Brief History of the Old Crookston Home: 1491 East 2300 North, North Logan
The ‘old home’, as I remember it was always called, has passed directly down through five generations of Crookstons’ finally to me in 1999. The land was homesteaded by my great-great grandfather Robert Burns Crookston sometime in the 1870’s. The original homestead deed signed by President Chester A. Arthur is framed in the old home. Robert and his family came to Utah in 1852 from Scotland, via Nauvoo, and located to Cache Valley in 1862. His son Nick, who lived in a lovely eight room home in Logan on the corner of first east and second south, was told to build the ward house for Greenville (now North Logan). He purchased the homestead from his father and commenced to build a home. Sadly his home in Logan did not sell and he ended taking a team of horses in trade for the Logan home.
The materials used to build the home were obtained from Logan Canyon. Logs were floated down the river to Brown’s Roll-off and then hauled (dragged) down the canyon 28 miles on wagons pulled by horse and mule teams. Nick began cutting the logs in 1888.
Three rooms were finished first and in 1895 the family moved into the home. The foundations and fireplaces were made of rock from Green Canyon. A cupola (a glassed six sided dome) was put above the large dining room-sadly it is gone. The home has nine foot ceilings, over sized windows, 12 inch moldings and solid paneled doors with transoms above.
The second part of the home was completed in 1898. A screen sleeping porch and front porch were soon added. Barns, liveries, workshops and a chicken coop were built. Their lovely farm stretched from 2300 North to about 3100 North bounded by 1250 East and 1600 East. In 1973 the home was listed in the Century Register of the Utah Historical Society, as a state historical landmark.
Today 12 acres are left. The back of the property is held by myself and my siblings in the Dean F. and Bessie C. Peterson Trust and is designated as a pheasant wildlife habitat. My husband and I planted 1200 trees and bushes and put in a drip system to each one! The field is now filled with pheasants. We also have one-half acre pond that is a habitat for ducks, marsh birds, bass and trout.
Nick Crookston, my great grandfather, was Cache County Sheriff and Logan City Marshall for many years (1882-1912). In 1892 he was the first Fish and Game commissioner for Cache Valley and was Sergeant of Arms for the Utah State Legislature. Nicholas was president of the Logan Smithfield Canal Company. He also was foreman for the Telluride Power Company- building the wooden flume, the pressure box and power personnel homes that still remain at the mouth of Logan Canyon. He designed and built the first LDS church in Greenville (North Logan). He passed away in this home in 1932 at the age of 74.
He married Alice M. Rice in 1884 and they had eight children. Alice’s portrait was painted by well known pioneer artist Danquart A.Weggeland. He stayed at my great-great grand parents home when painting murals for the Logan LDS temple. Alice was used as a model. He painted her portrait in appreciation. This portrait hung in this home over the fireplace until it was donated to the LDS museum in Salt Lake City in the late 1980’s by my parents Dean F. and Bessie C. Peterson.
The farmland was split up between Nick’s children. My grandmother Lucille Crookston Peterson ended up with the old home and the remaining 12 acres. My father, Dean F. Peterson, purchased the old farm from his mother and it was used as a rental for many years. I purchased the home from my mother in 1999. My husband Cary and I renovated the home. It has been an ongoing labor of love. We keep the home vacant and use it for friends and family visits.
The ‘old home’ is now the Home for ART on the Lawn, an annual fundraising event for the Dean F. and Bessie C. Peterson Foundation for Cache Valley Arts and Literacy. To date we have given away over $40,000.00 in donations in the name of my wonderful parents. The old home and the surrounding property will provide a place for local artists to show and sell their work, and create a historic venue for the City of North Logan. Lucy Peterson-Watkins
HOME
PURPOSE
Artists on Lawn
Old Home Art Show ow