Built in 1872 by Lorenzo Hill Hatch to serve as his home, the Hatch House still stands in its original location. Lorenzo Hatch was the second Mormon bishop to serve in Franklin from the years 1863-1875 and was the first mayor of the town.
Hatch built his house in a large, elegant Greek Revival style in order to entertain visiting dignitaries and travelers. It was the largest residence in town at the time it was built. The building is two stories built from stone from a nearby quarry just northeast of the town. It is notable for its proportions, classical wooden details, and elegant stone quoins. The original floor plan included a front parlor, hallway, and staircase on one side, a kitchen in the back, and four bedrooms (three upstairs and one downstairs). A brick addition was built in 1905. The house was heated with stoves and plumbing can only be found in the brick addition. The exterior remains unaltered, however, the interior has been significantly altered from its original.
Ownership and occupation of the Hatch House remained in Hatch’s family until the 1940s. The Idaho State Historical Society purchased the building in 1979 and still owns it today.
Photo Credit: Dan Everhart