The Brigham Young Farmhouse is located in Old Deseret Village, in This is the Place Heritage Park, although it was originally built in the historic Salt Lake City district of Forest Dale, Utah. It was moved to This is the Place Heritage Park in 1975. The Brigham Young Farmhouse was built in 1863 by Brigham Young. It has two floors, the first of which holds two living rooms, and the second of which holds a ballroom, a sitting room, and several bedrooms. It is complete with a simple wrap around porch. Brigham Young referred to his house as being built on a “forest farm”, and it was often the center of meetings, social gatherings, etc. When the Forest Dale Ward was first organized in 1896, members met there. The Brigham Young Farmhouse, being a beautiful structure with a generous capacity, is currently used for weddings, family reunions, receptions, and many other events.
The Brigham Young Farmhouse is also known for its paranormal activity. When the house was bought by Gwen Wilcox (a proclaimed psychic) and her husband, she began to report seeing apparitions. These apparitions included an old man who was supposedly Brigham Young himself. She was also visited by several close relations to Brigham Young, and a distraut man who had murdered someone in a robbery in 1900. Among the spirits that others have reported encountering is Ann Eliza. She was Brigham Young’s 19th wife, who it known for divorcing him because of her hatred of polygamy and writing a book about it. She famously traveled the country denouncing Brigham Young and the Mormon Church. There have also been accounts of visitors hearing children playing in the ballroom, which was built for the children’s parties. They have also been heard running through the house during the witching hour. Brigham Young’s second wife sometimes appears in the kitchen, and her presence is marked by the smell of food. The Brigham Young Farmhouse is thought to be one of the most haunted dwellings in Utah.
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