651 Park Avenue
Lila Nelson House

Historic photo

Recent Photo

This one-story bungalow was built in 1925 as an investment property for Lila Nelson. Lila was the daughter of Col. John and Eliza Nelson, early settlers of Park City. Col. Nelson was a veteran of the Civil War and came to Park City in 1873 by way of Montana and Salt Lake City. He and Eliza homesteaded the land that is now the base of Park City Mountain Resort and the Park City Golf Course. While Eliza and the children operated the boarding house and farm, the Colonel indulged himself in his real interests, prospecting and mining.

Lila was born in Montana in 1868 and worked there as a school teacher. She also spent two years with her brother john in the California Gold fields. She retired to the family home on Nelson Hill, where the base of Park City Mountain Resort is located today and became famous for her annual flower gardens. After Col. Nelson died in 18821, Eliza and her children continued to operate the farm. Although Lila died in 1939, this property remained in the Nelson family until 1953.

The low pitch of the hip roof and the prominent front porch are characteristic of the bungalow. Like a majority of Park City’s bungalows, the siding of this house is narrow novelty siding.