Stop 4: McCune Mansion
200 North Main Street
Alfred and Elizabeth McCune desired a ‘bungalow’ that would be simple, comfortable, and convenient that they could live in and enjoy. To accomplish this, they financed a two-year tour of the United States and Europe for architect S.C. Dallas to study architectural styles and techniques before drawing up the plans.
Two existing homes were cleared off the hillside and the finest materials were imported for the interior: rare European and South American oak and mahogany; African and Italian marble; Utah onyx marble; European silks, brocades, and wool tapestry; and Russian leather.
Construction of the home was completed in 1901. The exterior finish is dark red brick with Nugget Sandstone trimmings and base, and a dark reddish-brown roof of tiles from Holland. (Not exactly my definition of a bungalow!)
The Nugget Sandstone used for the house, steps, and surrounding walls was quarried near the Salt Lake Valley, probably in either Red Butte Canyon or Emigration Canyon in the Wasatch Range. The beautiful red color of this rock is caused by hematite, an iron oxide (rust) mineral, in the cement between the sand grains. It only takes a small amount of hematite to give strong color to a rock formation. These stones contain more hematite and therefore have a darker red color than the stones of Council Hall.
Iron is a very effective and abundant pigment. Depending on its chemical state and combinations, iron may color rock red, brown, black, gray, yellow, or green. Other elements that create colorful rocks are manganese which produces purple, black, red, and brown; carbon which yields black; and copper which gives green.
Turn south down Main Street and enter Temple Square at the North Temple gates.
PI-60 Building Stones of Downtown Salt Lake City, A Walking Tour
