WELLSVILLE – In the south end of Cache Valley, the highlight of the 2025 Historic Home Tour was the Howell/Theurer Home on 100 East here in Wellsville.
Built in 1869 using locally quarried rock, the originally structure was a fine example of the vernacular housing type created during the early Mormon Pioneer period of Utah history.
In recent years, however, the Arlan and Lee Brandt family has extensively remodeled the once-small home into lavish and warmly family-friendly show place.
The home was once the residence of Joseph Howell, a wealthy businessman who became mayor of Wellsville and served seven terms in the U.S. Congress.
In 1915, the home was purchased by Herman Theurer, who opened an adjacent general merchandise store.
Arlan Brandt and wife Lee purchased the property at 30 South, 100 East in 1999 and rented it for a while. When Brandt finally retired some years later, he said that the home had been sub-divided into four tiny apartments, so restoring it to a single family home design was something of a challenge.
Brandt credited his wife, a local artist, with developing plans for the remodeling and expansion. In that process, the rustic rock wall of the rear of the house became an interior wall, when the couple added a large family room, a half-basement, a master bedroom, a garage and an artist’s studio to the home.
The home’s overgrown backyard was also gradually transformed in to a large park-like environment where the Brandts now host family gatherings and ward parties.
This year’s Historic Home Tour, sponsored by the Cache Valley Historic Society and the Cache Valley Visitors Bureau, featured homes in both Logan and Wellsville.
“It’s a rare opportunity to experience our heritage and our history as reflected in the architecture of these homes,” according to Scott Bushman, a member of the board of the Cache Valley Historic Society.
In Logan, the most popular home on the tour was obviously the extensively remodeled residence of Gene and Kristie Needham at 33 South, 100 West. Nearly every wall of the home is filled with original artwork by Gene Needham.
The uncommon Queen Anne style home was originally built in 1907 and, like the Brandts’ home in Wellsville, had also been sub-divided into apartments.
When the Needhams purchased the property in 2014, they gutted the structure and launched a two-year remodeling project that completely transformed the home.
In the process of that remodeling, they discovered an attic, which has been converted into a playroom for the Needhams’ 42 grandchildren.
Bushman explains that the homes on this year’s tour were built between 1869 and 1914, featuring stylistic elements including original gingerbread woodwork, vintage cast iron fireplaces and locally quarried stone.
Other homes included in 2025 tour were the Tianna and Will Brummond home at 151 South Center Street in Wellsville; the Sharydon and Jordon Meek home at 83 West, 100 North, also in Wellsville; the Dave and Tranette Carlisle home at 347 West Center Street in Logan; and the Micah and Joy Coombs home at 281 South, 100 East in Logan.
Proceeds from the Cache Valley Historic Home Tour will fund a scholarship from the Historic Society that supports student researching local history at Utah State University. The proceeds will also fund transportation for local school children to visit the American West Heritage Center in Wellsville where they can experience hands-on living history.
For additional information about future Cache Valley Historic Home Tours, please call 435-755-1890 or go online to www.explorelogan.com/homes