259 Sopris Ave was built in 1897. Carbondale's "fairy godmother" Mary Jane Francis donated this plot of land to the First Christian Church of Carbondale. The church was built and gradually completed via a series of social fundraisers over the next year. After 46 years, the building was transferred, giving Lewis Thompson, president of the school board, the opportunity to use it for the school district's hot lunch program from 1945 to 1968. It was then sold back to Lewis and converted to a private residence. This Late Victorian style building has been altered at the stoop, and the main entry doors and windows have been replaced.

259 Sopris Ave

Carbondale Historical Society has created this tour to learn more about Carbondale's architectural heritage.

In 1885 711 Main Street was sold to WHH Waldron by Ottowa Tanney. Charles Perham next purchased the property, and then conveyed it to his heirs. In 1900 Myron Thompson, one of the valley's early homesteaders, assembled six lots and built this home for his large family - he had just married Melinda, his former sister-in-law, who came into the marriage with eight children. Myron himself had eight children, including Hattie, whom you will learn more about if you visit the Thompson House Museum. The home next passed to Frank Huber (Myron's cousin, the the lumberyard manager) in 1911, and stayed in his possession until his death. In 1953 James Darien, from one of the Italian immigrant farming families, purchased the home. This Late Victorian building is significant as one of a group of moderately-sized residential buildings located on the perimeter of the original town center. In 2006 it was renovated for offices and an emphasis was placed on maintaining the building's form, pattern, and materials; as part of the renovation paint was removed from the brick facade.

711 Main St

Late 19th &amp; Early 20th Century Revival

689 Main Street was originally part of a large parcel of land that extended across Colorado Avenue. Samuel Dillon Weant, SD, "Del" and his brother Romus, R.E. owned the property. In 1900 Samuel married Laura Barnhart of Denver. He then conveyed several sections of the large parcel to the town for streets, which extended the townsite grid. He was an owner of Carbondale Creamery in 1907, and also a cattle dealer. Del Weant was Carbondale's Mayor from 1909 to 1910. Carbondale invited anyone to run who wanted a chance to be mayor. Mayors were elected frequently, and most local businessmen in town served at least one term. This home was built in 1913. When SD died in 1919, the house was conveyed to David James, who was eventually unable to pay the note, and was foreclosed upon in 1932. A number of owners followed, and then in 1988 The Cony Co. bought the property, and nine years later it was purchased and transferred to Shadow Holdings, thus it has operated in a commercial capacity for quite some time. This home is classified as Late 19th & Early 20th Century Revival, and is the only home of this style in Carbondale. The main two-story section is rectangular with two equally spaced double-hung windows with marble sills. There is a circular brick element between windows.  

689 Main St

The property at 65 N 6th St was sold to Milo & Rosie Ann Towne in 1900 (he was a farmer).Sometime before 1904, it was sold to rancher Tesse Brent. In 1904 John Mahnkin, who was single at the time, became the owner. John Mahnkin was a cattle rancher, and a member of the group that founded the Carbondale Town & Land Co.. He built this home in 1910. Five years later, he sold the property, and the home would belong to four more families before it was sold in the early '90's to Mariangela Causa-Steindler. The style is known as rustic, and evidently, this property was one with the adjacent parcel until 2009. Traits of a rustic home often include hewn logs with stacked corners, and a simple gabled roof form; there is often a steep slope with wood shingles. Here we see characteristic wood shingle infill above the eave line and minimal window openings.

65 N 6th St.

610 Colorado Avenue was evidently moved to this property, although evidence has not been discovered to tell when, or where it was before. This home was probably built around 1910, as well. Again, this is the rustic style. Note the front gabled roof and wood shingles, and square hand-cut logs that stack with interlocking corners. The logs are not notched, but overlap in alternate courses. This home has a rubble stone foundation. Additions that may have occurred at the time of the relocation include a new window in the front gable, saddlebag dormers, the addition to the rear, and possible roof reconstruction.

610 Colorado Ave

Philip E. Weaver, originally from Pennsylvania, was the north end ranch owner who subdivided this land in the late 1800's. He had moved here with his family from Leadville. The home at 85 N 7th Street was most likely constructed in 1898 by Hugh Pattison, one of the town Blacksmiths. Hugh was 33 years old - his wife Flora and two daughters, Peach and Blanche, lived here. Next the home belonged to James & Ludocia Brown (he was a housepainter), and in 1933 to James & Isabella Legget, who were Scottish. He had a hotelkeeping background. James sold to George Garrison in the same year. Records show that in 1964 William Antonides sold to August & Elda (Cerise) Darien. The Cerises are one of the large ranching families in the valley, originally from Val d'Aosta, Italy; they settled here at the turn of Century. The Dariens had a family farm in El Jebel. Members of both families live in the Roaring Fork Valley to this day. Late Victorian details include decorative shingle infill at the gable ends and above the eave line, as well as scroll brackets that support the crown molding and extend along the porch lintel. Note that in the front entrance an early wood panel door has an arched light that retains its original waved glass. The assessors office records show this to be a wood framed house. At one time there was aluminum siding, and the brick veneer was probably added when the siding was removed in the 1980's or 90's. The large dormers were added, the front porch was altered, and a large rubble chimney was added, then removed. 

85 N 7th St

687 Colorado Ave was built in 1901 by R. E. Weant from Maryland. After he built the home, it was transferred to his brother S.D. Weant. The Weant Brothers were quite active in the area. The first record of them appeared in the Glenwood Post in June 1899, noting that they had received a butcher bond. The brothers owned a butcher shop in Glenwood Springs until at least 1902, and also one here in Carbondale at 343 or 351 Main St. The census shows that R.E. had moved to Rifle by 1903. This home remains one of Carbondale's finest examples of Late Victorian architecture. It is significant for its position in the early development of the town, and is one of several large brick homes indicative of a substantial investment in the community. It also indicates a desire for permanence in a day and age when people were moving across the country to seek their fortunes. Note the curved fascia and pediment, scroll brackets at the eaves, and projecting pediments. These are quite unique and unlike the other decorative elements in town. The original entry wall configuration can still be seen inside the porch.

687 Colorado Ave

189 N 7th Street was sold by Philip E Weaver to Oscar Ittleson in 1899. Oscar was a Jewish immigrant from Lithuania who, in 1889, had launched a Denver-based dry goods company by the name of O. Ittleson &amp; Co.. That same year he expanded to Carbondale, opening The Denver Store on Main Street. There he sold dry goods (textiles, ready-to-wear clothing, and accessories) and notions (thread, fasteners, and small tools used in sewing). He sold the store in 1901 for $50K. Meanwhile, this 7th Street property changed hands two more times, and then in 1905 William &amp; Estella Pings purchased it. William worked as a clerk at The Dinkle Mercantile Co.. By 1910 he was the manager of the creamery. This home was built sometime between 1910 and 1920, and by 1918 William had opened Pings Cash Store, which was the grocery across from Dinkels on Main Street. In 1936 he was appointed town postmaster, thus the post office was operated out of Ping's. In 1927 this home was transferred to Stanley Pings, his son. In 1953 Fred &amp; Veronica Kroelling purchased the property. They had a ranch in Avon, and may have held home has an investment. In 1976 JE and Peggy DeVilbiss became the owners. The Late Victorian/Queen Anne architectural details have changed somewhat over the years, but the early wood panel single-light door, the one-over-one double-hung sash windows, and the wide bands of fish scale shingles are probably original. The secondary residence and garage were built in 2003, and were designed to reference some of the details found on the historic home. Note the old spruce trees around the home. There are also a number of old Siberian elms in town, planted because they grew quickly and provided shade.

189 N 7th St

798 Lincoln Street was sold in 1899 by Philip E Weaver, to Oscar Ittleson. In 1901 John Henry & Laura Smith bought it for $150. When they divorced later that year, they sold to Henry Jessup for $100. Henry operated the town Livery Stable on 4th Street. When he was elected town mayor in 1899, he and wife Anna resided on a farm outside of town. In 1901, Emma & William Holgate purchased the land and moved into town from Redstone. Since he was a carpenter, he probably built the home himself in 1902. In 1908 the home sold for $1200 to Veola and Edith Brown - he worked for the D&RG railroad, and then the Crystal River Railroad. At one point, they lived in the residential quarters in the depot. This is a late Victorian classic cottage, denoted by the elongated hipped roof, the central dormer, and wide front porch which is supported by turned wood posts. Like several homes in town, two bedrooms and one bath are tucked into 1,000 square feet.

798 Lincoln St

Our records tell us that 203 North 8th Street was built in 1893, and belonged to Mary Sweet, who does not appear to be related to the other Sweet family of Carbondale. In 1901 James Zimmerman, purchased the home. He was a Virginia farmer, and later a stockman, and a key figure in the development of Carbondale. James and his friend William Dinkel were early homesteaders here in 1881. James married Hattie Cooper, the postmistress whose father, Captain Isaac Cooper, was one of the founders of Glenwood Springs. Nearby Cooperton, later Satank, was almost the town for the train depot, but it ultimately ended up in Carbondale... as did Hattie and the post office. James served as Mayor from 1911 to 1914. When he died, despite his 3 potential heirs, the property was held by the courts (there was also a large ranch tract included in his holdings). Hattie moved over to Garfield Avenue with her mother. In 1958 Mary Ellen & Donald Paterson sold to Orvie & Charlotte Cerise, from the large local ranching family. This home is a significant example of the Late Victorian style. It remains one of the more in-tact buildings in the community. The cross gabled roof form, the vertically proportioned double-hung windows, the front porch with turned posts and decorative brackets, and the overall symmetrical layout are all key features of the style. Again, the brick structure and the size represent a significant investment in the Carbondale community.

203 N 8th St

The the original 29' by 29' two-story portion of 789 Lincoln Ave was built sometime between 1890 and 1900. Rumor has it that this home was moved to Carbondale from Aspen around 1941, and may have been the Dunbar Wright house that stood at First and Hallam. Eloise Sherwood appears on record as the home's owner at this location. Her family had resided in Aspen since the early 1800's when her grandmother arrived there from Chicago. Robert Sherwood, Eloise's father, owned a grocery store in Carbondale, and she lived with her parents in this home while teaching school at Rock Creek. Eloise married Charles Timbrook in the mid-1940's and they resided in the home until 1954. The next owners were Percy and Margaret Blodgett, Basalt farmers, and they were followed by the Coopers. This Late Victorian home has undergone several remodels, but the original upper wall may be seen on the west (left) side. Two entrances to the original home remain on the back side. Architectural elements have been created to emulate historical details. At the main entry there is an early panel door with an upper single light and stained glass detail.

789 Lincoln Ave

In 1899 Philip E Weaver sold 185 N 8th Street to Charles & Ella Lehow, from Pennsylvania. Then in 1902 it was transferred to Henry (their son) and his bride Ora Lehow, possibly as an engagement gift. The home was built sometime between 1910 and 1920. In 1919 their next door neighbor, Bevvie Smoke, purchased the property for $1,750, and then the adjoining parcel for $100, enlarging the property to its current size. Before they moved from Minnesota, Bevvie and Charles Smoke had the Winona Ice Cream & Butter Company, and for a short time they owned the creamery in Carbondale. In 1926, Irene Bennett purchased the property for $2,000. She was the bookkeeper for Ping's Store (her brother-in-law was William, the store owner, who lived at 189 N 7th Street). In 1942, the home was inherited by her nephews and niece, who were Pings. 1947 George & Virginia Werner purchased it, then sold following month to Oliver & Edith Letey. Both had grown up on their family's farms near Basalt. The Leteys moved to Carbondale from their own farm in Snowmass. In 1955 they sold to James & Manila Walthers, who moved to town with their two daughters from Marble where James was a railroad fireman. This home is an example of a Craftsman cottage, and displays abundant wood shingle detail. Later additions probably include the porch (or at least its enclosure), the rear addition, and the long shed dormers. 

185 N 8th St

117 North 8th Street was also part of Weaver Ranch. Records show the parcel was purchased from Philip E. Weaver in 1899 by Charles Lehow, who became the prolific builder in Carbondale. He built the schoolhouse in 1890. Our survey estimates that this home was built around that same time, but it may have been after the parcel changed hands. In 1925 it transferred to Ella Lehow, and various owners have occupied it since. Late Victorian details include the cross-gabled roof, as well as decorative shingles and cornice boards in the gable ends. Like many other homes in town, the metal roof replaced asphalt shingles sometime in the 1980's. The front porch has been modified, and the lattice added. Again, the blue and green spruce trees are over 100 years old.

117 N 8th St

789 Colorado Avenue was built in 1888, which makes it one of the older homes in town. In 1898 Philip Weaver sold it to JH Hartman, an English painter and paper hanger. He and his wife Isabella sold in 1907 to ZB & Mary Higgins. The next recorded sale was in in 1914 when the local Blacksmith, HJ Pattison, sold to Leo Leonhardy, who was a farmer. In 1920 Dorr Shores, a bank-cashier-turned- real-estate-agent, purchased the home with his wife, May. Wickman, Sinclair, Keepers, Vaughn, Messner, and Cullwick are names later associated with ownership of the home. This Late Victorian wood frame home displays the characteristic side gable with decorative shingles, wing construction, a simple front bay window, and turned posts. The rear wing and side wing were later added. Aluminum siding was added in the 1980's, and removed again in the 1990's.

789 Colorado Ave

85 North 8th Street has housed some of Carbondale's most influential residents. Philip E. Weaver is the first owner of record of these lots. It is not clear when he acquired the property, but they were a part of the large tract of land that he ranched, directly adjacent to the north side of the original townsite. This home was one of the first in the area, built in 1883. The Denver & Rio Grande railroad cut a swath diagonally across the Weaver property from the northwest to the edge of the townsite when it arrived in 1887. The arrival of the railroad may have motivated Mr. Weaver's shift from ranching to real estate development, as he began to sell off the lots between the railroad and the townin the late 1880's. Several well-known area residents bought into the Weaver Addition, including J.C. Osgood, the owner of Colorado Fuel & Iron. Philip Weaver died in 1889 at the age of 55, possibly due to his diabetic condition. In 1895 Millie Sonner purchased the property. At that time, this area of town was outside of the original townsite and may have included cultivated land that was associated with the house. Millie's husband Jacob was a manager at Dinkel's Mercantile. When Millie passed away in 1937, her estate sold the home to Albert & Martha Witchey. Albert served as Carbondale's mayor from 1938 to 1946. He was the manager of Dinkel's and later owned Witchey's Cash Store at 311 Main Street. A former teacher, Martha was the store's buyer for women's and children's clothing. The Witcheys lived in the home for 24 years and raised four children. After Albert's death in 1969, Martha became involved in a number of church and community projects, and was voted Carbondale's Woman of the Year in 1973. This architectural style is Late Victorian - the complex form and shape, the vertically proportioned double-hung windows in segmentally arched openings, and the porch with decorative detailing define features of the style. At one time there was a widow's walk on the upper roof. Other modifications made in the 1970's include changes to the dormers and bays, the southwest corner addition, and possible alterations to the porch and roof. This home has been owned by only four families and is quite significant in the development of Carbondale.

85 N 8th St

811 Garfield Avenue was built around 1883 and our first records show Sara Dearing purchasing it in 1887. It was originally part of a small farm outside of the townsite. In 1888 it sold to CC Cotton, then to Charles Moore in 1889, and later to John Auld, a carpenter from Canada. Anna and Joseph Bardine (a miner in Marble) sold in 1898 to WJ and Emma Skidmore. The home next door was known as the "laundry house", and Emma was a laundress. In 1906 a series of owners named Needham occupied the property. The property was split, sold in shares and reassembled many times over the years, producing multiple owners and encumbrances. This Late Victorian home retains historic integrity in terms of its location, setting, feeling, and association; despite the loss of the original siding and windows, and the changes to the porch. At one time the entrance was on the 8th Street side. The shingles have been added in recent years. This home is a fine example of the style of the earliest building in town, and retains the integrity to convey its significance.

811 Garfield Ave

819 Garfield Avenue was converted to residential use in 1905 and this rustic style building was at one time the "laundry house" for the small farm. Interesting additions and subtractions include: an addition to west side around 1950, a metal roof that replaced asphalt shingles; tar paper was added to the exterior before 1984 and then removed around 1989, and another remodel in 2010. This structure is a good example of early building comprised of readily-available materials and straightforward methods of construction. Its transition from utility to residential is indicative of the need for adaptation as families grew or economic conditions changed.

819 Garfield Ave

899 Garfield Avenue, comprised of Lots 13-15, was owned by the town in the late 1800's, and then by a series of investors. Eliza and Frederick Childs moved from Denver in 1883 and settled on a farm in Satank (near the confluence of the Crystal and Roaring Fork rivers). In the late 1800's Frederick was the postmaster in Satank, and was appointed as a Garfield County judge; he then served as a county commissioner and superintendent of schools. When Frederick retired in 1910, they built this home. In 1928 the property was transferred to Hattie Zimmerman, their widowed daughter. She sold the home five months later to Carrie Kleiner Wald, a longtime Carbondale resident whose husband Conrad had died in an auto accident in the previous year. Evidently, Carrie rented the home to back to Hattie and her mother Eliza until 1932, when Eliza passed away. In 1964 William &amp; Myrtle Cook bought the home as an investment. The original Late Victorian home measured 24'x 43' and has a hipped roof. The entire home is clad in wood weatherboard siding. Like many of the Victorians in town, the central chimney would have vented a fireplace or stove. Modern shutter-like panels have been added.

899 Garfield Ave

 116 S 8th Street has had only four owners. In 1887 Milton Pauly purchased it, and in 1916 his son Charles sold the property to Katherine Robinson, who was married to HW Robinson -- both were teachers. The home was built in 1922. In 1940 the home sold to Elmer Bair, a sheep rancher in the Roaring Fork Valley; he owned Bair Ranch on the Colo River. In 1925 Elmer worked in Marble at the Yule Quarry. He lived to the age of 104. In 2003 the property was sold by the family trust. The Craftsman style is recognized here in the simple rectangular form, the deep-set porch, the exposed rafter tails, the tapered porch columns, and the grouped window pattern with divided lights in the upper sash. The substantial quality and design demonstrate a willingness to invest in the growing community, and an interest in the prevalent style of the day.

116 S 8th St

Between 1940 and 1945, lots 4 to 12 were acquired by Elmer Bair, a prominent local sheep rancher. He and his family lived in a home on Main Street, and these lots appear to have been vacant at that time. Elmer transferred the property that would become 734 Garfield Ave to his daughter Laura and her husband John ("Jack") Farnum in 1948. This home was built around that time. Laura and Jack followed in his parents' footsteps, running Farnum Mortuary in Glenwood Springs. Jack served a term as president of Colorado Funeral Directors Association, and also served as the Garfield County coroner. Minimal Traditional in style, it is likely that this home has seen very few changes since it was built. County records suggest that the chimney may have been added in the 1970's, along with the carport. Wrought iron and wood trim are hallmarks of the late 1940's style.

734 Garfield Ave

178 S 8th Street sat inside the original townsite, and J.E. and Adela White of Illinois purchased the property in 1888. J.E. was a merchant and a commissioner. They built the home in 1917 and Katherine, their daughter, would later live next door. J.E. passed away in 1929, and Katherine kept the home until 1936. She then sold to Clio and Bert Hinkle, proprietors of the livery stable. Sometime before 1975, Jeff and Anne Bier became the owners, and in the same year sold to Andrew & Priscilla Sue Taylor. In 1998, Priscilla's name was removed and Linda Halloran was added. This Craftsman exhibits the classic moderately pitched gable-on-hip roof, and has a two-story hipped addition. Typical details of the style include numerous windows with leaded glass, beamed ceilings, and dark wood interior detail. The principle facade retains its integrity in most aspects, although the porch post bases have been altered.

178 S 8th St

David C. Beaman, a lawyer from Ohio, purchased 835 Sopris Avenue in 1888 from the Carbondale Town &amp; Land Co.. In 1890 David was the attorney for the Colorado Coal &amp; Fuel Co. and also for the White Breast Coal Co.. The home was built in 1893. He was involved in re-writing the fish and game laws for Colorado in 1899. Leo Leonhardy lived here sometime in the early 1900's, and then in 1906 Fred Fredericks purchased the home. In the same year, he sold to Jacob Sonner, listed as a department store salesman... and days later it was sold to George Gay. In 1907 Gay sold it back to Sonner, and then two months later Sonner sold it to Thomas Davis. There were a variety of additional owners, but significant to Carbondale is the fact that in the 1980's Sosorie Diemoz lived in the home. She was a schoolteacher and the daughter of Earnest and Rosie Diemoz, one of the families that came to the valley from Val d' Aosta, Italy in 1907. This Late Victorian home represents the typical modest style of homes constructed throughout the townsite. The hip on gable roof compliments the simple shed roof, which projects from the main wall plane over the door, and is supported by two turned wood posts. The home is wood frame with simple coved lap siding. The metal roof replaced asphalt shingles in the 1990's, and the rear porch was enclosed at some later point.

835 Sopris Ave

David C. Beaman purchased 869 Sopris Avenue in 1888, and the home was built in 1897. In 1902 Fred Wathen purchased it, and then sold to a miner named C.C. Wilson in 1904. The home was inherited by Julia Wilson (Fuller) when her father died. In 1908 Edna &amp; Frank Sweet, farmers from CT purchased the home. They were active and popular in the community -- he filled in at the post office when the postmaster died in 1890, and he was a candidate for mayor in that same year. Frank Sweet was often referred to in the newspaper as an "obliging gentleman... made of the right kind of stuff." The fact that this Late Victorian is brick and has considerable brick detail, elevates it to a more substantial home, even thought its form is common in the modest buildings of the community. Brick indicates a substantial investment in the future of the town. Brick detail: the windows sit in segmental arches made of stretcher brick, with a header brick outline along the top and sides. Two courses are set proud of the brick field at the height of the spring line of the arches, and the band runs around the perimeter of the building.

869 Sopris Ave

710 Euclid Avenue comprised of lots 1 and 2, was sold in 1894 by Garfield County to a property investor named Channing Sweet, who in 1898 quit-claimed lot 2 to Anna Sumnicht for a token fee of $15. Over the next 20 years, she and her husband August assembled lots that comprised the entire eastern half of block 24. August served as a Carbondale town trustee and as a sales agent for the Carbondale Improvement Company. At one time in the late 1890's, he was the owner of the Carbondale town ditch, which supplied the community with water. By 1900 August and Anna had five children - he was working as a farm laborer, and the home was built around this time. In 1904 Anna was the Socialist Party's candidate for Superintendent of Schools, although she did not secure the position. August was later a rural letter carrier, and there were 7 Sumnicht children. In 1918 Harrison &amp; Susan Stiles from Kansas purchased the property for $1200. John Lamprecht purchased the home for $1400 in 1922. He was a Slovenian immigrant who was originally a coal miner living in Spring Gulch with his family. The Lamprechts had six children, and the family occupied this property for nearly 50 years. Mary Ferguson, one of the six children, would go on to become a key figure in Carbondale. One of her many contributions was founding the Mt. Sopris Historical Society. The home probably remained unchanged for many years, and was in dire need of attention by 2010. The original north building is a two-story timber and wood frame I-house; at 16'x26', it was one room deep &amp; two rooms wide. The original portion of the home has clapboard wood siding and a side-gabled roof. The reconstructed chimney rises from the roofline where the original chimney stood. The dormers are modern additions. This property is known in Carbondale as "Old Red".

710 Euclid Ave

Lots in the area of 682 Euclid Avenue were vacant from the late 1800's through the 1950's. In 1959 Eddis Fender filed a plat with Garfield County, and the property went on to have several owners before it was purchased in 1976 by Frank Daley of Glenwood Springs. Frank took out a $24K loan to purchase and move this home to this spot. It originally stood at 1009 Grand Avenue in Glenwood (now the parking lot of the Tamarack Bldg.). In 1977 this 1930 wood-frame bungalow was lifted onto a flatbed trailer and moved to Carbondale, where it was deposited onto a concrete foundation. Frank both lived in the home, and rented it to tenants. He served as president of the Colorado Cattleman's Association from 2014 to 2015. The property was sold in 1982. Little is known about this Bungalow, but it is possible that it was a kit home. 

682 Euclid Ave

It is likely that Joseph M, Silver built the home at 275 S 4th St in 1913, however, by 1920 influential town members Frank and Edna Sweet had control of the property. The Sweets were originally from Connecticut and had three children - Walden, Dorothy, and Harold. Frank was listed as a farmer in the census of 1910, and had filled in at the post office in 1890 when the postmaster died. That same year, he was asked to run for mayor due to his outstanding reputation as "an obliging gentleman, made of the right kind of stuff", according to the newspaper. They sold the home to the Fender family in 1936, who also owned a large ranch that has passed through generations in Carbondale. The Craftsman style is recognizable in the deep-set porch, exposed rafter tails, and large built-up brackets. This home is a well-preserved example of the Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements.

275 S 4th St

In 1892 Charles Mow of Missouri was invited to visit his aunt and uncle in Carbondale, where they introduced him to his future wife, Madora Farris. They married in 1893 and settled on a farm on East Mesa, southeast of town. The home at 389 Sopris Ave was probably built in 1901 to house their family which included a son and daughter. Charles was seriously injured in the 1905 Fourth of July fire that destroyed half of the commercial district, but continued to farm outside of town. In 1920 they purchased the Big 4 Ranch two miles from Carbondale. It is likely that this home "in town" was used during the winter months when the children were attending school, and then later became a full-time residence. The home stayed in the family until 1972. This small I-House originally had a "t"-shaped plan and was altered at an unknown time. Lots 15 and 16, now the yard to the east, were purchased from William Dinkel in 1911 for $100.

389 Sopris Ave

The lots at 378 Euclid Ave changed hands several times before being sold to Wilson and Allet Needham, who constructed this home in 1912. Wilson was originally a farmer from Kansas and his wife Allet was an immigrant from Holland. They signed the home over to their son Fred Needham in the 1920s. Before being drafted into WWI, Fred was a truck driver for a Bert Hinkle, the owner of the Carbondale livery stable. Needham sold the home in 1936 to Gerald Bennett, who in turn sold to Antoine ("Tony") and Rosine Usel - both Italian immigrants - who purchased the home after selling their ranch in the El Jebel area. The couple resided in the home for the next 30 years. The original structure is Late Victorian, and did not include the dormers or the enclosed front porch. At one time this address housed a bed and breakfast.

378 Euclid Ave

Property investor Channing Sweet sold 225 S 4th St to Charles Sewell who built this home in 1898. Charles and his wife Clara Thompson purchased her father's farm along Thompson Creek and had two children. This was likely their "town home" in the winter, offering a reprieve from farm life difficulties, and making it more convenient for the children to get to school. The home stayed in the family until 1937 when William and Ella Bolton purchased it. In the 1920's they owned a nearby hotel, but appeared to be retired by the time of this purchase. In 1958 Eddis and Olla Fender purchased the home and it remained in the family into the early 1990's. The historic portion of this Late Victorian, with clapboard siding and fish scale shingles, is an "L"- shaped plan that includes the north side-gabled portion, along with the gabled extension to the south. The historic wood frame shed to the northwest was built sometime in the 1920's.

225 S 4th St

Early investors in Carbondale, William Gelder and George Arthur Rice, purchased these three lots, with 174 S 4th St in the middle, from the Carbondale Town and Land Co. in 1888. According to the 1880 census George worked as an assayer, and served as a senator. His partner William was a prominent member of Glenwood Springs who served as a county judge, and was also a partner in Hotel Glenwood as well as president of Glenwood National Bank. Gelder and Rice bought several lots, including these three that at one time had matching homes. As real estate investors, the two had a reputation as "townsite sharks", according to the local newspaper, the Avalanche. Lawyer David Beaman, and later drug store owner Edward Tandy would at one time own an interest in these properties. Tandy served as Mayor of Carbondale in the early 1900's. Characteristic of this Late Victorian style is the clipped front gable roof. Originally, the three homes would have had a single window on either each side of the central door, turned wood posts, coved lap siding and decorative fish scale shingles. In the early days, Victorian homes were of a dark color or natural, possibly stained, wood. 

174 S 4th St

Built in 1888, 162 S. 4th St sits on one of the smallest lots in town at 3000 square feet. The home itself is 782 square feet with a small addition on the northeast side. Homes of this style were heated with a central stove, as seen by the remaining original chimney. This house represents a pattern of development where a number of identical buildings were developed by a single investor on a single group of lots, typically as rental properties. Historical archive photos show that there were several mining camps across Colorado that had a series of identical homes.

162 S 4th St

Like the investment properties across the street, 410 Garfield Ave belonged to William Gelder, and then to investor David C. Beaman. Later, Eugene Prince, an early rancher, taxidermist, store owner and carpenter owned this property with Arthur J. Edgerton, a miner in Marble. In 1903 the town marshal, James Legget, probably had the building constructed. He sold to the Boyle Commission Company, which was in the business of buying and selling produce. This may explain why the 20' x 40' Late Victorian/Queen Anne wood-framed building once had doors and ramps at each end. Later the building was expanded on the south and west sides. The fish scale shingles are consistent with the decorative detail of the era. In 1927 Bert and Clio Hinkle, took over the property - he owned the livery stable and hauled goods for a local coal and feed store. Records show that Paul and Mary Jessup converted the building to a residence in 1961. Paul served on the planning board and town council, and they operated the Mountain Air Hotel for over a decade. The property would later belong to Ernest Strong who owned the Strong Saw Mill in Aspen with his brother.

410 Garfield Ave

Built in 1888, 326 Garfield Ave was in the Dinkel family for over eighty years, possibly as a rental property. The original owner, successful retailer and town pioneer W.M. Dinkel, first held the property with Ward Tucker's brother Reese. Reese Tucker was a silver miner in Aspen, and served as Carbondale's second mayor from 1888 to 1889. He sold his half-interest in the block 13 lots to William Dinkel in 1914. This Late Victorian home has a "t"-shaped floor plan that was later expanded with rear additions which appear to be over 50 years old. The home exhibits a good degree of architectural integrity, and conveys its historic age in design details.

326 Garfield Ave

75 S 3rd St is one of the older homes in town, built in 1888. According to records, the original structure on the lot belonging to C.H. Scheu, may have burned in the town fire of 1893. This home was moved from the mining camp near the Marion mine sometime before 1905. The camp, west of Carbondale, employed 231 miners and was the largest of three in the area; it had numerous homes and several community buildings. The mine was shut down in 1895. Homeowners of note over the years include Price Wickliffe, James Legget, and Frank Dempke. This Late Victorian wood frame house is a typical form found in many local mining camps, and the original portion of the home is the "box shape" with a central door. The impulse to relocate the structure from the closed mine site shows the entrepreneurial sensibility of at least one of the early inhabitants. 

75 S 3rd St

86 S 3rd St was built around 1900, and records show that Ward Tucker, an expressman on the railroad. owned the property at that time. Ward owned a herd of pack animals that were widely engaged in projects around town, The Tuckers were quite active in Carbondale society, and their names appear on every list of dances and meetings. Ward sang in the church choir and served as Carbondale's mayor in 1901 and 1902. W. M. Dinkel owned the home from 1905 to 1907. This modified Foursquare style home exhibits the characteristic "boxy" design with four rooms to a floor, as well as the hipped roof and wide porch. Typically 2 1/2 stories high, the shape provided a maximum amount of interior room space, and used the lot to its best advantage. The outbuilding on this property is most likely one of the early garages in town.

86 S 3rd St

156 Garfield Ave changed hands twice before Alice Cummings from Maryland aquired the lots in 1892. Alice had married John Cummings, who was killed by being thrown from his horse. She passed away 20 years later and was buried next to him in Glenwood Springs' Pioneer cemetery, sharing the same marble gravestone. In Carbondale, Alice's husband was Irish immigrant, Timothy Hayes. They built this home in 1893 and owned it through at least 1917. Alice became part of the small group of founders of the National Bank of Carbondale in 1907. Hamlin and Mary Edgert (sometimes shown as Edgarton or Edgerton) purchased the home in 1920 for $2500. In the 1930's Hamlin raised bees and sold honey in town. This home represents a small group of higher style Carbondale homes from the turn of the century. A few of the Queen Anne Victorian details include the complex roof form, the vertically proportioned double-hung windows set into segmentally arched openings, the brick detail, and the decorative posts and brackets.

156 Garfield Ave

First appearing on record in 1905 was 104 Garfield Avenue - also sold to Hamlin Edgerton in 1920 by Alice and Timothy Hayes. Evidently, the Hayeses had a substantial source of income, as they built and sold at least these two homes (in the 1910 census he was listed as a farmer, a laborer, and a funeral worker). Mary and Hamlin Edgerton had seven children and owned additional property in town, including farm land in the Weaver Addition to the north. Subsequent homeowners would include Caroline Vagneur of the extended early ranching family in the valley. Late Victorian architecture is evident here in the steep front gable roof, the decorative details visible on the side porch, and the fish scale shingles..

104 Garfield Ave

Built in 1893, 211 Euclid Ave was the property of several influential Carbondale figures. Daniel Edgerton, transferred it to his son Hamlin, who transferred it to his brother, Julian. According to records, in 1915 Edward Tandy, the town drugstore owner, transferred the property to his wife Kate. Edward served as Mayor of Carbondale several times spanning the period from 1895 to 1918. Notable locals Frank and Edna Sweet owned the property from sometime before 1931 through at least 1935. Another subsequent owner of note in 1967, was Edward Meredith of the local Meredith ranching family. Built in the Late Victorian style, this was an unusually large home for this point in time, and it has more decorative features than similar buildings found in the community. The substantial quality and the design demonstrate a willingness to invest in the growing community, and an interest in the prevalent style of the day.

211 Euclid Ave

Built in 1899, 251 Euclid Ave was owned by Ward Tucker, possibly as an investment. Ward originally settled in Saguache, CO where he ran a hotel, but moved to Carbondale after marrying his wife, Medora (Dora) Wilcox. He was the railroad depot manager and then a contractor and freight hauler, and he built the large brick home around the corner at 3rd and Garfield. According to one publication, "He operated large camps of men, did business loosely, lived well, and enjoyed life." In 1905 the home was sold to W. M. Dinkel Mercantile Co. and was possibly a rental property for the next 20 years. Subsequent owners would include Lucas, Holcob, Whitbeck, and Baumli. This single-story variant of an I-House and has been slightly expanded with wood-framed additions to the "t" shape. The garage in back was probably built in the '20's.

251 Euclid Ave

Benjamin Hill, one of the founders of Carbondale Town & Land Co., probably built the home at 297 Euclid Ave around 1895. Benjamin was a locomotive engineer, and later a deliveryman, most likely for Dinkel's Mercantile. The Hill family sold the home to Albert and Orsola Cerise, descendants of the Val d'Aosta Cerises, in 1938. Albert was the manager of the Carbondale Potato Growers Cooperative Warehouse. The home would later belong to Oscar Berthod, of another Italian immigrant family that farmed the valley. This Late Victorian was built in an "L"-shaped plan, with the north wing enlarged sometime between 1900 and 1907. Originally, there was a rear yard that abutted the alley - the log building was probably moved to the property sometime after 1912.

279 Euclid Ave

Constructed around 1888, 195 S 3rd St was originally part of a large group of lots co-owned by William Dinkel and Reese Tucker. Reese sold his half-interest in the lots in 1914 for $2,000 to William, the owner of Dinkel's Mercantile and an early settler of Carbondale. It is likely that this remained a rental property, and its ownership passed to William's only daughter Anne Margaret who lived across Euclid with her husband Wallace DeBeque. The property stayed in the Dinkel-DeBeque family until 1972. This Late Victorian home was an "L"-shaped plan by 1900. It has been updated and altered extensively over the years. Like the other nearby 1880's homes, when built it did not sit on a foundation. It retains the original roof shape and some of the early details.

195 S 3rd St

Denver investor David C. Beaman sold the property at 235 S 3rd St to William Dinkel in 1911. In 1914 William and his wife Sallie (Dunlap) bequeathed this plot of land and the newly constructed home as a wedding gift to their daughter, Anne Margaret and her husband, Wallace DeBeque. The two lived in the home with their children, Wallace and Marie. Anne died in 1963 and the home stayed in the family until 1987. This excellent example of a Craftsman bungalow exhibits the characteristic rectangular plan with 1 1/2 stories, a wide open front porch, and overhanging eaves with exposed rafter ends.

235 S 3rd St

The original owner of the parcel at 464 S 3rd St was Mary Jane Francis, who purchased it from School District 12 in 1890.In 1893 she sold the property to her friend and business partner William Dinkel for $1.It is likely that the home was built in 1904 - William Dinkel's effort to impress his Southern bride Sallie. William was one of Carbondale's original settlers and the proprietor of Dinkel's Mercantile in the heart of town. Sallie Dinkel was also a key figure, pushing for the arrival of electricity in Carbondale. Their daughter Anne Margaret and her husband Wallace DeBeque would later live just two blocks away, and she would eventually run the store. Details regarding the original lot owner, Mary Jane Francis, include the fact that she lived south of town at her property "Bide-a-Wee". From a wealthy Philadelphia family, she was either widowed or divorced at a young age and came to Carbondale to invest in mining and the town. She originally provided the land for the school district, and evidently bought some of it back. Mary appeared in the census with Henry or Harry Van Syckle. In 1900 he was referred to her ranch manager, and in 1910 as her nephew. Upon her death in 1914 it was revealed that he was actually her 15-year-younger cousin and husband. Scandal aside, Mary Jane Francis was know as Carbondale's "fairy godmother", donating land and funding both for the school district and the Odd Fellows Hall. She was also known for assisting the poorer people in the community. Historic sketches by Anne Margaret Dinkel show that the Late Victorian shingle style home once had a two story enclosed porch on the south side. Indoors, the grand scale of the parlor with ornate woodwork, as well as the large red stone fireplace, provide insight into the importance of this home and its owners. Records show that the home was originally white, and there are early photographs of William with his Collie in front of this iron fence.

Carbondale Architecture Tour

259 Sopris Ave

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources