Report on ZCMI Main St. Store Facade, 1877-1968

File — Box: 1, Folder: 1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The captions below come from The Report on ZCMI Main Street Store Facade, compiled by Cannon, Mullen, and Wright Architects on November 2, 1971(see MS 568).

1 : Shows the original building with no buildings on either side. All windows have awnings. Building is capped by a sheet metal cornice, a Renaissance railing and a Baroque rounded, split pediment. The design under the pediment had only one circle, circa 1877.

2 : Shows building essentially as originally built except that third story awnings have been removed. There are still no buildings on either side. A wooden sign appears over the entrance. This was undoubtedly the same wooden sign that was installed over the window of the old Eagle Emporium Building where the first merchandising took place, circa 1879

3 : Shows proposed addition to the South side of the original building, with a new, rounded split Baroque pediment centered over the combined structures. The pediment is lengthened and has three circles with four panels which contain the letters ZCMI. The design of the facade of the addition repeats the design of the original building, circa 1879

4 : Flags flying at half-mast; building draped in black; assumed to be for the President of the United States, James Garfield, who was shot July 2, 1881, and died September 19, 1881. This is the 1880 addition built to the South of the original building. Building is built according to sketch shown in photograph number 3. Entire building facade looks crisp and new. Studebaker Building is now erected to the South of the South addition. No building yet on North. The facade of the South addition actually repeated the design and construction of the original building. It is, therefore, assumed that the designers and the Superintendent of Construction were the same as those for the original (1st increment) building. Chips of paint removed from the cast iron elements show a gold paint layer. It is entirely possible that the entire facade, or parts of it, were painted in gold colored paint. One awning on the third floor is missing, circa 1881.

5 : Shows paint on façade and awning to be in good condition. Building is the same as in photograph number 4. There is still no building to North, circa 1882

6 : Building is the same as in photograph numbers 3-5. A row of trees has been planted and wood tree guards installed. No building has yet been erected to the North. Paint colors on building façade elements have been changed from a single light color to various colors. The facade appears darker, May 20, 1888.

7 : Trees planted in front are larger, and wood tree guards in front of each tree still remain. Painting of various façade elements appears to be the same as in photograph number 6. No buildings have been erected on North side of the original building. Of special interest is the fact that the balustrade railing and 1880 Baroque rounded split pediment have been removed. Awnings are in reasonably good condition, although somewhat faded, Summer 1889.

8 : Building begins to look a little shabby and is not crisp as in earlier photographs. All awnings have been removed. Studebaker sign is now light letters on a dark background. No balustrade railing or split pediment shows. There is no building on the North which fact would date this photograph before 1891, probably Fall of 1890.

9 : The 1891 basement and one story building to the North appears. Also a new and different balustrade railing with a different pediment is shown. This can hardly be called a pediment, but it apparently attempts to recall the two earlier, rounded, split Baroque pediments, circa 1893.

10 : Shows 1st and 2nd increments heavily draped in bunting in celebration of Utah's admission to statehood. The building (3rd increment) shows on the left hand side. Awnings have been replaced. Though covered with bunting, the decorative treatment over the center is apparently the same as shown in photograph number 9. The street has now been paved with brick pavers with a special marking for the crosswalk. The Studebaker sign on the South is gone, 1896.

11 : Shows building as remodeled during 1902 with the 2nd and 3rd stories of the North addition added, the design of which matched the original and 1st increments except that certain of the façade elements were done in stamped sheet metal rather than cast iron. This photograph shows a Classic Greek type triangular pediment centered over the original building. The arrangement of the columns at the first floor level has been changed, thus requiring larger windows. A rhythmic series of small, rounded, arched windows were installed above the lower show windows. Larger ground floor awnings have been installed. The original wood sign is still in evidence, circa 1910.

12 : A canopy with a denticular hanging glass ornamentation appears in this photograph and show windows have been modernized. Color scheme is not too evident and paint on sheet metal facet member is peeling, circa 1935.

13 : Shows building as it appears as of the date of this report [1971]. Show windows have been further modernized and the storm doors added. An irregular hole has been cut through the tympanum of the triangular pediment. The denticular hanging glass ornamentation has been removed, circa 1968.

Dates

Creation: 1877-1968

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.