920 Jefferson Ave Historic Survey

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Resource Number: 5BL 11309 Temporary Resource Number: 157508405007 own the house. Mary Damelia Domenico was also a resident of another house in Jefferson Place, 820 Jefferson (5BL11303), which her parents owned. This property was acquired by Antonio (Tony) and Luigia (Louisa) Ferrari in two transactions, one for Lot 16 of Block 4 and one for part of Lot 15 of Block 4. First, with respect to Lot 16, Charles C. Welch, the developer of Jefferson Place, sold Lot 16 to John and Sarah La Roche (also stated as "Laroche" and "Lareche") in 1893. John Baptist La Roche and Sarah Deliere had both been born in France and had married in Boulder County in 1893, the same year that they purchased Lot 16. John was a coal miner. Louisville directories from 1896 and 1898 show that they were Louisville residents during that time. It is possible that John and Sarah lived in a dwelling on Lot 16 with their growing family, as records suggest that at least two of their children, Frank and Baptist, would have been born while they were living in Louisville. According to the 1900 federal census, they had moved to Utah by 1900, and John Baptist La Roche continued to be a coal miner there. Louisa Ferrari acquired Lot 16 from John and Sarah La Roche by a deed that was recorded in 1902. With respect to part of Lot 15, it was in 1898 that Charles Welch had conveyed twenty-nine different lots in Jefferson Place to a Denver lawyer, Harper Orahood, apparently for Orahood to resell. Lot 15 of Block 4 was among these properties. In 1903, Antonio Ferrari acquired part of Lot 15 from Harper Orahood. By 1903, the Ferraris had the lots for their house. Boulder County gives 1907 as the date of construction for this house. However, Boulder County records have sometimes been found to be in error with respect to the date of construction for Louisville buildings. In this situation, it is relevant that it appears that the La Roche family was already living in a house on Lot 16, the lot that they purchased in 1893. Also, the 1904 Louisville directory shows Antonio Ferrari to be living on "Jefferson btw. Walnut & South," which is an accurate description of the location of 920 Jefferson and which would suggest that the family was already living in this location prior to the 1907 estimated date of construction. Supporting the year 1907 as a date when some construction work was done is the fact that Antonio and Louisa Ferrari granted a lien to McAllister Lumber, a local lumber yard, in 1907, secured by this property. This would seem to suggest that a house was built, or expanded, on the property in 1907. The most likely explanation, based on all of the available evidence, is that a previous house on Lot 16 in which the La Roche family lived in the 1890s was expanded to the north, onto Lot 15, in 1907 and that the original part of the house was actually constructed in the 1890s. 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 house at 920 Jefferson does appear on the 1909 Drumm's Wall Map of Louisville (sitting on both Lots 15 and 16) and on the Methodist Church Map of Louisville that was made in circa 1923-25. Antonio Ferrari was born in Italy in about 1871, while Louisa Ferrari was born in Italy in about 1878. They married in Italy in about 1894. Census records indicate that they immigrated in 1896 with their oldest child. Their children were Mary (Fanchini) (1896-1977), Josephine (1897-unknown), Della (Petrun) (1898- 1944), Enrico "Rico" (1901-1995), and Fred (1903-1979). At the time of the 1900 census, the family was living in Louisville in a location that could be this property. Other Jefferson Place residents are listed on the same page. It is not known if perhaps they were in this location and renting a dwelling that had been used by the then -owners of Lot 16, the La Roche family, who had moved to Utah. They are listed as renting, not owning, their property. The 1910 census shows Antonio Ferrari to be living in the correct location on Jefferson Avenue for this to be his home at 920 Jefferson. It is not known why other family members are not listed with him. The 1920 census records show the Ferrari family to be living on Jefferson Avenue in Louisville, in the correct location and with the right neighbors for it to be today's 920 Jefferson. In 1920, Antonio was a coal 4