on the chest is pictured a fine old quilt with a log cabin pattern, and another intricate handmade quilt is used as a counterpane on the bed. The doll is a copy of one which was found in Brigham Young's Salt Lake home. The original was handcarved of black willow wood by Brigham Young for one of his daughters.
This may have been Amelia's room. It is furnished with a large sleigh bed, a style often seen in the Victorian Era. There is also a wardrobe, a dresser with a "wishbone mirror" and a washstand. The bed-cover is hand-crocheted of cotton thread.
Like the parlor and entry hall downstairs, this bedroom was added to the home after it was purchased by Brigham Young. The high ceiling gives the room a spacious feeling and the many beautiful windows keep the room light and airy. The rough glass is still in place in some of the windows.
The furniture in this room is particularly handsome. The massive four-poster bed, the marble top dresser, the wash stand and side table are all excellent examples of the furniture of Brigham Young's time. Also in this room is a "clipper desk", a beautiful chandelier, and a fine old gothic-revival wardrobe which was decorated and grained to resemble hardwood. On the bed is an interesting reversible double-weave coverlet which was made in 1838.
It is easy to imagine callers awaiting their turns to talk with the Church leader here in the upstairs hall. In this parlor is a Mormon couch and also a small organ that is an authentic Brigham Young piece, purchased for this house in about 1872.
The massive chair near the French doors is upholstered with woven horse hair. The stairway again illustrates the skilled workmanship of the pioneer carpenters with its beautifully finished banister, spindles and newel post. All of the elements were made with hand tools and painted to resemble fine hard woods. The round table in the corner was brought across the plains by pioneers. It is hand grained to resemble rosewood.
The doors open onto a verandah along the front of the house. On the morning of Brigham Young's 75th birthday, the local band stood in the street in front of the home to serenade him as a gesture of their affection and respect. He stepped out onto the verandah from this room and very graciously thanked them for their thoughtfulness.
During his visit here in the spring of 1877, President Young told the people that he intended to "die in the harness". Just as he said, he died only a few months later on August 29, 1877 in Salt Lake City, still actively engaged in directing Church affairs to the last. Today, as in his own time, the Mormon people revere Brigham Young as a brilliant and effective leader, a king and loyal friend, and a Prophet of God.