900 Main Historic Structure Assessment

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DAA JDESIGN ARCH ITECTURE+INTER IORS Starkey's Filling Station operated on the corner of Main and Walnut for several years until running into financial difficulties and filing for bankruptcy in 1926. At the time of filing, the property was described as a "one story brick building, full basement and living rooms therein, with office and filling station front, building completely modern." With a series of loans, Rose Starkey managed to re -open the business and kept it going until 1934 when the property was taken over by the Boulder County Public Trust. Left: Starkey's Filling Station c. 1930s. Right: Bill Schutz is the man standing on the left outside Starkey's Filling Station. Henning Family Ownership, 1935-1973 G.R. Henning, his wife Marguerite Lay Henning, and their two daughters Blossom and Welcome, were a prominent Louisville family who operated the Henning Mortuary, across Walnut St. from 900 Main. The Hennings also owned several properties on the 800 block of Main St. In 1935, Marguerite Henning (1891-1950), under Weepah Manufacturing Company, purchased 900 Main from Boulder County with a Public Trustees Deed. In 1941, she purchased the East half of Lot 7 Block 1 from Jane Carlton, uniting both halves of the property under Henning ownership. Based on accounts of Bill Schutz, it appears that the Starkey Filling Station remained in operation under Henning ownership on the corner of Main and Walnut into the 1940s, with Bill Schutz serving as gas station attendant into his 60s and 70s. Marguerite Henning died in 1950 and ownership of the property passed to her husband, G.R. Henning until 1968, and then to their daughter Blossom Henning Wennburg. A Louisville Times article from 1947 states that G.R. Henning (1891-1968) had built a new building on the northeast corner of Walnut and Main that would house the new post office. This appears to be the earliest date of construction for the current building at 900 Main. This is corroborated by the 1950 Assessor Card which also states date of construction as 1947. The Louisville Post Office remained at 900 Main until 1959 when it moved to a larger, more modern building on the 700 block of Main Street. In 1953, Henning squeezed in a narrow building to the north between the Post Office and the neighboring Carand building (908 Main). This new building had the address of 906 Main and was home to Fiori Tesone's Barber Shop until 1966. 900 MAIN PAGE - 7