After Thomas Kearns struck gold and made it big in mining in Park City, he decided to build a mansion on South Temple in Salt Lake City.
Utah Historical Markers recounted how Kearns traveled from a farm in Nebraska out West to become a miner. He headed to Park City in 1883 and after six years, he struck gold and then bought several mines with business partners. After acquiring this wealth, he decided to build a mansion on the enviable street South Temple, where many famous Utahns had built their homes.
This mansion, known as Kearns Mansion, was designed to look like a French castle, according to Utah Historical Markers. He hired the would-be architect of the Cathedral of the Madeline to design his exquisite mansion, Carl Neuhausen. The lavish home was completed in 1902 after a lengthy building process.
The Kearns collected some European furniture to decorate the home, per Utah.gov. The home was considered “an architectural masterpiece.”
Right before moving in, Kearns was elected to U.S. Senate as a Republican candidate, where he served for four years. According to the Utah’s government history website, Kearns and David Keith had purchased “The Salt Lake Tribune.” Both the paper and Kearns supported the Republican party and later, the American party.
Kearns died in 1918 due to a stroke after a car accident. After Kearns died, his wife donated the home on the stipulation that Utah’s chief executive reside in it.
The home has been the residence of several governors, per Salt Lake City’s government website. From 1937 to 1957, and then again from 1980 to present day, the home has been used as a residence. In between governor occupancy, the Utah Historical Society used the mansion as a museum and library.
But there was an accident in 1993. According to the Salt Lake City’s government website, “On December 15, 1993, a fire, caused by faulty wiring on the Christmas tree in the main hall, destroyed much of the mansion. Governor Leavitt was not at home at the time, but Mrs. Leavitt and her staff were quick to notify the Salt Lake City Fire Department, and their response kept the mansion from suffering more significant damage. A long and painstaking restoration was begun, to restore the mansion to its original state and salvage as much of the historical interior as possible.”
Currently, Governor Spencer Cox resides in the mansion with his family, as the mansion continues to be the home of the current governor.
