Historic Preservation Commission Case 05-001-LA Staff Report

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TOMEO HOUSE, LOUISVILLE HISTORICAL MUSEUM. HISTORICAL INFORMATION The property was associated with the Tomeo family in Louisville from the time it was built until the 1980s, when it was acquired by the City of Louisville for interpretive use as a historic miner's cabin. Felix and Lena Tomeo (Tomao) came to Louisville in the years between 1898 and 1903. Felix, like many Louisville men of his generation, worked as a coal miner. The 1904 Boulder County Directory lists Felix and Lena Tomeo, as well as Flora Tomeo, simply as living at "Barclay Place." This property is within the Barclay Place Addition, which had been platted in 1897. Other members of the Tomeo family, also living in the Barclay Place Addition included Mike and Lucia Tomeo, as well as Nick Tomeo, who was in the saloon business. By the 1910s, the Tomeo family is listed at this address, then known as 514 Second Street. Felix had evidently passed away in 1921, as Lena is listed here as his widow. The 1928 Boulder County Directory lists several members of the Tomeo family living at this address. In addition to Lena, these included, Dominic (a driver for L.W. McCorkle's City Market), Eugene and Joseph (both laborers), and Rena and Rosa (both students). Dominic Tomeo continued his employment at McCorkle's City Market for several years. In 1936, he was working as a clerk at the store, and in 1940, he was a meat cutter there. By the early 1950s, Joseph Tomeo had opened up "Joe's [sheet] Metal Shop" on the lot just to the south of this cabin. Joe and Dominic Tomeo both worked at the sheet metal shop, which existed into the early 1970s. During the 1980s, the City of Louisville negotiated the purchase of the all four lots on the northwest corner of the Main and South Streets from the Tomeo family. The building at the corner (formerly the Jacoe Grocery and Market) was renovated for use as the Louisville Historical Museum, the remains of the sheet metal shop were cleared away, and this small dwelling at 1011 Main Street was preserved for interpretation as a miner's cottage. ARCHITECTURAL and PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Construction Date: Circa 1908 General Architectural Description - The Museum Miner's House is a one-story wood frame building, built with a rectangular side -gabled plan. The building measures 28' N-S by 14' E-W, with an 18' by 12' shed roofed extension located at the north end of the west (rear) elevation. The building is supported by a low sandstone foundation and the exterior walls are comprised of light brown, narrow, horizontal wood siding, with painted dark brown 1" by 4" corner boards. The side -gabled roof is moderately - pitched, and has wood shingles and boxed eaves. There are two red brick chimneys — one located on the ridge, and the other on the roof of the shed -roofed extension. The building's windows are entirely single surrounds, and with wood cornices. The facade is located on the east elevation, and is symmetrically