721 Grant Ave History - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Louisville Historical Museum October 2011; Updated March 2015 LCityof Louisville COLORADO • SINCE 1.878 721 Grant Ave. History Legal Description: Lots 4 and 5, Block 8, Pleasant Hill Addition Year of Construction: circa 1893-1900 Architect/Builder: Dr. Charles Wolfer had the building constructed on Main Street. The architect is unknown. Previous address used to refer to this property: 252 Grant; 224 Grant; 234 Grant; 230 Grant. These addresses were used for the property at different times under Louisville's old numbering system, which changed to the current system in the late 1930s. Summary: The house at 721 Grant is important to Louisville history for a number of reasons: it is one of the many buildings that historically were relocated from one site to another site in the Louisville area, and had an earlier life as a Main Street business and the Louisville Post Office; it was reportedly the location of Louisville's newspaper office; it was used as a hospital operated by the United Mine Workers for area miners (and according to a 1985 survey of the property, "is the one remaining union associated building in Louisville"); and it is believed to have used for elementary school classes prior to becoming a private residence, which it has been for approximately the last ninety years. For many of those years, it was the home of Harry and Doris Jenkins and their six children. Earliest History as Business Building on Main Street Many of Louisville's relocated buildings historically came from mine camps at the points when those particular mines were closing, allowing people to acquire prebuilt homes and move them onto their property. However, some buildings were moved for simple reasons of convenience. It appears to have been for reasons of convenience that this building was moved. The building was originally built on the site of today's 801 Main, which is the location of the State Mercantile Building. This was then the location of the home of Dr. Charles Wolfer and Flora Wolfer and their family. Based on an examination of Sanborn maps from 1893 and 1900, it was between 1893 and 1