The Charles E. Loose House is a historic house located in Provo, Utah, United States. The house was individually nominated for listing on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1982 but was not listed due to owner objection. It later was included as a contributing property in the Provo East Central Historic District.

Description

Built in 1893 by Charles E. Loose, the Charles E. Loose House (383 E 200 S) "Combines the massing of the Shingle Style with a consistent program of Eastlake ornamentation. Its enveloping roof, veranda and pentagonal fanlight gable windows mark its individuality among the city's architectural sites (Historic Provo p. 24)." The Charles E. Loose House was designated a historic Provo City Landmark on April 28, 1995.

The Victorian Mansions of Provo

Built between the years 1893 and 1908 in Prov, this group of Victorian mansions are historically significant and represent not only fine architecture but some of the most successful men of the city and state at the time. These mansions include the Charles E. Loose House, the William H. Ray House, the Knight-Allen House, the John R. Twelves House, the Jesse Knight House, the Knight-Mangum House, and the Thomas N. Taylor House. All of these homes derive from the high style: Eastlake, Shingle, Craftsman,

Italianate The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style drew its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian ...

, Classical, Moorish,

Colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 au ...

, and

Romanesque Revival Romanesque Revival (or Neo-Romanesque) is a style of building employed beginning in the mid-19th century inspired by the 11th- and 12th-century Romanesque architecture. Unlike the historic Romanesque style, Romanesque Revival buildings tended to ...

. Made primarily of brick, these homes exhibit the finest architecture and most ornate detailing to be found in the city of Provo.

Charles E. Loose

Charles E. Loose (1853–1929) was a banker and a Utah State Senator. Charles was linked to Provo as a central entrepreneur during the period of time when Provo's economy transformed from primarily agrarian to that of commercial mining. Charles E. Loose was a non-Mormon, as opposed to many of the other primary entrepreneurs made wealthy by the Tintic Mining District, and probably the most prominent in Provo at the turn of the century. As Grand Central stock rose, so did Charles Loose. By 1900 the company had installed a new surface plant, including an innovative all steel headframe over its shaft—a first and only in the entire area. Thus, Loose built his Provo residence in 1893.

Jesse Knight and The Tintic Mining Industry

The successful commercial mining of precious metals and minerals transformed Utah's economy from basically an agrarian base to a more industrialized state. Within this development the Tintic Mining District, located approximately southwest of Provo, was founded in 1869 and by 1899 became the leading mining center in Utah with a value of output placed at five million dollars. A central figure in Tintic success was Jesse Knight and the Knight family who resided in Provo. Jesse Knight attained wealth with his Humbug mine in the mid-1890s. The large silver producer allowed Knight to develop other mines in the East Tintic area. Knightsville grew around the workings and became touted as the only saloon-free, prostitute-free, privately owned mining camp in the United States. His strict adherence to doctrines of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The ch ...

made the town one inhabited primarily by

Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The c ...

. Jessie Knight was able to expand farther than the tintic mines, reaching to the power plant in Santaquin, the Tintic drain tunnel project, the Knight Dry farm, and the smelters at Silver City. The Bonneville Mining company, the Knight Woolen Mills, Ellison Ranching Company, The American-Columbian Corporation, The Springville-Mapleton Sugar Company, The Spring Canyon Coal Company, Utah Savings Bank, The Layton Sugar Company, and the Tintic Drain Tunnel Company all represent facets of the Knight Investment Company. The success resulting from the Tintic Mining District provided the means for Charles E. Loose to acquire the wealth evident from his residence. In fact, Loose was involved in the Grand Central Mining Company as a manager.

Preservation

The house was nominated on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 as part of a multiple property submission that nominated seven and listed six Provo houses. The listed houses are the Knight-Mangum House, the John R. Twelves House, the Jesse Knight House, the Knight-Allen House, the William H. Ray House, and the Thomas N. Taylor House. This house, the Charles E. Loose House, was determined to be eligible for the National Register, but it was not listed due to an objection by the owner.

References

* Historic Provo. 2002 Provo City Landmarks Commission. * Temme, Debbie/ Cannon, Ken/ Notarianni, Phil. National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form. United States Department of the Interior Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service. Summer 1980.

External links

NRHP Listings in Provo Utah
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loose, Charles E., House Houses in Provo, Utah Houses completed in 1893 Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Utah Queen Anne architecture in Utah Shingle Style houses National Register of Historic Places in Provo, Utah Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Utah Shingle Style architecture in Utah