Taylor Woolley
Taylor A. Woolley was born in Salt Lake City on October 10, 1884, living a robust 81 years (d. 1965).
Early in life, Woolley had a desire for planning and building and determined to become an architect.
He received his early professional training in the architecture office of Ware and Treganza of Salt
Lake City before going to Chicago to study at the Art Institute of Chicago and work as a draftsman in
the office of Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park.
As the first designer to bring a radical new style of architecture to the state, Woolley is considered
one of the most notable Utah architects of the early twentieth century. He was among the first
generation of Utah native and recent LDS Church convert architects who were trained in the offices
of Utah’s historic firms and by nationally-renowned architects.
Training Under and Working
For Frank Lloyd Wright
In the fall of 1909, Woolley
traveled with Frank Lloyd
Wright in Fiesole, Italy to work
with Lloyd Wright (Wright’s
son) on the final
preparations for the 1910
publication of the Wasmuth
Portfolio. The portfolio was
an impressive collection of Wright’s drawings, elevations, and plans that first showed the world his
design philosophy. (Pictured above: Horseshoe Inn, Estes Park, CO)
At the time, Wright had gained attention across the U.S. not only for his striking new designs, but also
for the public nature of his personal affairs. Many men decided not to work for Wright and Woolley
became the lone draftsman at the Oak Park Studio where Wright relied on him to complete
commissions in the studio while he was in Europe.
Bringing a Modern Style to Utah
Upon returning to Utah in about 1910, Woolley was licensed to practice architecture in Utah. For the
next six years, he designed commissions in Utah as well as working for various Chicago architects
including Frank Lloyd Wright, Walter Burley Griffin and Frances Barry Byrne Architects, Von Holst and
Fyfe, and Howard Shaw. Woolley was in charge of the Von Holst and Fyfe office at the time of the
construction of the Henry Ford Estate in Dearborn, Michigan.
Unlike his protégé Wright, Woolley was not an attention seeker nor wore a cape. His experience and
the growing interest nationally in the Prairie Style led to his involvement in many residential projects in
the style in Utah. However, his involvement in other types of structures, including those for the LDS
Church, were largely not Prairie style.
Woolley founded the firm of Miller, Woolley and Evans with Miles Miller and Clifford Evans in 1917.
Evans also worked briefly for Wright, and Miller designed the high Prairie style Parowan Ward
meetinghouse in 1914. Though the partnership only lasted until 1922, it was a pioneer as the first firm
in the state to integrate landscape architecture into its practice and site design with Woolley at the
helm. As part of the firm, Woolley helped complete many significant projects including development
of Memory Grove Park including construction of the Rotary Steps, the gates to Wasatch Lawn,
Belvedere Apartments, planning of the Gilmer Park Neighborhood’s curving streets, and many
residences throughout the city and county.
Woolley is also responsible for many LDS Church
meetinghouses across Salt Lake City including the Yale
Ward (1925, 1431 Gilmer Ave.), Garden Park Ward
(1939, 1150 Yale Ave.), 13th Ward (385 East 100 South,
pictured right), and the Highland Park Ward, as well as
across the region including the Preston (ID) Third Ward
and Oneida Stake, and the University Ward in Seattle.
The Garden Park Ward (pictured below) is considered
among his finest structures. Designed with partner
Clifford Evans, the building is one of the few that does
not reflect the Prairie Style design. Instead, the Jacobethan Revival style structure features
crenellated parapet walls, brick quoins, stone
window surrounds and hoods, stone panels at
the entryways supported by classical columns,
and leaded glass windows. The incredible
landscape design can be attributed to the
grounds once being a part of a 21-acre estate
belonging to LeGrand Young, a nephew of
Brigham Young, and the Howard family who
continued to enhance the site. One feature is
the pagoda that overlooks a swimming pool that
was fed by Red Butte Creek, and is a popular site
today for wedding and family photos.
Woolley served as state architect during the
Gov. Henry H. Blood administration (1933-1941). In 1947 as one of his last commissions, Woolley was
chosen as the supervising architect for the construction and landscaping of the This is the Place
Monument.
William Wallace Ray House, 1408 Yale Avenue
In a new neighborhood on the east side of Salt Lake
City, William W. and Leda Rawlins Ray chose a vacant
lot overlooking Red Butte Creek in 1913. Ray had
recently become the U.S. attorney for the district of
Utah. They hired Taylor Woolley to complete a design
for the new house, one that emanated directly from
the foundations of the Prairie School. Construction
began in 1915 under the supervision of H.D. Bowman
and was completed in 1916.
Its design is based on the popular “$5,000 fireproof
house” that Wright designed, but with a reversed
floorplan. Like many Prairie style houses, this one is a
large two-story cube with wide cantilevered eaves. The building is constructed of brick covered with
stucco, decorative casement windows that display geometric patterns, and a central chimney at
the apex of the hipped roof. (pictured above: Ray House interior, 1918, Courtesy Utah State Historical
Society) The Rays remained in residence at the house until 1959. Since its construction was
completed in 1916, there have only been four owners.
Woolley was also a member of the Rotary Club, one of the founders of the Art Barn, and instrumental
in establishing art exhibits and flower shows at the State Capitol.