Throughout the 1980s, Park City rapidly grew into a recreational area, and real estate values soared in the town’s historic district. The push for expansion added new pressures to replace more modest mining structures within Old Town. To maximize every inch of the precious property, developers chose to replace many of the historic buildings with larger box style designs.Â
This was not the first time Park City’s historic district was faced to make a major change, however. The turning point first came in December 1963 with the opening of Park City’s first major ski resort, Treasure Mountain (known today as the Park City Mountain Resort), and the opening of the new Treasure Mountain Inn.
Construction of the 56-unit Inn began in the summer of 1964, only a few months after the opening of the Treasure Mountain Resort. By the time of the grand opening in 1965, Treasure Mountain Inn was Park City’s largest and most prestigious structure, and Utah’s first ever condominium-style hotel. As a great commercial enterprise, the complex helped put Park City on the map as a major ski resort destination. To some, it was viewed as a huge step towards modern advancement and commercial prosperity.
Credit: Park City Historical Society and Museum, Pop Jenks Collection
The idea for this multi-million-dollar project was developed by D.C (Dewey) Anderson, Melvin H. Jensen, W. Allen Pelton, and Keith B. Romney of Treasure Mountain Inn Inc., all of Salt Lake City. Fashioning it after several luxurious resorts in the West, such as Lake Tahoe, California and Aspen, Vail and Breckenridge, Colorado, these SLC developers banked on the condominium being a marked success. Of course, the location of the Treasure Mountain Inn also played a large role in its success.
The inn sits on prime property in Old Town in the prior location of Welsh, Driscoll, and Buck mercantile store. In many ways, the opening of Treasure Mountain Inn paralleled the opening of this “big store”. Established in 1893 as Conlon, Welsh & Company, the store was the town’s largest development and very important to Park City’s commercial scene. Later changed to Welsh, Driscoll, and Buck, Inc., the store was in continuous business from 1893 until 1954.
After 61 years, as mines closed, and money became scarce, it became far too difficult to supply residents, so the store was forced to close its doors. The building remained vacant and deteriorating until it was purchased and torn down to accommodate Treasure Mountain Inn, a grand new marker of Park City’s history.
The Treasure Mountain Inn is proud to announce the 50th Anniversary of its Grand Opening (1965) and that it will serve as the 2015 Home Tour headquarters. Join us this Saturday, June 13, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm for the 18th Annual Historic Home Tour. Tickets are $15 for members and $20 for non-members. Free parking is available at China Bridge Parking Garage and the Sandridge parking lot. For more information call the Park City Museum at 435-649-7457 or visit our website at parkcityhistory.org.
Sources:
Park Record Feb 18, 1965.
Park Record Feb 25, 1965.
Park Record April 1, 1971.
Hal Compton Research Library Resources; Welsh, Driscoll, and Buck Mercantile Binder.