Salt Lake Valley, 1847
Relocated in 1981

One of only two surviving buildings from the original pioneer fort built in the Salt Lake Valley, the Riter Cabin was built in 1847 for Levi and Rebecca Riter. The Riters, originally from Pennsylvania, had a Quaker background prior to their conversion to the Mormon faith. While crossing the plains, Levi paid fifty dollars to have the cabin built so it would be ready when they arrived. John Boss and his sons, who were part of the advance party, built the cabin in the south section of the fort. It had a dirt floor and no windows, but was a considerable improvement over the other early settlers’ homes because it had a board and slab roof. Other cabins only had leaky mud and willow roofs. Being a wealthy family, they only lived in their cabin for a year while a new two-story adobe home was being built. The cabin, moved next to the new home, was then used as a workshop and storage shed.