OCR Text |
Show 2 Lakeside Review, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 1990 Lakeside Mansion was Docs castle By JaNAE FRANCIS correspondent r FARMINGTON If ever a mans home was truly his castle, the house once owned by William O. Robinson was. Robinson, who was known by most Farmington residents as Doc, was a dentist by trade but his hobby was his home. full-tim- Historic imtEO. homes Although small compared to many homes of today, the home is still referred to as a mansion by some, with its huge white pillars and the decorative statues surrounding it. The home at 104 W. 100 North was once adorned with murals on the walls. One bedroom was decorated as if it belonged to an Egyptian sheik, with a round bed and gold curtains draping the walls. An elaborate glass archway stood between the living room and the master bedroom. And a seemingly unending flower garden covered the grounds. It was really a showplace, said Ruth Brown, Robinsons daughter. Dad was always thinking of ways to improve it. The home hadnt always been so beautiful. Built around 1865 by Robinsons grandfather, Joseph Lee Robinson, the home was outdated when Doc purchased the home he had grown up in from his father, Joseph Elijah Robinson, in 1917. Joseph Lee, who was Farmingtons first LDS bishop, homesteaded the area and built at least three other rock and adobe homes on that same block to house his family. Joseph Lee had five wives. Brown said she is unsure which of the wives lived in the home, if any. Their journals didnt talk about the house. They talked about their children and their families, she said. .. Robert ReganStandard-Examine- r Dare and Sharron Vandevere helped restore this old Farmington home, once owned by the late William Doc Robinson, a prominent area resident. The home is now owned by Lagoon Corp., where Vandevere is an employee. Brown remembers bathing in a wash tub in front of the coal stove while growing up, even though other homes were equiped with more modern conveniences. think we lived on plaster in those years, said Brown. There was so much remodeling that had to be done. She said her father was always thinking of the rest of the family and their friends when deciding I what to do next with his home and property. The family enjoyed having a badminton court and riding horses. We often packed saddle bags and rode up the canyon overnight, said Brown. She said she and her three sisters and brother had their own amusement park in their back yard while growning up. Their yard had a fish pond, a four-seFerris wheel, swings, an airplane major plaster repairs every- thing, said Sharron. But we didnt mind the remodeling, she said. The home has a lot of character and a lot of history. She said the couples next step is to replant flower gardens, to be fashioned somewhat after the garden the home is famous for. at the agendas Kaysville Council for city council meetings to be held ride, a roller coaster, an amphitheater, a tea house and a doll house. After the children had grown, the garden was extended to where the park was. The area was landscaped into numerous large steps housing thousands of flowers. Upkeep of the garden required the work of e two gardeners as well as numerous hours of Docs dedi: cation. She remembers the nightmarish evening in 1923 when floods raged down Farmington Canyon. Much of the homes elaborate garden was destroyed but Brown said the family was lucky. No damage was done to the house. Then her father, who was weak with the flu at the time, heard a woman screaming outside and went into the storm to help. The womans daughter had been swept up by the flood waters. Robinson plunged into the dark waters and began feeling for the small child. Inches before the stream was to merge with the Bamberger Canal, Robinson felt some hair and pulled Marjorie Christenson from the water. Brown said the venture gave her father tetanus and though he lived to be 97, his health was not ever completely restored. Robinson was awarded the Carnagie Medal of Honor for his valor. When Robinson died in 1984, the home was sold to Lagoon. It stood empty for a time but for the past year, it has been home to Lagoon employee Dare Vandevere and his wife, Sharron. For the second time in its existence, the house needed major remodeling and repairs to be suitable for its new occupants. The home needed a new roof, new wiring, plumbing, sheet rock, EDITOR 'S NOTE: This is another story in an ongoing series highlighting the histories of older homes in the area. Standard-Examine- A summary of Tuesday, Sept. City Amendments to Chapter 18-electrical code of Title 18 building regulation of the Kaysville city development code Funding and law changes regard3, 18 Fruit Heights Council City ing fireworks Award of waste collection contract and container purchase Purchase of property Davis County Sheriffs report 4 Resolution 90-1- Appreciation to Shauna Jones, successful survey Hold harmless, Lot 44, Creek View Estates Dry Hollow Basin project Lot 13, Mountain Terrace Estates, quick claim deed Water report, Aug. 31, consider purchase of AF (Cost) Waiver, retroactivity receipt Ordinance XXIII, amend as city council requested Gailey fencepark Court clerk position status Warrants Consider release of moratorium on Lot 12, Mountain Terrace Estates Sunset City Council Football program update Sign regulation Uniform summons, citation to be used for city cleanup violations Approval of belts of $500 Public works information Davis Metro Narcotics Strike Force agreement Farmington City Council City council meeting for Wednesday, Sept. 19 has been canceled. Literacy From page 1 agreed to take over administration of the program. The library has already purchased special books for new adult readers with grant money. The books have a limited vocabulary with a high level of interest for adult readers, explained Gia-com- a. Employment and Training pro- vided $500 to the library for books. So far the library has not applied for other grant money cause it has just recently dediced to take over the program. Up until now there was no basis for application, said be- Gia-com- a. There are no statistics available on how many Davis County residents are unable to read, he said. Most of the staff time is put in by volunteer coordinator Nathan Anderson, who also operates the bookmobile. He calls all the volunteers and makes sure patrons are getting service. Some staff time is necessary to oversee recruitment of both volunteer tutors and students, training of tutors, matching of tutors and students, writing of grant proposals and evaluation of the program. The library has one volunteer, Lauralyn Oldham, a University of Utah student from Kaysville, whose responsibilities include testing the participants in the program and matching a student with a tutor. She makes sure the two are geographically close. The basis. pair works on a After the match has been made the two decide where they will meet. According to Giacoma the home is not the place to work because there are so many distractions. Many of them meet in a meeting room at the library. Volunteers get 10 hours of training. The next training session will be held Sept. 27 and 29. Anyone interested in the program as a volunteer or a client, may call or visit one of the library branches: Headquarters, 38 S. 100 E. Farmington, Central Branch, 155 N. Wasatch or North Dr., Layton, S. 1000 Clear562 E., Branch, one-on-o- 451-232- 2; 547-072- 9; field, 825-666- 2. Open house another effort to save hotel By VALERIE PHILLIPS Standard Examiner Davis Bureau As one more effort to FARMINGTON save Farmingtons Old Rock Hotel, the citys historic preservation commission is hosting an open house in the building on Tuesday, Sept. 25. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., the public and any prospective buyers can be escorted on a tour of the structure, which was built in 1950 by Thomas and Electa Hunt. Architect Wayne Balle, who recently completed an intensive survey to nominate the building to the National Historic Register, will present architectural information and historic tidbits on the hotel. We so desperately want to save it, said Ernestine Held, a merqber of the commis' sion. The Hunts owned a tavern in part of the building, while the rest served as their home. In 1929, it was remodeled by Hyrum Van Fleet and known as the Van Fleet Hotel. Later it was turned into apartments, and its most recent tenant was the Utah Title Company. The building has been vacant for several years, with a price tag of $125,000 by Zions Bank. Another estimated $125,000 would be needed in order to meet building codes, Held said, because it needs a new roof, as well as plumbing and electrical work. Volunteer From page 1 ically for adults, she said. It took a few months before could be matched with the right patron in need of reading sTie skills. Both the patron and the volunteer have to define the times they can meet, then another volunteer, Lauralyn Oldham, coordinates the program. She tests the client .to learn what reading skills he may already have, completes the necessary paperwork, then matches the two. Not all the volunteers and patrons meet in the library, but thats where Marks meets her cli it This spring, a group called Utah Advocates for Parents and Youth At Risk tried to gain city approval to use the hotel as a shelter for runaway youths. But while the proposal passed the planning commission, citizens against the plan filed an appeal and the city council voted against the idea. Held said the commission would like to see someone buy it to use as a community center. It would make a beautiful place to have wedding receptions, because we already have enough donated furniture now to fill it with antiques, she said. The tour of the building is free. Balles feasibility study on the building will be on sale for $5 per copy. non-prof- Kaysville ent twice a week. Marks, who moved to Layton two years ago with her husband. Jay, has had some other experience in teaching but she doesnt have a teaching degree, she said. There are a few frustrating times when she wonders how else like the time to teach a subject one client couldnt understand the concept of contractions. He couldnt understand a contraction was a shortened form of two words, she said, but one day he suddenly caught on and she called it a real breakthrough. Some concepts take a thousand repetitions and others just take a few, she said. From page 1 unteered service and financing, said Buchanan. We are there for service to people, not classes. It will be done at a time convenient for both the student and the volunteer, said Buchanan. With everyone feeling a national push on literacy we felt we could be of service, she said. Special books have not yet been purchased for the program, but the library does have books of interest to adults on a low reading level. We will use books on subjects of interest to the pupil. Most subjects have different reading levels, she explained. And if supplies need to be purchased the Rotary Club has vol Some clients could be those who are learning English as a second language and need to learn to read in English, she said. Daytime or evening hours can be scheduled. Those interested in the reluctant readers program may fill out an application at the front desk at the library or call the library at 544-282- 6. Lakeside Editor Review April Adams ' August Miller . Photographers Robert Regan James Nickerson Janet Larsen Reporter Advertising Representatives Donna Merry Kristen Adams Office Manager Receptionist Marilyn Child NO APPOINTMENT Mon.-Fr- i. 10 to 7 NECESSARY Sat. 9 to 5 CLEARFIELD FARMINGTON LAYTON Lakeside Review PERM 00 SOUTH WEBER SYRACUSE WEST POINT SUNSET ONLY NEWS DEADLINES: S8.00 ONLY Expires Sept. 29 coupon ' tot the whole family Long Hair may be extra Appointment preferred Includes Free Shampoo good With this ad Not to be used with any other coupon or special With 5 Win A FREE Haircut Weekly Drawings In Each Shop Reg. S3Q.00 Expires Sept. 29 this ad Not to be used with any other coupon n'lmwTfTT: "IM orspecial ypsr news and photos should be submitted no later than 3:30 for publication the following Tuesday. p.m. Wednesday ADVERTISING DEADLINES: Display advertisements Wednesday at noon. Classifiedtfmer ' ads Friday at 5 p.m. f 2146 N. Main, Antelope Square, Layton" OFFICE HOURS . Monday through Friday 8:00 Classified Hours Monday through Friday 8:00. a. m. -- 5:00 p.m. a.m.-5:00p.- xfmm : , PHONE . Deena Jones Donna Brown Ruth Malan Donna Brown Cheri Reed The Lakeside Review is published weekly and distributed FREE by carrier Tuesday afternoon from Sunset through Farmington. The Lakeside Review is a subsidiary of the Standard Corp. All Reg. - Valerie Phillips Donna Brown Ruth Malan Ruth Malan '. CLINTON HAIRCUT ' CORRESPONDENTS KAYSVILLE, FRUIT HEIGHTS A Cut Above The Rest . . 776-495- 1 or 298-891- m. 6 . |