WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)
AUGUSTUS P. HARDY HOME
St. George, Utah
LOCATION
46 West St. George Boulevard (sometime 42 West St. George Blvd.)St. George, UT 84770
Plat A, Block 30, Lot 1 on the old pioneer map of St. George.
37° 6' 36.45" North Latitude, 113° 35' 2.81" West Longitude
2,762 feet MSL
Tax ID# SG-XXX-x-x-x
DESCRIPTION
The house Hardy built for his family had the usual basalt foundation of rocks hauled from the black hill, and double adobe walls. Although the house contained only two rooms downstairs and a half-story upstairs for sleeping quarters, it had some claims to gentility. Dormer windows, very popular in St. George at the time, graced the upstairs, and the lintel over the front door was decorated in a pattern much in vogue in Salt Lake. The rocks used in building the tabernacle were all dressed by hand so naturally they were not all perfect. When the head mason declared them unfit for the Lord's house, they were given to the faithful for their personal use. Sheriff Hardy received some of these stones, called "spalls", using them in the construction of his home. He also built a small rock house for use as a temporary jail next to his home.HISTORY
This home was built by Augustus (Gus) P. Hardy in 1871.Perhaps the most famous, or infamous, moment in Hardy's law-enforcement career came when an accused murderer from Silver Reef was brought to St. George to await trial. Infuriated vigilante miners came that night, broke into the house, overpowered the sheriff and his helpers, took the keys to the jail, and strung the miscreant to a tree a block or so down the street. Sheriff Hardy never got over the fact that a prisoner was taken from him. During this incident, the house was slightly remodeled by a bullet and that bullet hole is still seen in one of its upstairs doors.
Sheriff Hardy's home and jail Ancestor Square are currently used for commercial space.
BIOGRAPHY
Augustus Poore Hardy Click here.PHOTOS
 WCHS-00199 South and east sides of the Augustus Hardy home |
 WCHS-00200 East side of the Augustus Hardy home in recent times |
Other WCHS photos:
WCHS-00198 Photo of the plaque in front of the Augustus Hardy home
WCHS-00558 Jon Bowcutt sketch of the Hardy Home
REFERENCES
Historical Buildings of Washington County (Volume 2), pp. 8-9.Landmark and Historic Sites: City of St. George
First Edition, January 2, 2009, pp. 5-1 through 5-2
Compiled by the St. George Community Development Department
Landmark and Historic Sites: Informational Guide of Historical Sites within the City of St. George
Second Edition, Revised 2011, p. 51
Compiled by the St. George Community Development Department
Landmark & Historic Sites: Informational Guide of Historical Sites within the City of St. George
Third edition, Revised 2015, Page 53
Compiled by the St. George Community Development Department