UTAH HISTORIC SITES INVENTORY Name and Address of Site Owner Date William R. Stockdale & Wife April, 1975 2540 Eccles Ave. Architect or Builder Address of Site Eber Piers 2540 Eccles Ogden, Utah Architect or Builder Eber Piers Original Owner Edmund Orson Wattis Original Use Private Home Material Brick Present Use Private Home Year Built 1914 1. Describe the historical significance of the site. Include a discussion of the original and subsequent owners, and dates and events associated with the building and the owners. The original owner Edmund Orson Wattis was born in 1855 at Uintah of pioneer parents. In early boyhood he worked on the first transcon¬tinental railroad through Weber Canyon and together with his father and his brother William was engaged in freighting from Kelton into central Idaho. In March 1879, he married Martha Ann Bybee with whom he had seven children. He became director of the Utah Construction Co. in 1901 and was later President of Six Companies, Inc. Under the guidance of the Wattis brothers, Edmund 0. and William H. the Utah Construction Co. developed into one of the largest contract¬ing firms in the West. The Company constructed hundreds of miles of railroad, including the Western Pacific from Salt Lake City to Oro- ville, Calif., the San Pedro from Salt Lake to the California state line; a 100 mile extension of the Southern Pacific into Mexico and other major projects. Prominent also in western irrigation circles, the Com¬pany, still under the guidance of the two brothers and a third brother, Warren L. Wattis, who died in 1928, directed the Utah Construction Co. in the building of numerous dams. Among them were the Hetch Hetchy , now known as the O'Shaughnessy Dam, which provided culinary water for the city of San Francisco; the American Falls Dam in Idaho; the Dead- wood Dam in Montana and the Guernsey Dam in Wyoming, in addition to the Boulder Dam in Nevada and other numerous major and minor works. While Mr. Wattis' interests took him to distant places, he remained acutely interested in the upbuilding of his own community and advocated the Ogden River project and the building of Pine View Dam. Mr. Wattis was a wonderful father to his children, kind, generous and informative. The children would gather around the fireplace in the upstairs bedroom and listen to his many interesting stories. Four of his daughters were married in the house and garden of the 2540 Eccles home . -2- In 1929 he and his wife Martha observed their golden wedding anni¬versary. Mrs. Wattis remained an active leader in social and civic affairs until her death in January, 1944. She was a life member of the Western Federation of Women's Clubs. For some time she was Vice- President of the Utah Federation and in 1921 she became President, a position she held for two and a half years. She also served as a delegate to the National Federation meeting at Hot Springs, Ark., and to the Western Federation meetings on several occasions. As President of the Utah Federation she attended national meetings at Chautauqua, N. Y., Atlanta, Ga., Los Angeles, Calif., and San Antonio, Tex. and, as national director, she attended meetings in Washington, D. C. and Mexico City, Mexico. For years she was an active member of the Child Culture Club and the Martha Society of Ogden, having served as Presi¬dent of both. She was instrumental in forming the junior societies of both organizations and aided in the purchase of the Martha Society home where many children were cared for. She also was a member of Miriam Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star. She was a member of the Mother Church of C hrist Scientist, Boston, and a charter member of the First Church of Christ Scientist of Ogden. During the World War I years, she especially was active in Red Cross and Community Chest drives and programs and her activities in these organizations continued into the Second World War. Mr. Wattis died in February, 1934 at his home on Eccles Avenue of a heart attack at the age of 78. His wife Martha died in January, 1944 at her home after a long illness. Later in the home was purchased by Henry A. Benning, pro¬ minent sugar industry leader and President of the Amalgamated Sugar Co. H. A. Benning, who was known as "Mr. Sugar", was a native of New York and came west in 1903. From 1936 till his death in 1962 he had lived continously in Ogden. He began his sugar industry career in 1901 with a sugar factory in Lyons, N. Y. Two years later he went to Fort Collins, Colorado as a timekeeper for the Great Western Sugar Co. He was promoted to foreman, assistant foreman and then superintendent of the Holly Sugar Co. in California. Mr. Benning became associated with Amalgamated in 1920 as district manager at Twin Falls, Idaho. He came to Ogden the following year as District Manager and held that post until 1928 when he was appointed General Manager of American Crystal Sugar Co. This company acquired control of Amalgamated, which later was reorganized by Mr. Benning. Under his guidance Amalgamated has grown into one of the largest beet sugar processing companies in the U. S., operating plants at Lewiston, Utah, Preston, Idaho, Twin Falls and Nampa, also in Nyssa, Oregon. Although a successful businessman and industrialist, Mr. Benning was a retiring person who did not relish the public spotlight. The house on Eccles was the first "real" home his rather small family (consisting of Mr. Benning, his wife Edna A Eaton Benning, whom he married in 1908 and one son, Arthur E. Benning) had ever had. 2. Describe the building in terms of its architectural significance. In¬clude a characterization of the style, a description of any unique features it might possess as well as the contribution it makes to the environment. It could be from the description of many materials and patterns -3- a very chaotic home; but quite the contrast. A further compliment to the architect that the overall appearance is one of pleasure, unity, taste. Once again of the early pre-1900 Wrightian period with stucco on the upper quarter of the facades of all elevations; brick below with every fourth course extending in a ribbon; columns on, each cor¬ner coming out appro-imately 4-6 inches. Their caps which are lo¬cated at the top of the brick line below the stucco frieze line. Here is a motif of a green, probably glazed tile, with the typical horizon¬tal bar, center bar below extending down, and a pair of shorter bars extending down on each side of the center. Very nicly proportioned home with what later became known as the Prairie Roof, heavy facia and extending soffit located at window head line; portico on the left side with entrance to the house. On the left side of the house is the garage which is a lot less refined or sophisticated in that it does not contain the columns nor the ribbed courses of brick or green cap details. The facia on the garage is also of a smaller depth. The garage is a distracting feature to the total house, possibly was by another architect. It seems inconceivable that someone would design something as nice as the house and portico and then throw it off bal¬ance and diminish it by putting such a distraction along side of it. The windows on the front portion of the house are also of Wrightian leaded glass described as: a one-to-four in proportion broken into various double lines, having solid leaded units at the intersections of these lines. The home is very pleasant because of the use of brick, its setting, and extremely refined proportions. It has the motif of the extended square bag windows carried around to the side and rear elevations resulting in more than just a facade, but a fully integrated design. Ron Hales, Architect 3 Describe what alterations have been made to the original structure. For example, have there been any additions? Where? When? In what ways has use of the interior space been altered? Has the building been stuccoed or otherwise sheathed? In 1950 the owner H. A. Benning had the 2-car garage torn down and replaced by a 3-car garage and domestic quarters overhead. This addition was built by the Amalgamated's Engineering department after Mr. Bennings' design . Also during the Benning's occupancy a large window was added to the dining room "which gave added and needed light". In addition one of the 2 upstairs bedrooms was modernized. Describe the physical condition of the site at the present time. Very good. What are the future plans for the site? Family dwelling - 3- Sources used in compiling the history. (Persons interviewed, books, diaries, family histories, newspapers, etc.,) Weber County Deed Indes Permit to. connect with public sewer Letter written by Edna Wattis Dumke Fister (daughter of E. 0. Wattis Obituary of E . 0 . Wattis Obituary of Martha A. B. Wattis Burial plot certif. Letter written by A. E. Beening (Son of H. A. Beening) Obituary of H. A. Benning Permit to connect with public sewer for addition Abstract Person compiling form: Name: Erika M. Martin Address 1367 29th Street Ogden, Utah 84403 Telephone: 393-5963 Return to: Preservation Planning Office Utah Historical Society 603 E. South Temple Salt Lake City , Utah 84102