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Providence's Old Rock Church needs protection, owner
says
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By Shauna Leavitt
February 8, 2005 | PROVIDENCE
-- In the heart of town, on the corner of Center
and Main stands the oldest inhabitable building
in Providence, known as the Old Rock Church. The
building stands as a reminder of the settlers
who arrived over 130 years ago before Utah was
a state.
Construction began in 1869
and finished in 1871. Different crews of European
settlers helped with the placing of the outside
stones. Owner Karl Seethaler said, "As you walk
around the outside of the building you can see
where different crews were working by the different
patterns in the walls." |
GATHERING TIME:
This photo of the Old Rock
Church
was taken before the west extension was built
in 1926. |
The extension containing offices and classrooms was
added in 1926. For 97 years, the building was used as
a house of worship for the LDS Church members. It was
also utilized as a community center where the people
of Providence would gather for dances, plays and other
social events.
Lucille Campbell, who attended the Old Rock Church
said, "The building was heated during the cold Cache
Valley winters by two pot-bellied stoves, one on the
north and one on the south, and a small furnace with
a grill over it by the south entrance going into the
main building that was stoked by a Brother Henry Beard,
the custodian, with wood and coal, making walls and
benches black with dirty coal fuel. We girls would stand
over it and let our skirts blow up to get warm."
In 1968, the LDS Church sold the building. Between
1968 and 1993 there were two different owners. Each
of the owners made renovations and improvements to the
building such as building a cascade staircase in the
chapel, converting the old coal burning boiler into
a gas burner, converting the attic into rooms, adding
an elevator, a large kitchen and two fireplaces.
The Old Rock Church brochure says, "[A lot of love
and care was put into the building] for example, the
poured glass windows of the chapel were imported from
Germany to replace the definitely non-original and non-historical
aluminum windows put in when the originals rotted out."
In 1993, Seethaler purchased the building to ensure
its preservation and to find a purpose for it that would
not require gutting the historical interior. It is now
the home of the Providence
Inn Bed and Breakfast.
It offers 15 unique rooms with names and themes such
as New Orleans, Monet Room and Mountain Stream. Each
room is filled with colors, decorations and furniture
to match its theme.
Elizabeth Rogers, an interior designer from Utah State
University, was asked to recreate the designs on the
inside of the building. As you walk throughout the interior
of the building it is evident extensive effort and planning
went into its design and décor.
Seethaler said, "The majority of our customers are
couples who want to find a romantic getaway or business
travelers who want a peaceful place to stay."
Seethaler is now taking steps to protect the Old Rock
Church. He fears if the building is not designated as
a protected historical building it will not survive.
Seethaler said, "the first step is to find a steering
committee to lead us through the process."
Seethaler said, "It could be used as a museum or community
center. It has always been a people place and it should
continue being used by the people." The efforts of citizens
concerned about the preservation of the Old Rock Church
will have the strongest influence on its future.
FUNKY ROCK MIX: The different
brick laying methods used by the European crews are
seen on the walls of The Old Rock Church. / Photo
by Shauna Leavitt
NW
DN
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