Historic Townsite Buildings
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This is the best preserved building on the
Townsite. It is made of approximately 8,500 red adobe bricks, with walls of four layers, so it is sturdy and strong. The foundation is set on a black lava rock base. The building is a rectangular building with a very high ceiling and is in the “Greek Revival” shape.
The gable end faces the road and the large front porch has Greek columns holding up the roof of the porch which adds beauty and charm to the building. On the back of the main building is a small two storied addition which served as a vestry downstairs and a nursery upstairs. The large main chapel room has tall dignified windows and doors surrounded with elaborate wood frames. There has always been a stove in the center of the room.
When the building was no longer needed for church services because a larger modern building had been constructed down in the valley, it was leased to the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers for a museum. Family pictures were donated, as well as many interesting artifacts which are all on display. This museum is considered to be one of the best in the western United States. It draws visitors from almost every nation in the world and every state in the union. The original pump organ remains the center piece of the Meetinghouse. Visitors are encouraged to play it and enjoy the resonance of sounds from another time.
The building has a sweet, loving feeling about it, which visitors often remark about. It seems to say, like our grandparents of old, “Come back and visit again sometime soon.”
The original Amusement Hall building was erected in 1895. Dances, plays, weddings and receptions, bazaars and other social life of the community were enjoyed in this beautiful cultural hall. Christmas Eve parties were especially joyous. A large Christmas trees was decorated. It usually stood in the center of the hall and the dancers danced merrily around the tree.
Built much like the meetinghouse, it is a simple rectangular brick structure with the front gable facing the street. Its large room boasted a hard wood dance floor with stage at the west end. The room was lined with benches and coat hooks adorned the wall. A large pot bellied stove sat in the northwest corner of the main floor.
The years took their toll on the Amusement Hall reducing it to a pile of rubble. It was lovingly reconstructed under the supervision of Clyde Knight and Herb Corder. Blueprints were made from a picture of the building by counting the bricks and estimating the dimensions, window details, etc. The brick exterior was rebuilt from original Chesterfield brick salvaged from the old Toponce school house. Labor was done primarily by volunteers and youth groups who came and donated their efforts in behalf of the Chesterfield Foundation.
The new building is now being used for dances, reunions and other gatherings such as the Memorial Day festivities. Exquisite hand made quilts now adorn the interior of the Amusement hall. Not only do the beautiful quilts add a variety of color and valley history, they also improved the acoustics of the large open room.
1902 First Brick School (original rock walls)
In 2005, the Chesterfield Foundation formed a liaison with the Idaho State
University Anthropology department and the ISU History department. In
July, the Anthropology department did an archeological dig around the 1902
brick school site. The original rock walls were completely uncovered.
It is the
Chesterfield Foundation’s goal to restore the original 1902 school to its
former grandeur. Blueprints have been made from a picture of the old
building, counting the bricks, and estimating the dimensions, window
details, etc.
The school is located directly east of the Meetinghouse. It will serve to complete the complement of original community buildings which make up the heart of Historic Chesterfield, an 1880’s Mormon pioneer town along the old Oregon Trail in Southeast Idaho.
Following the restoration of the main structure, the interior will house a visitor information, orientation and learning center allowing young and old alike to experience hands on, interactive displays of early western American life on the frontier as well as research primary and secondary sources in pioneer history. Chesterfield family histories will be available to peruse as well as information about the history of the town of Chesterfield and the surrounding Portneuf Valley. A baseball diamond which was located southeast of the school house will also be rebuilt and will once again ring with the voices of youth as they play ball and cheer on their teammates. We hope someday soon you will be able to join us for a tour and a game!
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- The log store was built about 1897 by Nathan Barlow and his father-in-law Judson Tolman and was used until 1903 when Nathan and Judson built the brick store just up the street. This store has also been used as an ice cream and confectionary store, a cheese factory, a bunk house for hired hands, and a home for several families who occupied it at different times.
Today, the log store is a favorite stop on the tour of Chesterfield. It is furnished as a working store of the period and various items are available for purchase. Care is taken to make sure confectionaries sold in the store are ones which were marketed prior to 1915.
Books by local authors are available including “A Ram in the Thicket”, a story by Frank C. Robertson about growing up in Chesterfield. Souvenirs, pioneer toys, postcards and note cards, handmade soap and raw honey gathered from beehives around Chesterfield are also for sale. Jars of homemade chokecherry jelly and serviceberry jelly are among other products available. Ice cold old-fashioned sodas are a welcome way to “wet your whistle”.
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- The Nathan Barlow home is located in close proximity to the Log Store and served as the family home for the store owner’s family. The house was located on the southwest corner of the block. An irrigation ditch ran back of the house and in front of the old Log Store and ice house. Near the house, water was drawn from a well in a wooden oak bucket. For refrigeration, things needing to be cooled were hung down the well. On a small footbridge near the well, the willow-lined ditch was crossed to go to the store, the vegetable cellar, the wood-pile, the stable, and to the privy. This latter structure in Chesterfield was more often than not called a "backhouse" or "outhouse."
- As told by the oldest son Nathan James Barlow, "This four-room house was built of brick molded and burned in Chesterfield. It must have seemed quite ample to father and mother when it was constructed. It had a kitchen with a small alcove to the entrance of the fruit cellar. Another room Mother called "the front room," but in reality it was a living room where much of the action of home living took place. The room, which was originally Father's and Mother's bedroom, was preempted by us boys, making it necessary for the rest of the family to sleep in the larger room which had been the parlor. The organ was moved from the parlor to the living room making room for more bed space.
- The house must have been crowded by October 1908 when our family moved away from Chesterfield. By then, there was two adults and nine children. Mother must have been quite skilled in programming the use of the rooms, especially the kitchen. The large tin tub and hot water for bathing on Saturday, which was the day for the weekly bath, had to be carefully scheduled. The kitchen was also in great demand for cooking and preparing food for Sunday as well as last-minutes washing and mending. It took a great deal of cooperation and coordination to make family life move smoothly in these close quarters with nine children. These qualities mother had in abundance. She She never seemed confused nor upset, but always cool and patient."
The brick store is the newest store on the Townsite, dating from 1903. It was built by Judson Tolman and his son-in law, Nathan Barlow. Over the years it had several owners including I. Homer Smith and Joe Holbrook. It is a large building and served as the general mercantile, post office and gathering place for folks in Chesterfield. Merchandise was displayed from floor to ceiling.
Restoration work is done on the interior of the brick store. The walls and ceiling have been cleaned and resurfaced. Shelves and cabinets have been repainted and installed. A lovely and unique glass display front ‘bean cabinet’ and counter has been completely and beautifully rebuilt and refinished.
The restoration of the Tithing Office was a major undertaking for the Chesterfield Foundation. The building was literally falling down. It was held together for about 15 years with braces and wire cables. There were large cracks in the walls and a large hole in the south front corner. The wall had moved away from the floor. Many people thought it was hopeless and the only way it could be saved would be to take it down brick by brick and rebuild it.
In 1994 Clyde Knight of Shelton, Washington visited Chesterfield. He was in the construction trade and took a great interest in saving this beautiful little building. Clyde presented an inspired plan of how to straighten the building and strengthen the foundation, restoring the tithing house to its original condition. The restoration took two summers with the help of many faithful workers donating their time.
This is reported to be the last remaining original brick tithing office of the LDS Church which stands today. It has a “Greek Revival” style, with steep roof, gracefully turning at the corners. The gable end faces the street. It has tall and dignified doors and windows with curved tops trimmed with light brick. Inside there are two small rooms with high ceilings and beautiful woodwork, including wainscot, fine window trim and door frames. The larger of the two rooms often held High Council meetings and other smaller meetings. Since Chesterfield was never incorporated or made into an official village, the local religious leaders also served as the community government. Consequently, meetings called to discuss community events or decisions were also held in this room.
The small back room was the Bishop’s office where tithing records were kept. Some of these original records can be seen through plate glass covering the top of the desk. On the walls of the building are photos showing how the restoration of the building was accomplished.
The tithing office, granary and pasture was an important economic feature of Chesterfield. Faithful members paid 10 percent of their increase (or “tithing”) to the Church. Few could pay in cash so most was paid “in kind”. Milk, eggs, meat, fruit, vegetables, butter, etc., as well as hay and grain were donated and delivered to the Bishop at the Tithing House. These donations were stored in the Tithing Granary and were used to help feed the poor and the widows of the area.
This building is solid wood, made of one and one/half by five inch boards laid on top of each other, covered with ship-lap siding. There is a high stone foundation which surrounds a cool basement storeroom for perishable and fresh items. The inside is divided into four sections. Three main bins are set aside for grain. Each has a section where chutes from each bin could be opened to fill a sack with grain.
There is a large rocked lined pit in front of the basement entrance to the granary. This is where scales were located for weighing grain and hay. This is the only granary that we know of that is located in conjunction with an original tithing office. The lot between the Tithing House and Tithing Granary was a corral to hold animals, such as horses, cows and sheep which were donated as tithing.
Built for Judson Tolman, his wife Mary Ann Howard and their family in 1896, this home is a two story “L” shape with a front porch joining the two structures. The tall windows and exterior woodwork is the best in Chesterfield. It is best known for its balcony with lattice work above the double front parlor windows and off of the master bedroom.
It was also renowned for the intricate picket fence that surrounded the home, and has been replaced for our enjoyment. The woodwork inside is hand painted with a wood grained design. The center medallion on the living room ceiling is a stencil painting, as is the border around the top of the room and above the chair rail. All of the stenciling detail was found under twelve layers of paint and wallpaper. This is a very elegant home, outside as well as inside.
The Loveland/Simons house, just to the north of the Denmark Jensen home, is currently being restored. Many family members are working on the yard and outside of the home, having put new shingles on it recently.
More work will be done on its interior as workers are recruited. During the summer of 2005, the foundation was redone as an Eagle Scout project. New framing for the outside corners and around the doors was also done.
This unique "saltbox" cabin was built in 1884 by Denmark and Lucina Jensen. Most homes became a "saltbox" style home by first building a rectangular home, then adding a lean-to on it later. This home is unique in that it was designed with the lean-to from the beginning, rather than an add-on. Restoration projects on this home have included a restored foundation, a new floor, deteriorating logs replaced, windows and doors replaced and painted and the outside re-chinked. Almost all restoration work on this cabin has been done by descendants of Denmark and Lucina Jensen.
The interior of the cabin has now been completed with all the walls being white-washed, as they were originally. Furnishing the cabin is well underway with antique furniture donated by Jensen descendants, including heirloom lace curtains. In 2004, the root cellar was rebuilt as an Eagle project a third great grandson of Denmark and Lucina. A new porch was rebuilt in 2005 on the east side of the cabin offering a place for visitors to exchange stories in the afternoon shade.
This home housed many young married couples after the original Perkins family moved elsewhere, hence it is known as the honeymoon house. The rule was that any newly married couple could make this home theirs, free of charge until their first child was born or until another newly married couple from Chesterfield moved them out.
The record number of any one couple living here was five years.
The house is built in classic cabin style with doors and windows on each side and beautiful double windows at the ends which make the small interior seem light and spacious. It has an upstairs loft with ladder stairs going up one end of the home.
This two room cabin has a pantry and a curtain-closed closet, making use of every inch of space. The interior woodwork is elaborate for such a humble house and is indicative of the care taken to make this one of the loveliest cabins in Chesterfield.
This was the last
brick home built in Chesterfield. It was designed by Charles Higginson
for his wife Charlotte Muir Higginson in 1903. The design is similar to some
of the beautiful city mansions of the early 19th century. Charlotte planned
for this to be the loveliest home in the community with it’s tower, toothed
course brick trim, stained glass front windows, electric lights (when they
were made available), running water and a real sink and bath tub. There was
even a plan for an upstairs bathroom, which was never completed.
A house in those days which had a closet would be assessed taxes on an additional room. When Charles and Charlotte drew up their house plans they included a bay window in their downstairs bedroom that would have windows on the center section only. The east side was made into a four foot by four foot closet. By hanging drapery material rather than a door, they were able to avoid the tax, yet have the luxury of a closet.
The upstairs of this home has a well lighted nursery and two bedrooms, one for the girls and one for the boys. Another room was intended for the never finished bathroom. There is a hole cut in the floor boards of the girls' bedroom upstairs to the living room downstairs, which allows warm air to escape upwards and warm the rooms above. The yard was nicely landscaped and included a large garden which provided the family and guests with plenty of fresh vegetables.
This home is particularly interesting because of its connection with a distinctive aspect of Mormon family life of the 1880's. Two polygamous families shared the one roof shelter for a short time while the husband was on a mission for the LDS church. Two rooms comprise the original building. As the family grew the parlor and lean-to were added.
The kitchen cupboard made by Ira Call was made with square nails. The glass in it is wavy, indicating it is old leaded glass. Many panes even have a green tint to them, also indicating their age.
The main bedroom is in the original part of the house, just off the kitchen. It is where eight of Jane’s (Ira’s first wife) 12 children were born assisted by Ruth Davids, one of several mid-wives of the area.
This home has been restored and furnished by many of Ira’s descendents. The have come during the summer months to shore up the foundation, replace the roof and refurbish the walls, ceilings and floors. They take great pride in their grandfather’s home on the Chesterfield townsite.
Nephi Moss House
The Nephi Moss home was built circa 1895. It is one of the best examples of a "Hall and Parlor" cabin of unique slab construction. It is a solid impressive structure, one and a half stories tall, built on a stone foundation. It is constructed of heavy wood slabs, roughly four inches by ten inches, set next to each other vertically with the cracks between them sealed on the exterior walls by a smaller vertical wood batten strip.
This small farm house was originally located on the hillside overlooking the Portneuf Valley. It was built by Nephi Moss and his wife Rhoda who together homesteaded the original acreage on which it was built. They had several children all of whom have now passed away. The family moved from the site in the first decade of the twentieth century. They left the home to the new owners of the grain farm who in subsequent years let it stand in the center of the field where it was subject to deterioration.
The Moss family members are grateful that it was not destroyed and they owe a debt of gratitude to the property owners for giving the building and the stone foundation to the Chesterfield Foundation and allowing it to be moved to the present location on the Townsite. Restoration of the cabin is ongoing.
Adrian Ruger Dugout (Remains)
The remains of the Ruger Dugout can be seen in this photo. It was one of the first dwellings in the Chesterfield area. Adrian Ruger had been a professor in Switzerland, but he was forced to live a much more humble life when he and his family arrived in Chesterfield.
The dugout was constructed by digging into the hillside and then finishing the front and roof of the home with timbers and sod. Winters are cold in the Portneuf Valley and although this was a simple home of dirt, it may have provided better insulation than many of the drafty un-insulated cabins of their neighbors. Plans are under way to reconstruct the dugout.
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We have no history on the Flueitt Simons Cabin prior to 1919. About this time Flueitt & Inez (Waddell) Simons moved into this cabin with three children. Three more children were born there.
In December 1927 the Flueitt Simons family moved to McCammon, Idaho. The property was then acquired by Christian Call. At some point the cabin was subsequently used as a cow-barn by John & Una Call, who were in the employee of Christian Call.
Restoration has been completed on this cabin. It has been squared, stabilized, re-shingled and several of the rotten logs have been replaced. Windows, doors & the interior were all restored in 2009. This cabin is now on our regular tours.
The Martha Reese/Bower home has been both restored and renovated. It serves as a house for volunteers who come for extended periods to aid the restoration efforts at the Chesterfield Townsite.