10481 South 1300 West
South Jordan, UT, USA

National Register of Historic Places - Garside-McMullin House

Statement of Significant:

The Garside-McMullin House in South Jordan, Utah, is historically important both because of its architectural style and its association with two locally prominent families, the Garsides and the McMullins, both successful in agriculture. At the time of its construction in 1898, the house's size and distinctive Queen Anne stylistic features dominated the landscape of South Jordan, a farming area just south of Salt Lake City, and served it as a focal point for community attention and pride. The house represents one of three, residences currently documented as significant in this south end of the valley--others are: the George Henry Dansie Farmstead, Draper (National Register), and the Lauritz Smith House, Draper (nominated to the National Register). Aaron Garside, a farmer who proved successful in both mining and livestock ventures, built the house as the architectural showpiece of the south Salt Lake Valley and older residents today recall the impressive elegance of the turreted dwelling and well-kept gardens. In the 1870s and 80s Garside supplemented his farm income by hauling ore at the nearby Bingham Copper Mine and eventually accumulated the capital needed to move into the rapidly expanding sheep industry. The Garside operation in South Jordan had grown to 640 acres in the 1890s and it was at this time that the large frame mansion was completed. Garside's ambitions extended beyond the borders of South Jordan and in the early 20th century he purchased a profitable gravel business in Salt Lake City. In 1907 the Garsides moved to Salt Lake City, selling the house to Albert Orlando McMullin. McMullin was a farmer from near Price, in Carbon County, who had recently taken advantage of soaring land values in the booming coal mining area and sold his property to move to the Salt Lake Valley. The McMullins established themselves on the Garside holdings and quickly assumed a leading role in the affairs of the South Jordan community. Following Albert's death in 1935, the home was sold to one of his sons. Urban Bryner McMullin. Urban McMullin carried on with the family farming business and became well known in the valley for his fine horses. McMullin horse teams were highly valued and used by many industries in the ' area. Urban McMullin was active in local government and served as Bishop of the South Jordan Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In later years (1960-66) the home was used as the South Jordan city offices and in 1977 the home was willed to Urban's son, Dix Holt McMullin.

The Jordan River area of the south Salt Lake Valley was settled by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the fall of 1848. The land that is now South Jordan was originally included in the West Jordan ecclesiastical ward of the LDS church. In 1863, the members in the south section of the ward were organized into the separate South Jordan Branch. The area was primarily agricultural, though copper mining activity could be found at nearby Bingham Canyon.