Currently Craving- Historic Higbee Home

The Higbee home in Cedar City satisfies historic Southwest cravings.  The story of this home is happy.  Its owners, Issac Clark Higbee and May Macfarlane Higbee were natives of this Southern Utah town.  Their parents were original pioneers.  Ike was a farmer.  His business partners were his brothers Edward J. and Myron D.  Together,  they enjoyed the summers on Cedar Mountain with their sheep and cattle.  Their ranching business prospered as they shared in the work ,yet each retained their own portions of the ranch and livestock.

While Ike and May were not able to have have children of their own, they were blessed to raise Ike's two neices, Pearl Higbee and Lillian Higbee.  Pearl and Lillian lost their mother early on in life.  Also, to this happy home came Douglass Clark who was an orphan from Parowan,

Utah.  Douglass worked the land with his father and Lillian and Pearl joined their mother in making their house a home as well as developed their musical talents.  Lillian became a noted pianist and May's voice was a Southern Utah Treasure.  Both Ike and May loved music.  If one listens closely, perhaps the music from Ike's old reed piano still echoes from his beautiful home on 4th West.

The Higbee home was built in about 1908 by Joseph Moroni Parry.  His talent as a carpenter and builder are evidenced in many of the early homes in Cedar City.  His homes were strong and sturdy.  While money was not plentiful to the early settlers of Cedar City, Joseph often took his pay in trade.  His daughter referred to his pay as "chips and skittles."  In one such instance, he was paid in honey for his job.  This honey served as the sweetener for their bottling of fruit for the entire year.  

The Higbee home was the last home which Joseph built.  The steep roof with its several gables must have required great courage from the aging Joseph Moroni. The design of the Higbee home is turn of the century Victorian with the unique use of native sandstone for the exterior rock which is typical of the west during the time because of the limited resources available.  The home boasts of strength and fortitude with its  gingerbread trim, high pitched roof lines, and beautiful symmetry 

The interior of the home is simply endearing. The doors and trim  work are pine with a faux leather finish used to resemble the hardwoods found back East. The home's entrance welcomes its guests with its stair case, a personal favorite to many, as is the unique pocket door separating the dining room and sitting room- this functional trait is still used today.  However, it is the transoms above the doors that draws the eye and capture the heart.  Its old world feel lends to nostalgic charm.

Cedar City is home to the Tony Award Winning Utah Shakespearean Festival, Utah Summer Games, Southern Utah University , Neil Simon Festival, and is the  gateway to Zion, Bryce and Cedar Breaks not to mention the Brian Head's "winter chocolate." However, in the early days, Cedar City's boundaries stretched slightly past 200 North and  500 West.  Rich orchards of grapes, currant bushes, gooseberries, and  raspberries decorated the land.  It is the block between 400 and 500 West which  Ike's parents, Edward J. and Susie Higbee purchased in late March of 1904 when they purchased the home referred to historically as Arthur Brown's.  It is from Edward and Susie that Ike and May acquired the land. 

Water acessiblity at the turn of the century was a most desired function.  However, Edward and Susie first accessed water via a cistern which they filled with water and then allowed to settle before drinking.  However, the day did come when fresh spring water was piped to various lots.  Ted dug a trench from 300 to 400 west to enjoy the luxury of a water tap at their back door. Electricity was another novelty.  Ted stood at the back door watching to see how long it would take for it to travel from Main to their home on 400 West.  It was indeed a moment of great illumination!

In February 1963, Karlene Paxman bought the home from Lillian S. Clark.  Karlene found refuge at the Higbee home.  Perhaps, the happy tune from Ike's reed piano comforted her as she raised her three children there for the next 40 years.   In the 1980's Karlene converted  the Higbee home into a Bed and Breakfast.  Karlene was somewhat of a culinary artist.  Her famous yeast breads, mouth watering cinnamon rolls, and homemade granola welcomed her guests.  Not to mention warmed the neighborhood with heaven "scent" love.  Karlene added yet another strain of love to the Higbee home. 

 In 2002, Larry and Rae Overson purchased the house from the Paxman family and opened it again as a Bed and Breakfast in 2003.  Present day owners Dan and Cami Dailey cherish the home and welcome more visitors to stop by at this vacation rental for Ike's  reed piano melody and a scent of Karlene's cinnamon rolls.   A stay in this home  is a Happy Hug from the Higbees and history.