724, 728 Main St History - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

By 1890, A.M. Campbell had become the owner, and this person sold it that year to Abner C. Goodhue; Abner's wife, Clara Waynick Goodhue, also became a legal owner of it. Abner Goodhue (1832-1912) was a prominent Louisville area pioneer and farmer just south of Louisville. His wife, Clara Goodhue (1867- 1940), whom he married in 1887, was the niece of the next owner, Charles A. Clark, and it is possible that the Goodhues purchased it for Charles A. Clark, who was coming to Louisville to live. Clara Goodhue's obituary from 1940 states that "After coming to Louisville, Mrs. Goodhue lived with an uncle, Charley Clark, who owned a grocery where the Twin Light now stands. They had one of the first telephone exchanges here." In 1892, Charles A. Clark purchased this property, and it was owned and occupied by him until his death in 1902 (and by his family until 1903). Today, the name of Charles A. Clark is mostly forgotten in Louisville history, but for ten years from 1892 to 1902, he was a very experienced and prominent town leader in Louisville as well as being an "enterprising merchant," as he was described in the 1898 book "Portrait & Biographical Record of Denver and Vicinity Colorado." Born in Kentucky in 1834, Clark came to Colorado in 1859 at the time of the Colorado Rush. One history of Jefferson County describes him as having arrived from Kentucky as one of the twelve founders of Golden, Colorado in 1859. He had a cattle ranch of 360 acres in Jefferson County starting in the 1860s and was elected sheriff of Jefferson County. He served in the Colorado state legislature in the 1880s. His wife, Sabrina, passed away before he came to Louisville. They had two sons, Harry and Frank. The 1898 biography stated that "The success that has met his efforts is the result of his energy, business judgment and determination of will, qualities that almost invariably bring their possessor a large share of financial success." The biography further stated that he conducted business "upon an honest and reliable basis that has won him many patrons and friends." Upon coming to Louisville by 1892, Charles A. Clark opened a real estate office at what is today 728 Main and was appointed justice of the peace. Boulder County newspaper articles from the 1890s made reference to his role as justice of the peace, particularly when people accused of crimes were brought before him. Directories show that he also made loans and sold insurance from this office. All evidence points to Clark living next door to his office, at what is today 724 Main. The following photo of the Honorable Charles A. Clark appeared in the 1898 "Portrait & Biographical Record of Denver and Vicinity Colorado": 3