Historic Preservation Commission Agenda and Packet 2023 06 26

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Cause is embedded in the criteria for reviewing Landmark requests, staff evaluated both requests using the Landmark criteria. Staff recommends approval of the Landmark and Probable Cause requests. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: Information 2021 Probable Cause Staff Report; Bridget Bacon, Louisville Historical Museum; and state form 5BL.856 The Louisville Heights Addition in which this house sits was first developed in 1904 by the Colorado Mortgage & Investment Co. Ltd. In 1905, the company conveyed many of the lots in the Louisville Heights subdivision to Louisville residents John Affolter and Dr. Charles Wolfer. The house, originally built by John and Maddie Robinson, was at one time owned by Dr. C.F. Wolfer, one of the early civic and business leaders in Louisville. It is not known if Wolfer made his residence at this address, however. Wolfer, in addition to being one of the town's early physicians, was also a prominent real estate developer, which included the purchase and subsequent sale of a lot on Main Street to the National Fuel Company where they chose to locate their company store. Wolfer was also active as a developer in the residential areas as well. His only public office was as town postmaster during the 1890s, although he was an important political figure in turn -of -century local politics. In a community consisting primarily of one and one and one-half story modest frame houses, this house remains as one of Louisville's largest historic residences. Some further general contextual information on Louisville development from the National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Real estate speculators and developers, not company officials, decided when and where to develop new additions. While the developers did stay with the grid pattern, they did so not by corporate edict, but because the grid was the accepted standard of the period. The final major difference between Louisville and many other Colorado coal mining towns came from the independent nature of local commercial development. Individual entrepreneurs and local market demand dictated what goods and services were available and at what prices. Even though the national Fuel Company owned a story in town, it did not have a monopoly on the market. 301 Spruce, 1985 photos. Older photos are included in the Social History.