1879: Building the Family

Christian Gulbrandsen Knudsen was born in 1856 in Ringsaker, Norway. He immigrated to Lehi, Utah, in 1872 as part of a wave of Scandinavian converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sarah Larous Ottesen was born on April 6th 1862, in Spanish Fork, Utah. They were married at the St. George Temple on November 14th, 1879.

They had ten children: Laura Hannah, Carrie Elizabeth, Christian Gilbert, Alice Catherine, Arthur Mathias, Vera Christine, Andrew Isaac, Leland Jacob, Rachel Lilian, and Elijah Franklin.

1909: Building the House

In 1909, Knudsen constructed a substantial brick residence at 123 South Center Street in Lehi, symbolizing both his economic success and social standing. The home incorporated elements of Late Victorian and Classical Revival architecture, reflecting broader design trends in Utah during the early twentieth century. The house featured a wraparound porch, decorative woodwork, and a multi-gabled roofline. These elements demonstrated craftsmanship and attention to detail while also serving as a visual marker of prosperity. For immigrant families like the Knudsens, such homes represented not only comfort but also the achievement of stability and success in a new land. 

1910s: A Home and Community Hub

The Knudsen house functioned as more than a private residence. Christian and Sarah Knudsen used their home as a “halfway house” for travelers moving through Utah. Such hospitality allowed newcomers to find temporary shelter, establish connections, and transition into life in Utah. The house therefore played a key role in supporting migration and settlement, reinforcing the interconnected nature of early communities in Lehi. Census records from 1930, 1940, and 1950 demonstrate the continued use of the house as a family residence, even as generations changed. The home remained a stable center of family life for decades

1926: Tragedy and Tradition

The death of Christian Knudsen in 1926 marked a turning point in the history of the house. His passing left both a personal and structural void, as the home transitioned away from its original builder. Ownership of the property gradually shifted within the family, with his daughter Vera Knudsen associated with the house during the 1930s. This period represents a transition from the founding generation to the next, as the house remained tied to family memory while adapting to new realities. By the 1930s, the house began to face the physical challenges associated with aging structures. A fire in 1934 caused damage to the home, reflecting the difficulties of maintaining large residences. Despite this setback, the house continued to be occupied and maintained. Its survival through these challenges demonstrates both its durability and its continued importance within the community.

1943: WWII and the War Effort

In 1943, amid a nationwide housing shortage for war workers, the federal government instituted the Homes Use Program. The Homes Use Program was a World War II initiative by the National Housing Agency designed to optimize the use of existing housing for defense employees by converting extra rooms and larger homes into apartments. Its goal was to address housing shortages in areas crucial for war production without requiring new construction.

1946: Japanese Relocation Rumors

The wartime use of the Knudsen house is linked to the broader history of Japanese American relocation and labor. During World War II, Japanese Americans were relocated to camps but later permitted to work in agriculture due to labor shortages. In Utah County, these workers became essential to maintaining agricultural production, particularly in crops such as sugar beets. While direct documentation is limited, local accounts suggest that converted homes like the Knudsen house may have provided temporary housing for Japanese families leaving Topaz after its closure in 1945, as they began to return or seek new homes.

1964: Single Family Home

After World War II, the Knudsen house continued to function as a multi-family residence for years. The ownership of the house was then transferred to the Schow family, who eventually converted it from apartments to a single-family residence and sold it to Vern and Jessie Carter of the Carter Airport. They moved in on March 20th 1964. This shift reflected a return to the home’s earlier function while preserving its continued role as a lived-in domestic space. Jessie E. Carter’s association with the house demonstrates continuity in occupancy during a period when many historic homes were being altered or demolished. Her ownership helped ensure the survival of the structure into the late twentieth century, bridging its early history with later preservation efforts.

1970s: Contribution to Lehi's History

Besides the Carter Airport, the new owners were also associated with Richard S. Van Wagoner. Their daughter, Mary, married and resided in the house with Richard–who later became one of the most important figures for the historiography of the Church of Jesus of Latter Day Saints and for the city of Lehi. Years after living in the house, Van Wagoner writes LEHI: Portraits of  Utah Town.

1985: Restoration and Legacy

In 1985, new owners Michael and Sandra Schandrel began an ongoing restoration of the house. The Knudsen House was formally recognized in 1998 when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This designation highlights its importance as both an architectural landmark and a historical resource. Today, the home stands as a testament to more than a century of change. From its origins as the home of a Norwegian immigrant and community leader to its role in wartime adaptation and eventual preservation, it reflects the evolving history of Lehi. Through the lives of Christian Knudsen, his descendants, and later owners such as Jessie E. Carter, the house remains a powerful symbol of continuity, resilience, and community identity which had homed some of Lehi’s most significant people who helped build the city that stands today.