716 Pine St Historic Survey - Laserfiche WebLink

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Resource Number: 5BL 11315 Temporary Resource Number: 157508435002 29. Construction history (include description and dates of major additions, alterations, or demolitions): The house was constructed around 1900. Siding was replaced in 1994. The east patio cover was constructed in 1983. The date of the large south addition is 1979. 30. Original location X Moved Date of move(s): V. HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS 31. Original use(s): Domestic, Single Dwelling 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 part of Jefferson Place, the first residential subdivision in Louisville. This property at 716 Pine has a connected history with that of 708 Pine (5BL11314) due to common ownership for many years. It was also the home of the related Rockley/Baessler family for 26 years. Boulder County gives 1900 as the year of construction for this property. It should be noted that the dates given by Boulder County have sometimes been found to be in error with respect to historic buildings in Louisville. Also, like 708 Pine next door, the house does not appear on the 1909 Drumm's Wall Map of Louisville, but it does appear on the Methodist Church map of Louisville that dates from circa 1923-25. However, it seems possible that the house was built in circa 1900, particularly since it is believed to have been the original house on the parcel now consisting of both 708 Pine and 716 Pine. The reason it does not appear on the 1909 Drumm's Wall Map is not known at this time. 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). William Taylor acquired this property, which then consisted of the parcel that today includes both 708 Pine and 716 Pine, from Jefferson Place developer Charles Welch in 1893. Taylor had a livery stable in Louisville and owned the property until 1897. The next owner was Lambert Sternberg, who owned it until 1900. Sternberg was the manager of McAllister Lumber & Supply Company in Louisville. Other owners from 1900 to 1912 were David and Mary Ann Allen (sometimes stated to be "Allan"), followed by Minerva Nevatt, Albert Nevatt and Herman Brass. Albert Nevatt is believed to have been the son and heir of Minerva Nevatt Brass, and Herman Brass is believed to have been Minerva Nevatt's second husband. The Nevatts and Brass were also associated with the nearby house at 809 Pine Street (5BL8024) in Jefferson Place. It has been found that it was Herman Brass who, in 1912, divided the parcel that had been owned together into the two separate properties of 708 Pine and 716 Pine. It is believed that 708 Pine consisted at that time of the yard for 716 Pine. He sold 716 Pine, which appears to have already had a house on it, to Rebecca Thirlaway and sold 708 Pine to James Clark and Emma Rockley Clark. Boulder County property records show that by a deed recorded in 1912, this property was acquired by Rebecca Thirlaway. She and her husband were from England and had several children who lived in Louisville, and she may have purchased it for family members. However, it could not be determined just who lived at 716 Pine during her ownership. Records indicate that she sold the property in 1918 to Charles Smith, who sold it the same year to Newton Rockley (given incorrectly as "Reckley" in the online property records). Newton Rockley was the brother of Emma Rockley Clark, who already lived with her family at 708 Pine next door to 716 Pine. From 1918 to 1944, the properties at 708 Pine and 716 Pine were associated with one another again through this connection. Newton Rockley was born in Kansas in 1887; his parents were from England and, interestingly, married in 1864 in Constantinople, Turkey. Newton Rockley married Minnie Baessler in 1912. Following her death in 1946, he remarried Martha Davis. He died in 1969. The following photo from the collection of the Louisville Historical Museum shows Newt Rockley: 3