913 Jefferson Ave Historic Survey

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Resource Number: 5BL 11308 Temporary Resource Number: 157508406004 was constructed on the northwest corner of the house at an unknown date between 1950 and 1981. The porch awning and railings were added after 1950. 30. Original location X Moved Date of move(s): V. HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS 31. Original use(s): Domestic, Single Dwelling and Commerce/Trade, Business/Professional 32. Intermediate use(s): N/A 33. Current use(s): Domestic, Single Dwelling 34. Site type(s): Urban residence 35. Historical background: This building is located in Jefferson Place, the first residential subdivision in Louisville. Members of the Guenzi family have owned and lived in this house at 913 Jefferson for its entire history since it was constructed in circa 1936. In addition to being the family home, it was the location of two businesses: a woman - owned business, the De Luxe Beauty Shop, which owner Palmira Guenzi operated in the basement of her home, and later, Carl's Electric operated by Carl Guenzi, her husband. This property has connections with the properties on each side of it, 925 Jefferson (5BL923) to the north and 677 Walnut (5BL11322) to the south. Before the construction of this house, this property was part of the lots owned by Virginia Hamilton and her family. Marybeth Chamber purchased Lots 4 though 9 of Block 11 from Jefferson Place developer Charles C. Welch in 1885 and sold them to Virginia Hamilton in 1891. The Hamilton house is at 925 Jefferson on lots 6 and 7 of Block 11. 913 Jefferson (lots 4 and 5 of Block 11) and 933 Jefferson in all likelihood represent the yards on either side of 925 Jefferson. Virginia Hamilton was a well known Louisville teacher. More information about her can be found in the inventory form on 925 Jefferson. The Hamilton family also owned 633 Jefferson nearby. It was the residence of Virginia Hamilton's son, Harry Hamilton, and his family. That house was demolished in 2011. Boulder County property records indicate that in 1925, Virginia Hamilton conveyed her property on this block of Jefferson to her son, Frank Hamilton. He was her only surviving child at the time. Frank Hamilton, in turn, in 1936 sold just Lots 4 and 5 to three sisters, Palmira (sometimes stated to be "Palmyra") Guenzi, Julia Guenzi, and Josephine Guenzi. He retained 925 Jefferson, which sits on Lots 6 and 7, and he also retained Lots 8 and 9 (the yard to the north of the Hamilton home). Boulder County gives 1936 as an estimated dated of construction for this house. Boulder County has sometimes been found to be in error with respect to historic buildings in Louisville, but in this case, the fact that the property was purchased by new owners in 1936 lends credence to the proposition that it was constructed that year. Also, it is relevant that the house at 913 Jefferson does not appear on the 1909 Drumm's Wall Map of Louisville or on the Methodist Church Map of Louisville that was made in circa 1923-25. The property in question is outside of the boundaries of the Sanborn Maps that were done for Louisville in 1893, 1900, and 1908 (they focused on the downtown business district and La Farge Avenue only). The parents of Palmira, Julia, and Josephine Guenzi were John (Giovanni) Guenzi and Louisa (Luigia) Fanchini Guenzi. (The name is sometimes misspelled as "Quenzi.") They were born in Castelletto Ticino, Novara, Italy in 1860 and 1865, respectively. In the 1890s and early 1900s, the family lived in Silver Plume and Silver Dale, Colorado. John Guenzi worked in the silver mines. In 1907, the family moved to the area of Weldona and Sterling, Colorado and began to raise sugar beets. Both parents died in 1917. 3