A Mansion for 56 Wives: Uncovering Brigham Young's Gardo House in Utah

Dive into the heart of history with Ken as we take a rare tour inside the Gardo House, the palatial estate of Brigham Young, a leader with 56 wives and a vision of utopia in the desert. From lavish drawing rooms to a secret billiards room, discover how this mansion symbolized power, controversy, and the struggle for a Mormon State.

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Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

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Public Domain Photos from: Library of Congress
CC BY-SA 3.0 Photos from: Wikipedia User: Dundak
Assets from: Envato Elements
Music from Epidemic Sound

[ThisHouse]

In the video I said Brigham passed in 1887, I meant to say 1877. The date was correct in my script, but I misspoke. 😅 Thank you all for watching, cheers!

[TedBeyr]

That house looked like the epitome of old west grandeur. I’m glad we still have photos of it!

[angelamurphy]

Brigham Young had the Lion House, The Beehive house, the Gardo house, and other homes and farms where his wives lived spread from Logan (Northern Utah) to St George (Southern Utah). He didn’t have all his wives living in the same house. Many lived together in big houses and some had their own smaller houses and lived very close to each other. Bro Brigham was a wheeler-dealer with women and property and was stingy with his money. He died a multimillionaire at a time when that was an enormous amount while almost all of the average Mormons were dirt poor.

[jecny]

Am I the onoy one whose immediate reaction to the exterior image was The Munsters?

[titankooyman]

I live in Utah and used to take the city bus and it would drop me off right next to where this beautiful mansion once stood. I honestly can't believe they tore this incredible piece of art down and preserved plain, ugly and unimaginative homes in the same area. This was in my opinion the most perfect example of a second empire Victorian home and if I ever become rich I'll build one almost just like it. Thank you for featuring this on your channel and for doing such a wonderful job of showcasing these beautiful pieces of our architectural history.

[kathleenadams]

Wow!!! Thanks Ken… I always learn something new with each video that you post!!! Keep up the great work

[jppurves]

It should also be mentioned that not all LDS men had plural matrimonial situations. It was very costly to support a group of wives and children, therefore only the wealthy, more highly placed leaders of the church had them. They also did not always live together in one home. Many had families in various communities around the state and perhaps only saw these families a few times a year. There was a pecking order as well, the more highly favored wives/families spent much more time with the husband/father.

[trevord]

The House was built for Brigham Young’s youngest wife, he was supposed to reside there as well it was also supposed to be for entertaining guests of Brigham young and the LDS church. Through numerous government seizures it was later returned to the church and rented out to various wealthy people until the church decided to sell it with the option of repurchase if it was ever sold. Later it was sold to colonel Holmes who gave it as a birthday present to his wife the “Silver Queen” Suzanne Branford Emery Holmes Delitch Engalitcheff. That’s where the art gallery and garage was built, and the amazing furnishings and lavish parties took place. Later in 1921 it was sold back to the church and then they sold it to the federal reserve. The federal reserve bank shown in the video is not the location of the original house, the original location now has a high rise office building sitting on it. So sad it was torn down, as many gilded age mansions were.

[monicacall]

This house was built for only one very favored wife. The Lion House which was also built by BY was built for several of his wives and children. Other wives and children were housed in substandard houses farther away from his own house the Beehive House. Yes, Young took tithing money that most church members couldn’t really afford to pay because most of them were extremely poor, but because of his ego he felt that he and his associates “deserved better” because they were “God’s chosen servants”. Also, he died in 1877 not 1887. How do I know this? I worked as a docent at “This Is the Place” living history park at the mouth of Emigration Canyon in Salt Lake City where BY and most of the other pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley from the surrounding mountains, and we were expected to be able to answer any and all questions that visitors asked about BY, the Mormon Church and the basic history of the people living in the Utah Territory.

[clairwaucaush]

The central historical building of that entire area and they let it get torn down. THAT looked like one heck of a great mansion. A perfect example of a Victorian. We are lucky the pyramids and Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower are not in the USA, or they would be GONE!

[treasuremuch]

I'm awestruck! I love ornate buildings with lavish interiors.

[davidwright]

“60 dinner guests or wives”, ya got a sense of humor Ken!!!!

[markwriter]

I had no idea Young lived so comfortably.

[Randydaudt]

Those were the words he spoke to his followers about his many wives, , " Bring um young".

[samanthabusch]

my heart broke a little when he said it was torn down how sad and wrong this historical beauty should have been protected thank goodness for the historical preservation act which i dont even know if Utah has i hope after losing this beauty and who knows how many others some sort of preservation laws were passed by the way love your channel thank you for caring

[karenroot]

Ken this mansion is absolutely sumptuous!! Thanks

[jennysmith]

As a Mormon, I appreciate the accurate telling of the history of the religion even if it is not something to be proud of. Brigham Young's second house, the "Lion House" stands today, and I would love to see you do a tour of it.

[genevabrantner]

Had a relative who was traveling to the new 'Utopia ' with the first group. The leaders insisted everyone give them all their money and the leaders would pass out a little at a time from a pool. Well, my relative wasn't going to do that. He said it was his money and he'd take care of his own family. They threw him and family out of the wagon train. He took his family, and they did just fine on their own and never looked back.

[SharlynnMcneely]

Beautiful inside and outside don't have a favorite room i loved it all

[paulvanbeurden]

I love this spooky Victorian ornamented house❤