History of the Pioneer Craft House
In 1847, Mormon pioneers built a two-room log cabin on what is now the northeast corner of 3300 South and 500 East. The structure was used for church services, recreation and education.
The historical brick and stone Scott School has been around since 1890 and was absorbed by the Granite School District when it was established in 1905.
In 1951, with an endowment from the Herbert Auerbach family, the venue -- then vacant and run-down -- took on a new role as the Pioneer Craft House, in which traditional and modern crafts have been taught and celebrated.
The independent nonprofit organization first signed a lease with the Granite School District in 1960. And in 1966, that lease was extended for 40 years. It runs out in October 2006.
Anyone interested in preservation efforts should call 801-809-8555.
Salt Lake Tribune, The (UT) Date: August 15, 2005 Section: Utah Edition: Final Page: B1
Conservationists Scramble to Save a Piece of the Past
It's the type of place you might not notice if you weren't looking for it. Nestled beneath the century-old trees that crowd the corner of 3300 South and 500 East is Pioneer Craft House, a facility of historical proportions. The roots of the site date back to 1847, and the crafts that are practiced, honored and taught here -- weaving, pottery, lapidary, spinning and more -- are a testament to the Mormon pioneers who first built on the land. But a new "For Sale" sign posted about two weeks ago by Granite School District, which owns the property, has some community members scrambling to save, even buy, the 2-acre plot. "The most important and pressing thing is preservation of the building and grounds," said Jim Davis, a member of the organization's executive committee who is spearheading the response. "There's no way to protect it other than owning it yourself. And we want to own it." With an asking price of $995,000, that won't be easy for the cash-strapped nonprofit.
In 1947, to commemorate Utah's centennial, the Herbert Auerbach family -- owners of a downtown Salt Lake City department store -- set up, in their store, a craft house to honor the artistic heritage of the pioneers. But after several years, the family moved the endowed project elsewhere. It first went to Granite Park Junior High, which now is Lincoln Elementary, before landing in the historical space, vacant at the time, across the street from Granite High School. It remains there today. For decades, Pioneer Craft House thrived under the leadership of two longtime directors: first, Glenn Johnson Beeley, who died in 1981, and then Helen Shurtleff. The facility became a community center, drawing children and adults for a wide array of craft classes -- including stitching, leather working, calligraphy and fly tying -- both during and after school hours. The Exhibit Hall amassed memories. Spinning wheels, looms, a 500-piece puppet collection, the wedding dress worn by one of Brigham Young's wives. The grounds were developed to include an arboretum, greenhouse and rose garden. An active board and cadre of volunteers, both individuals and community entities, kept the efforts alive. And the maintenance work? The electrical bills? Well, all that fell on the Granite School District, which benefited from the classes offered to its K-12 students and adults in continuing education.
"We thought we could go about salvaging this quietly and without a lot of fanfare," said the organization treasurer, David Kirby. "We had a good year [before the lease was up] to show Granite it was worth maintaining. . . . When I first saw the [for sale] sign, it absolutely kicked me right in the face."
Martin Bates, the district's legal spokesman and its representative on Pioneer Craft House executive committee, said that although he did not discuss the sale listing with each member, several were in on appraisal discussions and the committee has -- for a long time -- openly talked about the decades-old lease agreement. "We've all acknowledged that the terms of the contract are not in Granite School District's favor," Bates said. Standing empty, Pioneer Craft House costs the district $20,000 a year. With active programming, Bates estimated that figure could jump to as much as $80,000 a year. "The kids of Granite School District ought not be the ones footing the bill," Bates reasoned, especially since the facility minimally serves children. The district "is not in the historic building preservation business. We work really hard to educate kids. And when resources meant to educate kids are diverted elsewhere, we have a responsibility to correct that."
Even so, the decision to sell came with mixed feelings when the school board voted to put the property on the market. Board president Patricia Sandstrom has fond memories of the art classes she took with "Mrs. Beeley," and the puppetry lessons her son enjoyed. "It's not that we want it done away with. We'd like it preserved," Sandstrom explained. "Our concern is that with money being as tight as it is, we're not sure how long we can hang onto property that is not benefiting public education."
And so, Pioneer Craft House -- "a historic zone all by itself," said Bruce Talbot, director of community and economic development for South Salt Lake -- is up for grabs. Because of its zoning status, Talbot said that without approval from the city and planning commission, a buyer would be prohibited from demolishing or changing the property. "At the very least, it would be a long and difficult process," he said. That is of small comfort, however, to the team that worked to revive the facility. Now, in a race against the clock, they want to purchase it. Executive committee member Davis, a former South Salt Lake mayor, said he has had promising meetings with county and city officials, is researching grant possibilities and is hoping for assistance from Utah Open Lands. "We have the support to put the money together, and we have the expertise to put the money together. But it takes time," Davis said. "It would be a tragedy for [Pioneer Craft House] to become a 7-Eleven." --jravitz@sltrib.com
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