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A Guide to The City of Boulder's Structure of Merit ProgramA Guide to The City of Boulder’s Structure of Merit Program Recognizing the Past to Preserve the Future A Guide to The City of Boulder’s Structure of Merit Program Historic Preservation in Boulder In the early 1970’s, the Boulder area lost several important buildings to new development. The community Responded with a grassroots effort aimed at legally protecting the city’s many historic places. In 1974, the Boulder Historic Preservation Ordinance was passed. With the City Council adoption of this code, Boulder became one of the first cities in Colorado with the authority to designate and prevent the demolition or destruction of historic, architectural, and cultural resources considered valuable to the community. Today, more than 30 communities in Colorado have similar historic preservation ordinances, many of which are based on Boulder’s model. Historic preservation is about recognizing and protecting something --an older building or neighborhood or a piece of landscape, for instance-- because of its importance to the community. This might mean saving a building because it has architectural or educational value, or because it links us to characters or events from the past. It also means protecting modest, simple buildings along with high-style, elaborate ones. We recognize that many of our old buildings still have plenty of life left in them; whether they continue to be used the way they were originally intended or are reused in some new “adaptive” way, there are environmental, economic and social benefits to preserving them. Structure of Merit Program This Structure of Merit program was established in 1988 but has not been active since 1997. The Landmarks Board approved regulations for the Structure of Merit (SOM) program to recognize non-landmark properties possessing historical, architectural, or aesthetic merit. The overall goal of this program is to recognize and encourage the protection, enhancement, and use of such structures. The Landmarks Board views the SOM listing as a way to increase preservation awareness and encourage community value for recognized properties. Different from landmark designation, the SOM program is strictly honorary and is not subject to the same review processes for alterations to designated individual landmarks or resources within listed historic districts and the procedure for recognition is less regulated than the process associated with landmark and historic district designation. As resources are listed on either the National Register or State Register, these properties are automatically added to Boulder’s ongoing listing of SOMs. As additions are made to the SOM list, the property owners are notified. In 1997 the Landmarks Board slightly revised the administrative rules for the SOM program intending to ensure consistency between SOM rules and the historic preservation code’s demolition and relocation review process. Demolition and relocation review is required for any building fifty years or older and for SOM properties under fifty years of age. This provision was subsequently changed again in response to owner opposition. SOM properties under fifty years of age no longer are subject to demolition review. The following booklet lists the current properties recognized as SOMs. Many of these were chosen for their relation to a Landmarks Board selected theme. For example, in 1987 the board focused on Goss-Grove Little Rectangle houses. Other thematic listings include those of the terrace form (1989) and homes designed by architect Charles Haertling (1997). There are four ways in which a SOM is recognized: 1. All structures officially designated by state or federal agencies are automatically on the list since the ordinance requires their inclusion. Thus structures listed on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties (SR) and the National Register (NR) will be listed. 2. As surveys of Boulder are completed, neighborhood by neighborhood, the Landmarks Board will review survey results and consider appropriate SOM designations. 3. The Landmarks Board will consider neighborhoods in which few individual structures have been landmarked, yet contain structures which merit designation. 4. Types of structures important to the development of Boulder such as churches, schools and terraces, may also be considered for designation. The Process for Recognition of a Structure of Merit: 1. Application: An application for recognition may be submitted by either the property owner or the Landmarks Board. (When the Landmarks Board proposes to consider other structures for recognition, immediate notification to property owner is required.) 2. Procedure: The City Manager shall refer to the Landmarks Board any application or resolution for the recognition of a structure of merit. 3. Criteria or Recognition: The Landmarks Board may recognize a structure as a structure of merit if the structure is of historical, architectural, or aesthetic merit. 4. Record of Historic Structures: The Landmarks Board shall maintain a record of historic structures in the city that have been officially designated by agencies of the state or federal government and shall add structures as recognized. 5. Recognition by Landmarks Board: The Landmarks Board may authorize such steps as it sees fit to encourage the protection, enhancement, perpetuation, and use of structures by issuing certificates of recognition (without limitation) and authorizing plaques to be affixed to the exteriors of recognized structures. Although dormant for some time, the SOM program still retains value. The Landmark Board members have attempted to reinvigorate this program over the years, but unfortunately this has yet to happen. However, it is the hope of the 2013 Landmarks Board that this booklet will be the first step in the right direction. Since SOM properties are not subject to the same level of review as designated resources, this program will serve as a less process-driven introduction to the Boulder historic preservation system for property owners. While SOM do not receive as much protection as landmarks or buildings within historic districts, the recognition potentially can lead to not only increased owner pride but it will also serve as a list of potential historical sites for local preservation advocates, the Landmarks Board and City Staff. N SOMs Not Shown 1850 Ta ble Mesa Drive 3345 Broadway 1420 Bluebell Avenue 1440 Bellevue Drive 630 Northstar Court Folsom St.28th St.Wa lnut St .Pine St. Mapleton Av e. Alpine Ave.9th St . Pe arl St. Canyon Blvd. Arapahoe Ave. Basline Rd. Colorado Ave. Br oa dw ay College Ave.13th St.15th St .17th St.19th St .21st St.23rd St. Spruce St. Mapleton Ave. Ca ny on Blvd .Arapahoe Av e. Goss Grove F l a g s t a f f R d . Euclid Ave. Aurora Ave. Cascade Ave.7th St.30th St.8th St.9th St.10th St.12th St.13th St.7th St.15th St.17th St.19th St.60 26 64 39 63 61 62 58 57 56 55 48 474544 43 42 41 4029 38 37 3635 34 33 32 30 27 28 18 25 24 23 21 20 17 16 15 14 131211 1097 65 4 3 2 1 53 54 51 50 N SOMs Not Shown 1850 Table Mesa Drive 3345 Broadway 1420 Bluebell Avenue 1440 Bellevue Drive 630 Northstar Court Folsom St.28th St.Walnut St.Pine St. Mapleton Av e. Alpine Ave.9th St . Pe arl St. Canyon Blvd. Arapahoe Ave. Basline Rd. Colorado Ave. Br oa dw ay College Ave.13th St.15th St .17th St.19th St .21st St.23rd St. Spruce St. Mapleton Ave. Canyon Blvd.Arapahoe Ave. Goss Grove F l a g s t a f f R d . Euclid Ave. Aurora Ave. Cascade Ave.7th St.30th St.8th St.9th St.10th St.12th St.13th St.7th St.15th St.17th St.19th St.60 266439 63 6162 58 57 56 55 48 47454443 42 41 4029 38 37 3635 34 33 32 30 27 28 1825 24 23 21 20 17 16 15 14 131211 1097 65 4 3 2 1 53 54 51 50 A Guide to The City of Boulder’s Structure of Merit Program SOM-1 George-Paddock House 845 11th Street The George-Paddock House was built c. 1909 by Dr. Russell George to meticulous specifications, including solid brick walls, inside and out. Dr. George moved to Boulder in 1903 to head the Geology Department of the University of Colorado and became the State Geologist from 1907 to the mid 1920s. In 1939 A. A. Paddock purchased the home from the Georges. Paddock was editor and publisher of the Boulder Daily Camera, a newspaper founded in 1891 by Paddock’s father, L.C. Paddock, and grandfather, Valentine Butsch. The house is a three-story, foursquare cottage with an unusual L-shaped porch. The building is a type commonly associates with substantial and prosperous residential architecture. SOM-2 McNutt-Downing House 983 14th Street The McNutt-Downing House was built in 1892 by David W. McNutt, and is significant as being one of the earliest and most substantial homes on University Hill. David McNutt was one of Boulder’s earliest residents who moved to Colorado for health reasons. He owned various rental properties in Boulder until 1910, when he traded his home on 14th Street for a ranch near Fort Morgan, where he lived until his death in 1912. The property changed hands several times, until it was purchased by Roderick L. Downing in 1934. The historical significance of this house for Boulderites is most closely associated with Downing, who is best known as “Father of the Denver-Boulder Turnpike.” The McNutt-Downing House is a two-and-one half story brick structure with an unusual combination of hip and gable roofs. It is a vernacular building with a variety of detailing, including a round arch window, unusual two- story frame porch, a side bay, and brick string courses. SOM-3 Coulson-Noxon House 907 7th Street The stately brick Coulson-Noxon House was built by Dr. David E. Coulson between 1900 and 1904. Dr. and Mrs. Caul son came to Boulder from Monmouth, Illinois for Dr. Coulson’s health. He continued his dental practice while Mrs. Coulson was principal of Central School and later taught at University Hill Junior High. Victor Noxon purchased the house from the Coulson’s in 1914. Noxon was an 1886 graduate of the University Of Colorado School Of Engineering and after graduation, was a newspaper publisher and editor in Idaho Springs. After moving back to Boulder so his children could attend CU, he started the Boulder County Farmer and Miner, and he and Lucius Paddock, publisher of the Daily Camera, carried on a spirited feud through their respective editorial pages. The Coulson-Noxon House has more recently become significant as the home of Astronaut Scott Carpenter, son of Noxon’s daughter Florence. Carpenter was the second man to orbit the earth as part of the Mercury program in a space capsule he named Aurora 7, in reference to his boyhood home. Essentially a brick four square residence, the Coulson-Noxon House is very plain, with Queen Anne elements including a corner tower and matching second floor turret. The original house had a third floor which burned in the 1920’s, and the present roof line is considerably altered. SOM-4 The Castle 977 9th Street The Castle was built by Boulder brick mason Benjamin Franklin Gregg in 1905 and 1906. Frank Gregg was born in Indiana and moved to Boulder in 1873. He owned and operated the Colorado Cement Factory, and was a masonry contractor whose work included the Octagon House at 821 Lincoln Place and the James P. Maxwell House, in addition to the Castle. The significance of the Castle lies in its unusual architecture and as the name suggests, resembles a castle. It was constructed of Boulder Brick which was hand-chipped by Gregg’s son Earl. The bricks came from the Boulder Pressed Brick Company which was located at the present site of Casey Junior High School. The exterior walls are two widths of brick with an air space between, and the interior walls of the main floor and basement are solid brick. The house is placed at an angle on its corner lot to allow sunlight into every room during some part of the day. There are five floor levels, making this Boulder’s first split level house, and only four of the rooms are four-sided with right angles. SOM-5 1915 ½ Goss The builder of this vernacular cottage is unknown, as is the exact date of construction. The significance of this small, simple house is that it is one of the only remaining ‘back lot’ houses. Back lot houses were built as a result of overcrowding in the Goss-Grove neighborhood, since housing was generally unavailable to early black residents in other areas of Boulder. This back lot is a rectangular frame box with hip roof that extends from the front of the house to cover the porch. The roof has simple post supports and there are several steps from grade to porch. The entry is centered with windows on either side. SOM-6 1935 ½ Goss The builder and exact date of construction of this ver- nacular structure are unknown. The significance of this small frame house is that it is one of Boulder’s only remaining back lot houses. Although it has been sub- stantially altered over the years, its size has remained unchanged, making it recognizable as a back lot house. Back lot houses were built as a result of overcrowding in the Goss-Grove neighborhood, since housing was generally unavailable to early black residents in other areas of Boulder. SOM-7 Martha Hall House 2102 Goss The builders of this vernacular frame house, as well as the exact date of construction are unknown. Its significance lies in the fact that it was at one time the home of long-time Boulder residents, James and Mar- tha Hall. Mr. Hall was a former slave and Civil War vet- eran. The Halls moved to Boulder in 1876 and were living in this house by 1896. This simple hip roofed frame house is typical of the residences built near the turn of the century in the area referred to as the “little rectangle” bounded by Canyon Boulevard, 19th Street, Goss Street and 23rd Street. This area was home to the city’s minority groups in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 A Guide to The City of Boulder’s Structure of Merit Program SOM-9 Oscar & Mary White House 2202 Goss The building and exact date of construction of this vernacular frame house are unknown although it was probably built before 1898. Its significance lies in the fact that it was once the home of Oscar and Mary White. Mr. White was a former slave and civil war veteran. The Whites were charter members of the Allen Chapel of the African Methodist Episcopal Church which was the focal point of Boulder’s early black community. This simple hip roofed house has been changed somewhat over time, but remains an example of Boulder’s early minority housing in the “little rectangle” area of the Goss-Grove neighborhood. SOM-10 James Sackett House 2250 Goss The exact date of construction and building of this simple vernacular frame house are unknown although it was probably built before 1896. Its significance is twofold: It was the home of James Sackett who was a fruit grower. The Goss-Grove Sackett who was a fruit grower. Sackett who was a fruit grower. The Goss- Grove neighborhood was first settled as an agricultural area, filled with orchards, and this house is one of the few that can be directly linked to this past. In addition, it is a virtually unaltered hall and parlor house, a folk building type transplanted from the rural south by early black settlers. SOM-11 Henry Drumm House 1638 Grove This masonry residence was built in the 1890s and is located in what is now known as the Goss-Grove neighborhood. The house belonged to Henry and Stella Drumm at the turn of the century, and is significant because of Henry Drumm. He was a prominent citizen, an 1878 graduate of the State Preparatory School, and a member of CU’s first graduating class in 1878. He was a lawyer, Justice of the Peace, City Council member, and most importantly, a cartographer. Drumm produced maps which are still being used today. The Drumm House is a vernacular structure with Queen Anne detailing, a common type in Boulder; however, there are very few such structures that remain unaltered, and is among the small, simple houses of Goss-Grove, this larger and more substantial house is significant and intact. SOM-12 1728 Grove The builder of this vernacular cottage is unknown, as is the exact date of construction although it was probably built in the 1890s. Although similar masonry structures were common in Boulder, the significance of 1728 Grove lies in the unusual amount of unaltered detailing applied to this simple Goss-Grove neighborhood house. A one and one half story hip roofed cottage, the decorative ornamentation includes a columned porch, patterned shingles in gable ends, and patterned brickwork. SOM-13 Charles B. Anderson House 1902 Grove The brick house at 1902 Grove Street was built by Charles B. Anderson in the 1890s. The Anderson House is one of the most significant in the Goss- Grove neighborhood through its association with Charles B. Anderson. Anderson moved to Boulder in 1875 and was a prominent Boulder contractor who worked on the Highland School, Ryssby Church, and many residences and office buildings in Boulder and other Colorado towns. The Anderson Family lived in a log cabin on the site of 1902 Grove Street before the present house was constructed. Anderson was active in recruiting Swedish immigrants to settle in Boulder and he was responsible for shaping patterns of growth and construction in the Goss-Grove neighborhood. The Anderson House is a simple one-story brick house of vernacular style. It has a cross gable with open porch, supported by large, turned wood spindle posts. Some of Anderson’s orchard and some outbuildings are still intact. These elements make the site a significant remnant of Boulder’s pioneer heritage. SOM-14 2141 Grove Street The builder and date of construction of this Goss-Grove neighborhood house are unknown. The significance of this small, one-story residence is that it is one of the few remaining examples of a hall-and-parlor folk house, a building type that Boulder’s earliest Black residents transplanted from the rural south when they moved west. The form of hall-and-parlor houses is a simple frame box with side gable roof or relatively steep pitch. This roof breaks to one of shallower pitch that covers a simple porch that extends across the front of the house. The porch is usually one step above grade, and the roof is supported by simple posts. SOM-15 Arnett-Fullen House 646 Pearl Street City of Boulder Landmark No. 56 The Arnett-Fuller house represents the work of Boulder architect, George E. King. At the time of its construction, the house was considered one of the most architecturally beautiful houses in the city. Willamette Arnett, son of Boulder pioneer, Anthony Arnett, built the house, intending it as a showplace. In 1914, Mrs. Hiram Fullen, widow of the successful Boulder gold miner, paid $17,500 for the house. On November 17, 1993, the house was purchased by Historic Boulder in public auction and is currently a private residence. In 2007, the owners restored the tower to its original multicolored slate covering which matched pieces found in the garden and the style found in photographs from the turn of the century. The ornate detail, mansard tower and gabled roof make it an unusually prominent structure in the district and the house remains a fine example of Boulder’s early residential construction, having maintained its integrity of setting and design. 10 11 13 1512 9 14 A Guide to The City of Boulder’s Structure of Merit Program SOM-16 Lytle House 2016 Walnut City of Boulder Landmark No. 61 The Lytle House was built in 1881 by George and Mary Lytle. Mr. Lytle was a miner before settling in Boulder, and had mined in British Columbia and in Gilpin County. The significance of this house lies in its association with George Lytle, an important figure in Boulder County history as one of the original owners of the Caribou Mine. While the stories regarding the discovery of the Caribou Mine are varied, they all agree that Sam Conger, William Martin, and George Lytle uncovered one of the richest silver lodes in Boulder County. Mary Lytle had moved to Colorado from Indiana in 1862 after the death of her first husband. She worked at a variety of jobs, including cook, nurse, and salesperson for a sewing machine agency. She married George Lytle in 1872 and they lived in Nederland, Colorado until 1880, during which time George Lytle and John Pickel owned and operated a general store. In 1880, Lytle sold his mining and business interests and then moved to Boulder. The Lytle House is a brick Italianate hipped cottage and is one of the oldest cottage subtypes The Lytle’s build an L-plan variation, with curved veranda, and the wide eaves with brackets that are characteristic of the style. SOM-17 Werley House 1813 Pine Street City of Boulder Landmark No. 60 This house was built between 1884 and 1892 by Peter J. Werley. Werley came to Colorado in 1868 and spent many years mining in Leadville and Caribou. He came to Boulder in 1883, where he became the owner of a saloon and was involved in the investment business. The house is significant for its architecture, particularly its unusual reverse Palladian windows and detailing. SOM-18 Butsch-Paddock House 1105 Spruce Street The Butsch-Paddock House was built in 1894 by Valentine Butsch. This house is significant because of its association with two owners’ who together began Boulder’s daily newspaper which is still being published almost a century later. Butsch moved to Boulder from Indianapolis, Indiana in 1878. In April of 1892, Butsch and his son-in-law, Lucius Carver Paddock, purchased the Boulder Camera, a weekly newspaper which they soon changed to a daily. After Butsch’s death, Paddock and his family moved into his house on Spruce Street. Paddock came to Colorado with his family in 1878 when he was 18. He worked in his father’s mine, the Mountain Lion, in Magnolia. He later taught school, and worked on newspapers in Boulder, Aspen, and Leadville until purchasing the Boulder Camera with Butsch. Paddock served as editor of the Boulder Daily Camera for 49 years, becoming well known throughout the state for his high quality editorials. The Butsch-Paddock House is a three-story brick hipped cottage with stone base. The front facade features a round arch window with stained glass transom, and stone and brick arched lintel. SOM-19 NCAR 1850 Table Mesa Drive The Mesa Laboratory of the National Center for Atmospheric Research was designed by internationally- renowned architect, I.M. Pei. It was constructed between 1964 and 1968 of textured concrete made from a special aggregate of local red sandstone. The intent of the design was to fit the building into the natural setting of mesa grasses with the flatirons as a back drop. I.M. Pei was greatly influenced by Mesa Verde’s Anasazi ruins, and many similarities can be seen between the towers, keyhole windows, and kivas of Mesa Verde and the architecture of NCAR. The basic conflict between the inspiration of Mesa Verde and the resulting architectural expression of NCAR has made the building most significant to Boulder. While Mesa Verde is sheltered by, and part of, the surrounding cliffs, NCAR stands as a monolith on Walter Orr Roberts Mesa, and as such, has become one of Boulder’s most important and visible landmarks. NCAR also has exceptional significance because it is an important public building of one of the Twentieth Century’s most acclaimed architects. SOM-20 Bernard Houses 1602-1620 Walnut The Bernard Houses, a series of two-story vernacular cottages, were built in about1902 by J.J. Bernard. The site on which the houses are built was purchased from the federal government by Daniel Pound in 1865. Pound at one time owned most of what is now Boulder’s central business district. J.J. Bernard moved to Boulder in the early 1900’s and owned a garage on Pearl Street, as well as a construction company. He built the houses as single family dwellings, and sold the property in 1910. Although the property changed hands several times in the following ten years, the lots remained a single tract until 1921. In 1921, Frank Madden, a Boulder contrac- tor, purchased the tract, divided it and sold the houses to individual owners. For many years the houses were occupied by single families; however, in later years they were converted to rooming houses and apartments, reflecting the change in housing patterns of the areas peripheral to downtown Boulder. In 1974 War- ren Rovetch purchased the properties and converted them into an apartment complex. The renovation plans proposed changing the interior and exterior of the four houses as little as possible. An exception to this was the restoration of porches, balconies and other details, to create an appearance nearly like the original. The back yards to the south of the houses were combined into a park-like open space for the common use of all the tenants. The significance of the Bernard Houses is the fact that five similar and identical houses combine to create a unique and charming block. A sensitive ren- ovation has allowed a housing use, appropriate to the downtown, to be continued, while preserving the his- toric character of most of an entire block. 16 17 18 19 20 20 20 20 A Guide to The City of Boulder’s Structure of Merit Program SOM-21 Leech House 575 Arapahoe The elaborate brick house was built in 1880 by Millard Leech. It is significant because it is an example of an architectural style that was not common in Boulder, and because of its association with Millard Leech. Before coming to Boulder, Mr. Leech was a detective for the Union Pacific Railroad. He was later engaged in mining on Left Hand Creek and at Magnolia for several years. After years of effort, he was finally able to build “the Switzerland Trail,” the railroad connecting the cities of Boulder and Ward. Leech built his house shortly after he came to Boulder. This two story example of the Second Empire style is unusual in Boulder for two reasons. First, there were relatively few residences of this style constructed, and second, the elaborate detailing makes this house appear as a miniaturized version of the more familiar extravagant Second Empire mansions. Features which characterize this house are a shingled mansard roof, cornice with brackets and dentals, and beaded glass squares bordering windows. An original tower over the entrance has been removed, but otherwise the building has been changed little. SOM-22 Clemens House 3345 Broadway The stone house at 3345 Broadway was built in 1894 by Clara Clemens. The land on which the house was constructed was purchased from the Federal Government by Fredrick Squire and Jonathon Tourtellot in 1870. The land was held by a series of owners, until James P. Maxwell and George S. Oliver sold it to the Clemens family in 1888. The Clemens family moved to a ranch house near Golden, Colorado from Missouri in 1875, then tried farming near Erie. After two years of drought and grasshoppers, the Clemens moved to Jamestown where Clara’s father became involved in mining. Clara graduated from East Denver High School in Denver High School in 1887, and taught school in various locations, including Mapleton and Central Schools in Boulder. From 1891 to 1895 she was principal of Whittier School. It was considered most unusual for a single woman to construct a house, and Clara lived in her stone house with her mother until she married in 1913 and moved from Boulder. She entertained her cousin Samue1 Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, in this house when he came to visit. Constructed of local red hill sandstone, the building is a plain two story rectangular volume with a hipped roof, and stone sills and lintels. Aside from an addition at the rear, the house remains almost unchanged, and is an excellent example of a simple vernacular building constructed of local materials. SOM-23 Ruth Cave Flowers House 2019 Goss City of Boulder Landmark No. 63 This building associated with Dr. Ruth Cave Flowers, the first black graduate of the University of Colorado, and is significant for being part of “the little rectangle.” This area was the center of Boulder’s black community in the first half of the 20th century. By the 1950s, the “rectangle” was bi-racial, with a large Hispanic population. Thus, for at least 50 years, the area remained the center of the city’s minority population. Octagon House 821 Lincoln SOM-24 Known for its very unusual architecture and for its association with builder Benjamin Franklin Gregg, the Octagon House was built in 1907 for Oliver and Mary DeMotte by Boulder brick mason Benjamin Franklin Gregg. Gregg was born in Indiana and moved to Boulder in 1873. He owned and operated of Boulder’s most prominent masonry contractors. His work included the Castle, the James P. Maxwell House, and this house. This is an example of the very rare Octagon Style popularized by Orson S. Fowler in his book The Octagon House, a Home for All, published in 1849. Fowler maintained that the octagon shape enclosed more floor space per linear foot of exterior wall than more common squares or rectangles. His enthusiasm was not widely shared since only a few thousand were built, generally from 1850 to 1870. Only several hundred survive today, with most examples located in the east and Midwest, so Boulder’s Octagon House is truly unique. Although the detailing of many earlier Octagon Houses is Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, or Italianate, Frank Gregg’s brick octagon house is relatively plain with a hipped roof, segmental arched windows, chiseled brick trim, and a large semi circular stone arch. SOM-25 Soule-Coates House 1123 Spruce City of Boulder Landmark No. 118 The Soule-Coates House contributes architectural variety to the downtown historic district as an excellent example of the Colonial Revival Style and is significant for its successful adaptive rehabilitation from a residence into office space. The house is one of the earlier remaining residences in the original Boulder Township. The Soule-Coates House is associated with significant persons, including Boulder pioneer Anthony Arnett’s daughter and Edwin L. Coates, Boulder government official, businessman and Democratic Party leader. SOM-26 711 Walnut This house was built in 1880 or 1882, probably by a miner, since most of the other houses on the block belonged to miners. A very simple two-story front gable residence made of stone, the first floor is at grade and an open porch covers the entry patio. The window and door openings are simple vertical rectangles with stone lintels and sills. The stonework is finely- executed random ashlars with convex mortar joints. There have been few changes made over the years, the most noticeable of which is a frame dormer. This stone building is significant because it is one of the few remaining downtown residential buildings dating to the early days of the settlement of Boulder. 21 22 23 24 25 26 A Guide to The City of Boulder’s Structure of Merit Program SOM-27 1433-1435 13th Street Architectural Features: Brick construction, duplex with flat-arched windows with arched porch entries and Mission shaped roof parapet. Bracketed lean-to awning roof over front windows. SOM-28 2127-31-35 14th Street Architectural Features: Brick construction, triplex with circular arched porch entries and elliptically arched window heads. Corbelled brick cornice and pilasters expressed along front elevation. SOM-29 2330-2332 14th Street Architectural Features: Brick construction, duplex with a shared porch lean-to roof supported by columns with a projected gable, centered segmented arched window and door openings. Corbelled brick cornice with corner brick finials. SOM-30 1815-1821 17th Street Architectural Features: Brick construction, duplex with flat-arched windows with arched porch entries and Mission shaped roof parapet. Bracketed lean-to awning roof over front windows. SOM-32 2117-2121 18th Street Architectural Features: Brick construction, duplex with a shared low-pitch hipped roof porch over entries. Segmented arched window and door openings. Corbelled brick cornice and string course below window sill. SOM-33 Wahlstrom Mission Terrace 2010-2014 19th Street Architectural Features: Stuccoed duplex with shaped Mission parapets at front. Separate gabled porches supported by columns on stuccoed piers. Belt course above basement windows. SOM-34 2535-2537 5th Street Architectural Features: Brick construction, duplex with segmental arched window and door openings. Continuous, shared flat roofed porch over both entries supported by columns. Corbelled brick cornice. SOM-35 2059-2061 Bluff Architectural Features: Brick construction, duplex with segmental arched window and door openings. Continuously shared flat-roofed porch over both entries supported by columns. Corbelled brick cornice. SOM-36 2105-2107 Bluff Architectural Features: Brick construction, duplex with segmental arched window and door openings. Separate porch lean-to roofs supported by columns with a projected gable centered. Corbelled brick cornice with pilaster and finial decoration. SOM-37 315-317 Canyon Architectural Features: Brick construction, duplex with segmental arched window and door openings. A shared hip roof covers the entries. Corbelled brick cornice with pilaster and finial decoration. SOM-38 Johnson-Betasso Terrace 1911-1915 Pearl Street Architectural Features: Brick construction, triplex with separate lean-to porch roofs at entries. Segmental arched window and door openings. Stone window sills with a brick string line at the sill line. SOM-39 835-837 Walnut Street Architectural Features: Stone with stone lintels over openings. Corbelled stone cornice. Originally a duplex. No porch roof existing. SOM-40 2334-2336 14th Street Architectural Features: Brick construction, duplex with a shared porch covered by a lean-to roof supported by wood columns. Segmented arched window and door openings. Corbelled brick cornice with corner brick finials. SOM-41 2014 Pearl Street Architectural Features: stuccoed duplex or triplex without porch or awning covering front elevation. Finial decorations at parapet, front elevation. SOM-42 1515 Spruce Street Architectural Features Two story apartment building with four units served by two corner level entry doors. Brick construction, segmental arched door and window openings. Flat roofed porch over side by side entrances supported by square wood columns. Corbelled brick cornice at parapet, front elevation. SOM-43 1734 Spruce Street Architectural Features: Single unit terrace apartment. Stucco, segmented arched window and door openings, flat roofed porch supported by wood columns. 43424140 39 27 28 29 30 32 3837 33 36 34 35 A Guide to The City of Boulder’s Structure of Merit Program SOM-44 1414 Pine Street The house is a good example of a classic cottage deign and retains most of its original architectural details, including a cornice with incised scrolls, wooden porch trim, segmental brick arches, and, most notably, wooden bay windows. In 1900, Samuel D. Hum lived here with his family. Hum was a railway auditor who was born in Pennsylvania in 1866. SOM-45 1424 Pine Street This house is a good example of a small Victorian cottage, with detailing which is usually found on a larger home. The residence was built in 1890 by Frank Lounsberry, who was engaged in the lumber and building materials trade. SOM-47 1514 Pine Street This house, with its decorative shingles and Romanesque window, was constructed before 1900. It is a good example of a smaller Queen Anne style house, and adds to the architectural diversity of the Whittier neighborhood. In 1900 this was the home of Harry Gamble, an attorney, and his wife Jessie. SOM-48 Grieder House 1836 Baseline The Calvin and Florence Grieder house, built in 1949, was designed by local architect Jacques Hampton. The structure is representative of the Wright Usonian style with its horizontal lap siding set under a flat roof, featuring horizontal ribbon windows along the front facade, just under the broad overhanging eave. The horizontal composition of the structure is interrupted by two massive, vertically oriented sandstone chimney towers. The house features a U-shaped plan with the open side facing south. The enclosed patio is approximately 50 feet by 30 feet, with a large Hopa flowering crab tree in the center. On the west wail of the patio is a fresco 7 feet by 10 feet, designed by the Grieder’s elder son, Terence Grieder. The decorative use of pink Lyons sandstone is also featured on the interior fireplaces, two planters, and entrance hall. This house is also significant for its association with Calvin and Florence Grieder, original owners of the house. Calvin Grieder, recently deceased (November 1994), was professor of school administration at the University of Colorado from 1940 to 1972. Calvin was founder of the Colorado Association of School Boards and founding editor of the Colorado School Board Bulletin. In 1945, he became full professor at the University of Colorado. He served as director of graduate studies in the School of Education, was a member of the Faculty Council and the budget committee, serviced twice as acting dean of the Graduate School and twice as acting dean of the School of Education. He retired with the rank of professor emeritus and was awarded the Stearns Award for extraordinary service to the university. He co-authored seven books on education and 300 articles and monographs on administration. Florence Grieder was a member of the Boulder School Board from 1949 to 1961, serving as president the last six years. She-was active in state and local parent- teacher associations, and on the board of the Colorado Mental Health Association. She was the president of the Faculty Women’s Club from 1967-68. Sons include Terence, professor of art history at the University of Texas in Austin, and Timothy, academic officer at the Colorado Commission on Higher Education at Denver. SOM-49 1420 Bluebell This Prairie Ranch style house was built in 1952. The design, by Erphriam Hatch, was featured in the May, 1952 issue of Better Homes & Gardens, which showed pictures of the built model in Provo, Utah. Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Reinke purchased a set of the plans from Hatch. Incorporating ideas from their home in Michigan, designed by prominent architect Alden Dow, the Reinkes adapted and refined the plans for their property in Boulder. Both Hatch and Dow were influenced by the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright, as reflected in the building’s horizontality. The horizontal one story, asymmetrical building combines a side-gable low pitched roof with a projecting flat roof carport (later converted to a garage) and features clerestory windows above the recessed entry. Exterior materials include brick and vertical wood cladding; the southwest wall is of “post and beam” and glass construction. Robert Reinke, original owner of the house was a graduate of Crane Technical High School in Chicago and the University of Illinois. He worked as a chemist for Dow Chemical Company in Midland, Michigan from 1936 to 1952. He worked as a spectroscopic for Dow at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant from 1952 to 1979. Reinke published articles in the Chemical Engineering News, was active in the Boulder Lions Club and the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, and was a 50 year member of the American Chemical Society. SOM-50 Barnes-Schwalbe House 896 17th Street Haertling created a sensitive and imaginative addition to this small stylish Usonian home. Built in 1948, the home was one of the first post WWII modem structures in Boulder. Architect Jacques Hampton was the designer and original owner. The house is traditional materials, brick and wood. Haertling picked up on the palette of colors and materials, but created an addition that was respectful but different. This house is also called the Barnes House, after Hazel Barnes, who was the owner at the time the addition was created. Ms. Barnes was a renowned academic who made substantial contributions to the translation of Sartre. SOM-51 Wheat House 1515 Baseline Originally built in 1923, Jon Ben Wheat commissioned an addition in 1958 and a remodel in 1963 to transform this home into a modern design. Featuring an inverted roof line that allows a feeling of the outdoors to become part of interior space, this was one of Haertling’s firm’s first buildings. 44 45 47 48 49 50 51 A Guide to The City of Boulder’s Structure of Merit Program SOM-52 Albersheim House 1440 Bellevue Constructed on a lot with spectacular views in opposite directions, this wood structure is entirely coved in cedar shingles, even the soffits. During construction the Albersheim family insisted that the house be parallel to the street, but still wanted to enjoy the views of the surrounding area. To accomplish this, Haertling designed an elongated floor plan, with sleeping areas on each end of the house connected by two long glass walls. SOM-53 Yokum Building 1714-18 Broadway The original building was built in 1914 and remains a fine example of early twentieth-century commercial architecture. It was purchased in 1932 by Daniel Yokum, a photographer who merits recognition as an important figure in Boulder’s history. In 1975 Charles Haertling acquired the building and renovated the interior for use as a restuarant and added a section to the south side whichhe used as his architectural office from1976 until his death in 1984. SOM-54 Knudsen House 420 Christmas Tree Drive The Knudsen house is an excellent example of the Usonian style. The house has strong horizontal lines, with a flat roof, strong symmetry, and the use of cantilever. The materials are brick, polished aggregate and wood and glass curtain walls. The house is built into a steep slope, just below Flagstaff Mountain. The landscaping is naturalistic, with evergreen trees and large boulders. SOM-55 550 College City of Boulder Landmark No. 161 Wilson-Haertling House The original owners were a married couple, a CU professor and an artist. Two years after the home was completed, an arsonist’s fire damaged it badly. Some of Mrs. Wilson’s paintings were destroyed, and the couple decided not to rebuild the house. Charles and Viola purchased it, and did a painstaking restore to the house. Joel was 13 at the time. He lived in the house off and on until his 30s. Viola continues to live and teach piano lessons from the home. The house has a triangular plan with three pavilions. The sculpturally shaped walls are covered with horizontal wood siding. The house is on a wooded lot, with natural state landscaping. Trees have grown around the house and shelter it from the street and surrounding houses. SOM-56 McConnel House 450 College This elegant home has a triangular wing that forms a dramatic cantilever over a steep wooded hillside. The hillside is landscaped in a naturalistic style. Many trees are reaching maturity, and now provide screening and privacy for the home. From a formal living room, the inhabitants have a panoramic view of Boulder through a glass curtain wall. Materials are stucco glass, and wood. A small plateau on the west side of the house creates a sheltered garden and entrance. The original owner was James McConnell. SOM-57 Jourgensen House 780 Flagstaff The Jourgensen House is unusual, among Haertling’s designs.” It is intensely masculine and geometric, assert- ing itself on the hillside where the mountains meet the plains. The interior is dominated by the curved forms of vertically spacious then his other designs. The land- scapithe white concrete towers, and interior is moreng is also unique, with more formal terracing then his oth- erhomes. Linda Jourgensen and her husband commis- sioned the house. Mrs. Jourgensen served on Boulder City Council, and still lives in the house. The design is centered around four cylindrical towers, reminiscent of grain silos. Each tower contains a function. One is a spiral staircase with a “fireman’s pole” in the middle. Another is a fireplace and the third and fourth are storage and utilities. The center has a three story open pavilion, while each cantilevered wing has a two-story space. The exterior is a self-sealing copper, which has aged to a beautiful patina. SOM-58 Roitz House 1135 Jay Street Perched upon a steep hillside lot in West Boulder, the Roitz House was constructed for a client wanting a low cost, energy efficient house. In addition, it was request- ed that the house included areas to view the surround- ing area while also being spacious enough for two adults, two children and a professional photography darkroom. Haertling accomplished these requests by essentially designing a pyramid with recessed balcony that takes advantage of the limited sunlight and created a central living area. SOM-59 Johnson House 630 Northstar Court The eccentric residence was designed in response to a challenge placed upon the architect by a young newspaper editor. Interested in solar energy, the owner sought a structure that would use solar assistance but maintain beauty through curved lines and surfaces. In addition, the structure was to have an open and spa- cious living space with ample area for family privacy. To accomplish these requests, Haertling built two re- inforced concrete towers in which served as a stair connecting the separate child and parent levels and the other as a solar tower. The house is then wrapped around these two towers to create a feeling of open- ness. In addition, the ceiling is curved and accentuated by a beveled mahogany paneling. SOM-60 Moment House 2385 Panorama This building has an exterior similar to a crustacean or turtle. Stack block painted white is the foundation cantilevers in all directions, creating a hovering effect. 52 53 54 55 58 56 57 59 60 A Guide to The City of Boulder’s Structure of Merit Program SOM-61 White House 630 Pennsylvania Street Next door to the Noble House (650 Pennsylvania Street), this home includes several trademark architectural Haertling features including white balconies, stacked block walls, and very large window surfaces. SOM-62 Noble House 650 Pennsylvania Street This home is a pair of pyramidal structures, connected by a central entrance. Haertling offset the angle that the house addressed the street, to increase the privacy of the entrance. Each pyramid is topped with a slender spike that doubles as a skylight. Remarkably skilled craftsmanship was necessary for the joinery required to create these complex and unusual forms. The long roof lines of the home nearly touch the ground in some places. The rounded pyramid forms help to make the house feel organic; one can imagine it grew up as part of the forest. The context is a heavily wooded site; large trees surround the house and create a haven from an otherwise traditional pre-WWII residential neighborhood. SOM-63 Krueger House 1025 Rosehill Drive Haertling designed this house to fit gently into a sloping hillside. The building’s low horizontal roof forms have earned it the nickname of the “poinsettia house;” elegant as a flower. The design includes cubist volumes, windows at wall intersections, and use of cantilever. The materials are wood, glass, and stone. Similar in its organic quality to the Noble House, the Kreuger house seems to grow amongst large trees of its forest setting. The house is intimate -it is recessed ten feet below the grade of the road, to which its back is faced. It is further recessed into the hillside 18 inches. Approaching the house from the street engenders a sense of trespassing on sacred or private space. SOM-64 Knitting Mill 719 Walnut The Alpine Knitting Mills are an example of Haertling’s debt to prairie style architecture, and the strong link between Prairie and Usonian. The building has large overhanging eves, and strings of ribbon windows. The roof is cast concrete, and the walls are concrete block with horizontal raked joints. The structure is in a more urban context then most of the homes surveyed here. It responds to its site, respecting the setbacks and mass of the neighboring buildings, while still paying homage to nature. This is demonstrated in a cutout in the roof created to accommodate a tree on the site. Haertling also maximized the use of glass, planter boxes, courtyards, and balconies to create a strong link between indoors and outdoors. 61 62 63 64 Historic Preservation does not mean a static environment. The preservation ordinance provides criteria for alterations, allowing our historic buildings and neighborhoods to adapt and change with the times, while protecting their historic character. For more information regarding the Structure of Merit Program or to nominate a Structure of Merit, Please visit www.boulderhistoricpreservation.net or contact James Hewat, Senior Historic Preservationist, at (303) 441-3207, or by email at: hewatj@bouldercolorado.gov. Created By Nicholas John Wharton