Tithing Office

The tithing yard in Brigham City was a one-acre parcel of ground at 66 S and 100 W. The site was used to gather tithing from locals who often paid “in kind” (meaning with animals, fruit, vegetables, butter, etc.) and originally had an adobe building. The site was also used to sign the “Doty Treaty” between Chief Pocatello and ten bands of the Northwest Shoshone and the US Government on July 30, 1863. Around 1876-77, a brick, two-story building was erected. The construction of the new “Tithing Office” was overseen by Peter F. Madsen with James Pett and William Wrighton doing the carpentry, William Cox and Hyrum Stow laying the bricks, and James Standing and John H. Bott doing the stone work.

Around 1936, the Alfred Fawson family took possession of the building and part of the property. The Fawson’s determined to take off the upper story and use the brick to enlarge the main floor. As they began to remove the roof, they felt that a picture of the building may be wanted later so they stopped and had pictures taken (notice how the north roof demolition had begun).

In 1937, the home was finished and photos taken. A newspaper article notes that the medallion stone that had stood above the center windows on the upper floor had been offered to pioneer groups without interest. The family then placed the stone in the basement where it stayed for nearly 90 years. The stone was recovered recently and acquired by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Church History Museum with plans to be used in an upcoming exhibit.

Mabel Fawson Yourt eventually established a furniture refinishing and drapery company with her husband and they built a retail store across the street for their business. This building later became the home of the Box Elder News Journal.

Bricks from the building are available for sale at the Fine Arts building just north of the building for those who may want a memento.

Photos and other information are for nonprofit educational and noncommercial purposes only.

Photo circa 1936-37. See that demolition work had begun on north roof. Also, notice the original location of the stone medallion between the center windows of the upper floor.

The medallion after being in the basement for nearly 90 years.

North end of the building

1937 Compton photo of the upper floor removed and the addition completed

South end of the home

The Fawson-Yourt retail business that eventually became Box Elder News Journal

1884 Sanborn map of the Tithing Yard with the new building (in pink). Notice how Brigham City had flowing water in the streets for the families at that time

1890 Sanborn map of the Tithing Yard. It covered from 100 West (Young Street) to 200 West (while the map calls it "Fanning" street, it was called "Farming" street. See the locations of the various outbuildings, etc. to accommodate tithing "in kind."

A more recent photo. Notice the stone foundation and hand-worked stone lining above the foundation and above windows and the door

Article by Sarah Yates in the Box Elder News Journal January 15, 1997