Series on Lorenzo Snow's homes in Brigham City "Big House"

Lorenzo Snow was called by Brigham Young in the October conference of 1853 to establish the area that later became known as Brigham City. Lorenzo Snow lived in Brigham City for approximately 40 years. He began construction of his adobe "homestead" in 1855-56. His "Big House," as it came to be known, had a 15'X30' room that was used by community as a theater and had a stage in it. The home was divided among 4 of his wives, though Minnie (the youngest wife), eventually got her own home on the property that became known as "Minnie's Palace."

The north wing of the Big House was owned by Harriet Amelia Squire and is the area of 34 South Main (Box Elder Vision). The central wing was owned by Sarah Ann Pritchard and is now Studio 360 (formerly Murphy's Appliance). The south wing was owned by Eleanor Houtz and is now Main Street Haircutters. Lorenzo Snow's property included much of the northern half of the block between Forest and 100 South and it was mostly surrounded by a rock wall. The current Idle Isle was included in the northern border but was built after Lorenzo Snow by his daughter, Celestia Armeda and her husband, Brigham Morris Young.

Do you have any additional information or insight? Comments (nonoffensive) are welcome!

Photos used for nonprofit educational and noncommercial purposes only.

Panoramic of early Brigham arranged by Lewis Jones. Lorenzo Snow's "Big House" is the home on the left of the photo, west side of Main Street.

Sanborn Map from 1884 showing Lorenzo Snow's property and homes. The blue line is the rock wall surrounding his property with the original courthouse in the top left and Forest Street on the left of the property.

A Compton photo of the north portion of the home (Harriet's) with the stone wall.

Photograph by George Savage as part of the Church Archives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. South portion of the home owned by Eleanor (seated on left)

Additions to the Big House with separate entrances. Photograph owned by U of U Special Collections.

Additions of the original home still visible behind the businesses later constructed to the front of the home on Main Street.