Utah Heritage tour will showcase homes in Federal Heights

Federal Heights got its name from the Army officers at Fort Douglas who established homesteads in the area in the late 1800s.

Today, this area of the valley is known for its tree-lined streets, early traffic circles and gracious homes that represent everything from the late Victorian era through Period Revival and Arts and Crafts/Craftsman/Bungalow to a few modern styles.

It's a great place to revisit history, appreciate workmanship and increase awareness of just how much our past adds to our present, says Alison Flanders, public outreach director for the Utah Heritage Society.

Which is why she is very excited that this year's Historic Homes Tour, sponsored by the society, will take place in the Federal Heights area.

The tour will showcase eight homes that have been carefully adapted for modern living by excellent stewards concerned with preserving the character and integrity of their past, she says.

One of those houses is a Bungalow-style home that was built in 1922 for Stephen M. and Hannah (or Anna) Covey. He was president of Covey-Ballard Motor Co., which sold Nash cars, and also president of Covey Brothers Amusement Co. which owned the Coconut Grove dance hall, once billed as the "largest and most beautiful ballroom in the world" (or at least in North America).

In 1937, the home was sold or given to their daughter, Lucille, and her husband, Lynn S. Richards. He ended up living in the house until he was 100.

The home passed into the hands of its third owners, Ray and Angie Carter, in 2001.

Over the years, a few changes were made to the house — a small swimming pool was added in 1967, for example, and the front porch was enclosed. The Carters also had some work done. "We opened the kitchen into one big room," says Angie Carter. "But all the crown moldings are original. We kept all the doors and windows." Some of the toilets and bathtubs are also original.

There are pros and cons to living in an old house that has only had two owners, she says.

"A lot of the original features have been preserved; we think it was remodeled a bit in the 1940s. We did have to re-do all the electrical and plumbing. But in a lot of ways, construction in 1920 was a lot better than it is now."

Her very favorite things are the two fireplaces, done in Batchelder tile in true Arts and Crafts style. "I tell my husband that if we ever move, we have to find a way to take those fireplaces with us," she jokes. "They are such a focal point for the house. I just love them."