National Register Listing

Burt, William, House

515 E. Center St., Beaver, UT

The William Burt house is significant because its age and architectural design are indicative of Beaver's first major period of growth and development. By 1875, the town's pioneer log buildings were being replaced by small two and three-room homes built of brick and stone. These homes often reflected in form and materials the backgrounds of the settlers. In this case, William Burt constructed a traditional hall and parlor house using the ashlar masonry techniques of his native Scotland. The Burt house is a typical expression of its times and becomes an important resource for understanding and evaluating the complete range of Beaver's architectural history. The house has been enlarged several times during its lifetime; these additions are normal and to be expected on houses of such a small size. While the original north section of the Burt house holds the most significance, the many additions help to gain an appreciation of the expanding nature of 19th-century domestic architecture in Utah.

William Burt was an early builder in Beaver. He was also locally known for his fine decorative plastering. The Burt home contains several examples of his work, most notably the ceiling moldings in the parlor of the original rock section.

Local significance of the building:
Architecture

Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.