The Moesser Farmstead: 3663 South 5600 West, Built 1894

History of 3663 South 5600 West, West Valley City

The property at 3663 South 5600 West represents a late nineteenth-century farmstead and is a tangible reminder of West Valley City’s agricultural roots. The centerpiece of the property is a vernacular foursquare house, built in 1894, which grew over the years through multiple additions completed between 1898 and 1910. The home, originally 32 by 48 feet, is sided with wooden drop siding over adobe and rests on a stone and concrete foundation. Its steeply pitched hip roof, complemented by shed and gabled additions, is covered in asphalt shingles, and the home is surrounded by mature deciduous trees and shrubs that have graced the front yard for over a century.

The house was expanded in several stages to meet the needs of its occupants. Early additions included a concrete and stone well house in 1898 and a north-side extension in 1907 that doubled the living space. Subsequent shed-roofed and gabled additions connected the original sections, culminating with a 1910 addition on the north wall. The residence features a blend of one-over-one double-hung windows, modern sliding glass windows, and wooden shutters, reflecting its long evolution while retaining the character of a turn-of-the-century farmhouse.

The property also includes two historic outbuildings east of the house: a stone granary, constructed circa 1899, and a large barn of similar vintage. The granary, with a gabled roof and cobble-and-mortar walls, served as a vital storage building, while the barn, now expanded with metal siding and a shed addition, reflects the farmstead’s functional evolution over decades.

The land and home were originally owned by Joseph H. Moesser, who built the house shortly after acquiring the parcel. Born in Brighton, Utah, in 1868, Moesser was a lifelong farmer and the son of Mormon pioneers. He married Martha Maria Evans in 1890, and together they raised ten children, three of whom died in infancy. Joseph H. Moesser passed away in 1917, and his estate remained in probate until 1927. Martha Moesser continued to occupy the house until her death in 1951.

After Martha’s passing, the property passed through several owners, including Hyrum and Irma Toone, George and Lucille Strelich, Felix and Francis Baronette, Owen and Erma Searle, and C. M. and La Roma Sproul. In 1980, Marvin R. and Carla L. Denham acquired the property, retaining its historic farmhouse character while preserving its legacy as a window into the region’s rural past.

The home and its associated outbuildings stand as a testament to West Valley City’s transition from farmland to suburban community, reflecting both the architectural evolution of the vernacular foursquare style and the lives of the families who worked and lived the land.

Home

Home circ 2025

The Stone Granary & storage