Richards Dance Hall and Store

Mendon, in 1896, set out to become [the] dance capital of Northern Utah. In that year Hyrum T. Richards erected a dance hall, reported to have the finest floor in the Valley.

The building was made of rocks laid by Joseph Baker. It stood approximately where the Vance D. and Ethyl Walker home is now. This was the first of its kind in Cache Valley and reportedly drew crowds from Box Elder County, Cache County and Southern Idaho. Those who came far could always stay the night at the hotels and return to their homes the next day. ~ Larry Olsen

This building no longer stands. It was located at about 31 South Main Street in Mendon, Utah.

Mendon Utah Logo

Richards Dance Hall and StoreRichards Dance Hall and StoreRichards Dance Hall and Store

The owner of the store is having an opera house built south of the store. It is to be all of rock and one story. The coroner is the master builder and the way that county official can sling mortar is a caution. If he is as handy in sitting on out a corpse, the county made no mistake in placing Honorable Joseph Baker among her officials whose duty it is to look after all those who come to an untimely end, but if his private occupation brings him no more emoluments than his public office, then I fear he must apply to the ward for support.

From present appearance that opera house will not be a thing of beauty. It reminds me of a rock house that was built in Hyrum many years ago. The owner thought it was dandy with its two ugly dormer windows. When President Brigham Young visited our town and he only came that once, the owner of the rock building took him over to see it, I stood by the President as he stood on the sidewalk and as soon as he raised his eyes to the building he exclaimed: “Dear me, how badly we need architects.” That killed the building ardor, and now twenty years have gone by but not one thing has been added to that structure. ~ The Journal Man