WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)
HEINRICH GUBLER HOME
aka William F. Butler Home
St. George, Utah
LOCATION
162 South 300 WestSt. George, UT 84770-3325
Plat A, Block 8, Lot 8 on the old pioneer map of St. George. On that map, the lot has no name on it (just north of the William F. Butler lot).
37° 6' xx.xx" North Latitude, 113° 35' xx.xx" West Longitude
2,xxx feet MSL
Tax ID# SG-XXX-x-x-x
DESCRIPTION
This house was constructed of adobe, as were almost all the early dwellings. The symmetrical facade and asymmetrical room layout with a larger hall and smaller best room, or parlor, are typical of the hall-parlor type houses considered the quintessential Utah house during the second half of the nineteenth century. There was a central staircase leading upstairs from the front door in the larger north room, but this was removed sometime before 1978.Mark & Barbara Greene started a major restoration in 1978. The plainness of the early construction was enhanced by the addition of the porches. Pioneer-era orchards, gardens, and outbuildings gave way to a circular gravel drive extending around to the back of the house where there is a swimming pool and the "new" (in 1978) carriage house built in a style to complement the original adobe house.
In order to expand and update the house without compromising its historical look, the Greenes added a two-story addition to the back. The rooms added on the ground floor include a bathroom, kitchen/great room, and dining room. Instead of restoring the original staircase, they retained the original rooms as they found them, and built a staircase to the upper floor in the rear addition. The original parlor was made into a bedroom. Additional bedrooms and bathrooms were added in the new upper floor.
HISTORY
Depending on which source you consult, this house was built in the 1860s by William F. Butler, the original owner of the lot, or in the 1870s by Heinrich Gubler, who owned a lot across the street (Second South) south of the Butler House, but never appears as an owner of record for this lot. Yet another source says Heinrich's brother Joseph built the house.It remains on its original 132-foot-wide by 264-foot-deep lot which extends to the center of the block.
Haden W. Church, Jr. bought the property in 1875.
Thomas Webb bought the property in 1877 and lived there for about 25 years.
After his death, the estate of Thomas Webb sold the property to Arthur & Samuel Webb in 1902.
In 1905, the property was sold to (Mrs?) George B. Whitney.
In 1928 (or maybe 1930) the property was sold to Edward & Mary Proctor Schmutz.
The St. George Building Society acquired the property in 1932.
The property was sold to William Le Gene (or LaGene) & Alberta H. Morris in 1952.
William O. Bentley bought the property in 1959.
Then in 1964, the Reber Investment Corporation acquired the property.
It was sold to Myrle R. Sommerfrucht in 1976.
Mark & Barbara Greene (the Greene Family Partnership) purchased and started restoring this pioneer home in 1978. They used it as a family retreat and as a reception center. Later, they converted it to a vacation rental, which is its current use.
The house is now owned by Greene's nephew, Lovinia Harmsen's son Steve Harmsen.
Owners:
18?? William F. Butler (original owner)
1875 Haden W. Church, Jr.
1877 Thomas Webb
1902 Arthur & Samuel Webb
1905 (Mrs?) George B. Whitney
1928 (or 1930) Edward & Mary Proctor Schmutz
1932 St. George Building Society
1952 William Le Gene (or LaGene) & Alberta H. Morris
1959 William O. Bentley
1964 Reber Investment Corporation
1976 Myrle R. Sommerfrucht
1976 Greene Family Partnership
1996 Mark H. & Barbara J. Greene
1996 Greene Family Company, L.C.
2008 Steve Harmsen / Dalton Hydro LLC (present owner)
BIOGRAPHY
William Franklin Butler click hereHeinrich Gubler was one of the men chosen by Brigham Young to help colonize southern Utah. He was listed as Henry Gubler on the Pioneer Plat.
Dr. Mark Greene and his wife Barbara were also involved in the rehabilitation of the Arthur Miles House and the creation of Green Gate Village. Dr. Greene's sister, Lovinia Harmsen, did the rehabilitation of the William F. Butler Home. Dr. Greene was president of the Washington County Historical Society in 1991 and 1992.
PHOTOS
August 1968 photograph by P. Kent Fairbanks
WCHS-01021 Photograph from around 1978 or a little after
REFERENCES
Landmark and Historic Sites: City of St. GeorgeFirst Edition, January 2, 2009, pp. 15-1 through 15-2
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, pp. 13-14
Compiled by the St. George Community Development Department Library of Congress, Historic American Buildings Survey, 162 South 300 West
Call Number: HABS UTAH,27-SAGEO,15-
Survey Number: HABS UT-81