Take the red trolley up to the top of Main Street and you will see a green house on the right. This is 10 Daly Avenue. It was built at the base of Empire Canyon around the turn of the 20th century and has been in the Baxter-Williams family for nearly 100 years. Mary Baxter, daughter of David and Margaret Baxter, grew up next door at 5 King Avenue. Mary married Paul Williams in 1924. Their first son, Paul Jr. was born in 1925 and their second, Tom, was born in 1927.
The couple moved into 10 Daly, which Mary’s family had owned for several years, when the boys were young. The family attended the Methodist Church in the red brick building on Park Avenue. Both boys attended Jefferson Elementary on 2nd Street. This area was called “upper town” and encompassed anything above Heber Avenue. “Upper town” and “lower town” were geographic boundaries, not socio-economic.
After finishing school, Tom joined the Marines, where he played in the Marine Corps Band. When he returned to Park City, he moved back into 10 Daly to care for his aging parents. He met and married Susan Bruun, originally from California. Tom worked as a purchasing agent for United Park City Mines and Susan worked for the post office. Tom died of Lou Gerrhig’s disease in 2000. Susan still lives at 10 Daly and remains active in the community.
Credit: Park City Historical Society and Museum, Pop Jenks Collection
The interior of the house was rebuilt in 2004 due to a faulty foundation. An addition was built on the southwest side at that time. The exterior wood was carefully disassembled and reapplied after remodeling so as to retain its original, historic character. Many artifacts were kept and reinstalled after the remodel including chandeliers and doors. The home still has the family’s antique china cupboard and hutch. Before renovations, the home consisted of a front room, bedroom, small kitchen, bathroom, and coal shed. A coal stove was in the middle of the front room but was removed in 1964 when natural gas was installed. The home now has an additional bedroom, bathroom, laundry room, storage room, and an updated kitchen.
The backyard is also full of history. A tower built by Tom Martinez holds the “Ski Team” chair from Park City Mountain Resort. There are also ore cars used as planters, and up against a tree is a rusted out truck door that was excavated when the home was remodeled.
If you are interested in viewing this and other historic homes of Park City’s “Upper Main” neighborhood, please join us for our annual Historic Home Tour on Saturday June 13, 2015 from 10am to 3 pm. Tickets are $15 for members and $20 for non-members. For more information please call the Park City Museum at 435-649-7457 or visit our website at parkcityhistory.org.
Sources:
Interview with Susan Williams, Chris McLaws, April 27, 2015.
Interview with Paul Williams, Chris McLaws, May 7, 2015.