The following is courtesy of Sandra Morrison, executive director at Park City Museum, in regards to our farm on Highway 224. Click here for more information on the Park City Museum. Thank you Sandra!
"The house is a one-story early 20th century style home with a bungalow type floor plan. These types of homes were constructed between 1905 and 1920, but the tax assessment from 1969 lists the home as built in 1938 (*1). Its form and exterior materials seem consistent with this time period. Two bays with picture windows appear to have been added to the front facade of the home. The Hixon family history relates the two bays came from the red-light district in Park City (located along now Deer Valley Drive - (China Bridge)). Local madam Mother Urban died in 1933 so the timing seems to correlate. Moving houses from Park City to Snyderville was not unusual. The house at 5373 Hwy 224 was originally located at 325 Park Avenue and moved c.a. 1950.
The property was originally part of the Fletcher Farms, a large family corporate dairy enterprise that operated from 1921 until 1934 (*2). The dairy operation was centered further south along Hwy 224 near the Park City Nursery. Robert Fletcher was a prominent Summit County resident, serving two terms in the Utah State Legislature.
In 1936, Fletcher Farms sold one acre to James Rasmussen (*3). Jim was son of Chris Rasmussen who owned the Well Come Inn and property near today’s Pinebrook. A Norwegian immigrant, Christopher Rasmussen built a wooden jumping scaffold on his property to teach ski jumping to his three sons and other local kids. Looking for more challenges, the boys found a steeper hill on the Rasmussen ranch and shaped it into what became the world famous ski jump Ecker Hill. According to Jim’s obituary, he held the National Cross-Country ski race record (*4).
Born in 1909, Jim graduated from Park City High School, served in the Navy during WWII and married Evelyn Peterson in August 1946. Jim worked as a Wasatch and Summit County highway patrol man. He died in November 1960 and Evelyn sold the property to Lewis and Jean Hixon in 1964.
*1 Summit County Tax assessment card PP-93 1969 *2 Historical Archeology at Parley’s Park, Utah: The Testing Program by J. Stephen Alexandrowicz, P-III Associates 1989 *3 Warranty Deed Book Q page 351 *4 “County Mourns Death of Jim Rasmussen”