The connection between limekilns and our historic homes

Three limekilns were built in Limekiln Gulch, near the foothills above The Avenues in Salt Lake City, in the late 1850s.

Limestone helped 19th-century pioneers upgrade their lifestyle from mud and log cabins to homes made of stone and brick. In order to build our wonderful communities, we needed brick and mortar. Limestone was carried from the nearby deposits and broken into grapefruit sized chunks. Limestone and firewood were loaded into the vertical shafts of the kilns. The burning wood transformed the limestone into masonry mortar. Masonry mortar was widely used in the early constructions in Salt Lake City. The kilns were put out of business around 1900 by the invention of Portland cement.

You’d have to look south of Sixth Avenue to find homes built with the mortar that was likely created just up the hill. Today you have your choice of homes built in the centuries following the demise of limekilns. Below are a few of the homes for sale located within walking distance to a historic kiln. Call us to schedule showings at your convenience.