Jul 12, 1984
National Register of Historic Places - Gibbs-Thomas House
Statement of Significant: The Gibbs-Thomas House, built in 1895 for Gideon A. and Margaret T. Gibbs, is both historically and architecturally significant. Bought by the Thomas family in 1909, the house is the only residence associated with Elbert D. Thomas, who, as a U.S. Senator for Utah from 1932 to 1950, served several notable diplomatic and military positions. He served as chairman of the senate committees of education and labor, and, because he had resided in Japan and was familiar with the language and culture, he chaired the military affairs and foreign relations committees during WWII. Following his years as senator he was appointed to be High Commissioner of the United States Trust Territories of the Pacific by President Harry Truman. Architecturally the house Is significant as one of approximately a dozen documented extant examples of the residential design of Richard K. A. Kletting. Because Kletting is best known for his design of the Utah State Capitol, and more commonly remembered for commercial buildings such as the Deseret News Building, for institutions and schools, and for the Saltair Pavilion, he is not generally considered to have made a major contribution to Salt Lake City residential design. However, Kletting actually began his private practice primarily designing houses, and in the 1890s and early years of the twentieth century designed a number of significant monumental houses for prominent citizens in Salt Lake City. The Enos Wall Mansion, 411 East South Temple, and the Henry Dinwoodey House, 411 East 100 South, are two notable examples. The Gibbs-Thomas House is one of the more restrained examples of the large two- and one-half story mansions which Kletting designed. On June 24, 1895 Gideon A. and Margaret Taylor Gibbs received a building permit for a "brick residence 9 rooms, etc." on North West Temple in Salt Lake City. Gibbs, a pioneer Utah civil engineer and surveyor had married a daughter of John Taylor, third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Taylor's gif t of $3,800 to the couple covered the house's estimated cost of construction. The Gibbses commissioned Salt Lake City architect Richard K. A. Kletting to draw up plans for their house. Kletting was Utah's most prominent architect from the late 1880s until about 1910, having designed the State Capitol, the Deseret News Building, the first Saltair Beach pavilion, and many other buildings. Residential architecture was but one facet of Kletting's output, and the Gibbs-Thoraas House survives as one of 9 to 12 documented extant. examples of houses that he designed for prominent citizens in Salt Lake City and Provo. The Gibbses may have been familiar with Kletting's work for other socially prominent individuals such as Albert Fisher and Henry Dinwoodey, and may have wanted an equally elegant house in the fashionable neighborhood one block north of Temple Square.
National Register of Historic Places - Gibbs-Thomas House
Statement of Significant: The Gibbs-Thomas House, built in 1895 for Gideon A. and Margaret T. Gibbs, is both historically and architecturally significant. Bought by the Thomas family in 1909, the house is the only residence associated with Elbert D. Thomas, who, as a U.S. Senator for Utah from 1932 to 1950, served several notable diplomatic and military positions. He served as chairman of the senate committees of education and labor, and, because he had resided in Japan and was familiar with the language and culture, he chaired the military affairs and foreign relations committees during WWII. Following his years as senator he was appointed to be High Commissioner of the United States Trust Territories of the Pacific by President Harry Truman. Architecturally the house Is significant as one of approximately a dozen documented extant examples of the residential design of Richard K. A. Kletting. Because Kletting is best known for his design of the Utah State Capitol, and more commonly remembered for commercial buildings such as the Deseret News Building, for institutions and schools, and for the Saltair Pavilion, he is not generally considered to have made a major contribution to Salt Lake City residential design. However, Kletting actually began his private practice primarily designing houses, and in the 1890s and early years of the twentieth century designed a number of significant monumental houses for prominent citizens in Salt Lake City. The Enos Wall Mansion, 411 East South Temple, and the Henry Dinwoodey House, 411 East 100 South, are two notable examples. The Gibbs-Thomas House is one of the more restrained examples of the large two- and one-half story mansions which Kletting designed. On June 24, 1895 Gideon A. and Margaret Taylor Gibbs received a building permit for a "brick residence 9 rooms, etc." on North West Temple in Salt Lake City. Gibbs, a pioneer Utah civil engineer and surveyor had married a daughter of John Taylor, third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Taylor's gif t of $3,800 to the couple covered the house's estimated cost of construction. The Gibbses commissioned Salt Lake City architect Richard K. A. Kletting to draw up plans for their house. Kletting was Utah's most prominent architect from the late 1880s until about 1910, having designed the State Capitol, the Deseret News Building, the first Saltair Beach pavilion, and many other buildings. Residential architecture was but one facet of Kletting's output, and the Gibbs-Thoraas House survives as one of 9 to 12 documented extant. examples of houses that he designed for prominent citizens in Salt Lake City and Provo. The Gibbses may have been familiar with Kletting's work for other socially prominent individuals such as Albert Fisher and Henry Dinwoodey, and may have wanted an equally elegant house in the fashionable neighborhood one block north of Temple Square.
Jul 12, 1984
Posted Date
Jun 23, 2023
Historical Record Date
Jul 12, 1984
Source Name
National Register of Historic Places
