Learn more about your community with walking tour app
Jun 04, 2021 12:17PM ● By Linda Petersen
The Young Men’s Hall was constructed for the purpose of a Young Men’s Hall for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was later converted into a residential dwelling in 1920.
CENTERVILLE—As residents are getting out and about more, some may be interested in trying some alternatives to their normal walking routes. Centerville, which was originally settled in 1848, includes many historic homes and buildings. The most recent Centerville Deuel Creek Historic District was established in July 2016 to preserve the integrity and characteristics of the original townsite, while educating the community concerning Centerville’s past.
Information about several walking tours developed by the city’s Landmarks Commission is available on the city’s website at https://www.centervilleutah.gov/203/
The page features an interactive map of nationally registered historic buildings and local significant sites laid out in 13 different walking tours. The tours cover 24 homes and structures listed national registry. There is also a downloadable walking tour brochure (2013) which includes a map, kids’ activities and timeline of historic events.
One such structure is the Young Men’s Hall at 85 South 300 East which was constructed as a Young Men’s Hall for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as in 1872. In 1920 it was converted into a residence and an addition was constructed in the 1930s.
Another building of note is the Nathan T. & Anna Porter House at 224 South 210 West. Significant because it represents a trend in the development of Centerville as an agricultural village closely linked to the urban center of Salt Lake City. It’s architecture is an example of an Arts and Crafts-style bungalow.
Those who prefer a more strenuous activity might want to look into “Tales, Trails and Sites of the Centerville Mountains” by Royce Allen a local historian (available on Amazon). In the past, Allen has led interested residents on city-sponsored historic hikes in the Centerville hills.
Residents looking for an armchair tour will find photos and information about many of the historic homes of the city on the webpage. They might also enjoy another book by Allen, “Centreville Rising: An Historical Novel of the First Pioneer Settlers to Centreville, Utah” (2012) (available at EBorn Books).
On the webpage, there are also links for Utah Heritage Walks downloadable apps for android and IOS phones.
