Sackett Avenue

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113 E. Sackett Avenue
Real estate appraisal card. 113 Sackett Avenue, lots 9 & 10, block 4 in Salida, Colorado. Based on Sanborn fire insurance map evidence, this building was constructed between 1890 and 1893. The building was addressed as 113 E. Front Street (later 113 E. Sackett Avenue). A saloon is shown as the building's occupant on 1893 through 1909 Sanborn maps. A 1902 article discussing the construction of a two-unit house to the east, referred to this structure as the "Kinney building." The 1903-04 city directory lists a saloon at this address operated by Frank Martin. By 1905-06, the business was identified as the D&RG Saloon, with Frank Martin as the proprietor. Mr. Martin was the sole agent for Puritan rye whiskey. The D&RG Saloon was still in the building in 1909. A painted wall sign for the saloon is still present on the west wall of the building and reads "D&RG Saloon-Wines, Liquors-Cigars, Schooners, 5 cents." The second floor of the building held furnished rooms. Elizabeth Martin ran this side of the operation in 1905-06 and 1909. In 1911-12, Mrs. Elizabeth Kenney operated the D&RG Rooming House. In 1914, the building housed a Chinese laundry. In 1922-23, Frank Martin was listed as the proprietor of the Palace Laundry at this address. A display advertisement in the city directory explained that "we do wet wash, rough dry, and finished laundry work of all kinds. Parcel post-quick delivery." The business probably took its name from the Palace Hotel a short distance to the north. An unidentified store was located in the building according to 1929 and 1945 Sanborn fire insurance maps. The address does not appear in the 1951 city directory. In the 1960s, the evangelist Brother Ben Maestas had his church in this building.
115 W. Front Street
Real estate appraisal card. 115 W. Front Street, lot 4, block 5, in Salida, Colorado.
117 W. Sackett Avenue
Real estate appraisal card. 117 W. Sackett Ave., lots % & 6, block 5, in Salida, Colorado. This building is not shown on the 1888 Sanborn map, but does appear on the 1890 map, when it is indicated as a Chinese laundry and female boarding on the second story, connected by a passage on the first story to a female boarding house or bordello at 113 W. Sackett Ave. This block of West Sackett Avenue was Salida's Red Light district, and contained several houses of prostitution. Railroad workers, travelers disembarking from trains at the nearby station, and other visitors to the downtown area provided a large group of clients for the district. By 1893, this building was identified as "female boarding," like the adjacent buildings. This designation continued through the 1914 Sanborn map. The 1905-06 city directory listed two female boarders here: Emma Dean and Lucy Gaines. Mary Goodrich was indicated as the head or the household. By the time of the 1929 map, the building was identified as a dwelling.
130 W. Sackett Avenue
Real estate appraisal card. 130 W. Sackett Avenue, pt. SE 1/4, Sec. 32 T 50N R 9E, in Salida, Colorado. This building was constructed about 1906. The 1909 and 1914 Sanborn maps show this building divided into six units and labeled "female boarding," a Sanborn Map Company euphemism for a place of prostitution. This building is visible on 1926 and late 1930s overview photographs of Salida taken from Tenderfoot Hill. These "cribs" were operated by Salida's most famous madam, Laura Evans, and she may have been the original owner. Accounts of her life indicate she acquired this building in 1906. This block of W. Sackett Avenue (then known as W. Front Street) was the town's Red Light District and contained a number of houses of prostitution. Railroad workers and travelers provided a large client base for the district. In the 1905-06 city directory, units in this building were numbered 1 through 6 W. Sackett Avenue, with each unit occupied by a single woman who listed no occupation. Laura Evans operated brothels at 113 and 129 W. Sackett Avenue during the twentieth century. According to an account in One Hundred Years in the Heart of the Rockies, Ms. Evans married young, deserted her family, changed her name, and became a prostitute. She came west to Denver's Market Street and spent three years in Leadville, before settling in Salida in the late 1890s. She continued to operate her business until 1950, when the local District Attorney finally forced her to close. Accounts of Ms. Evans' life in Salida are replete with numerous good works. During the influenza epidemic of 1918, she reportedly suspended operations and provided rooms for the sick and sent her girls to aid in nursing flu victims. During the Depression, food baskets and coal were provided to needy families. Abused women were given shelter. One Salida politician remarked: "I doubt if anybody will ever know how many people Laura helped. She was an entire Department of Social Services long before there was such a thing." Laura Evans listed her occupation on census returns and in city directories as the keeper of a lodging house. After her operations were closed down in 1950, she rented rooms to railroad workers. Ms. Evans died at 129 W. Sackett Avenue on 6 April 1953.
133 E. Sackett Avenue
Real estate appraisal card. 133 E. Sackett Avenue, 100' lots 4 & 5, block 4, in Salida, Colorado. A Salida Record article reports that the building was erected in 1902 by J.W. DeWeese. James Watt DeWeese, a native of Ohio, grew up in Ohio and Indiana and apprenticed in the shops of the Lake Shore Railroad as a machinist. In 1887, he came to Salida to work as a machinist for the D&RG Railroad. He worked for the D&RG three years in Salida and three years in Gunnison, studied freehand drawing in Cincinnati, traveled to California, and returned to Salida In 1894. DeWeese formed a partnership in the real estate and loan business with W.S. "Shamus" O'Brien. He bought out O'Brien in 1898. DeWeese also served as secretary of the Salida Building and Loan Association and as secretary of School District Number 7. In 1900, he was described as "doing an excellent business and is one of the most popular young business men in the county." Ground was broken for this building in January 1902. It was 50'X30', twelve room, "two department terrace on Front street on the lots located between the Kinney building and the corner of E street." The impact of the building was described at the time of its construction: "This building will fill up a very conspicuous gap in the otherwise solid and attractive front that the town presents from the depot and will be appreciated accordingly by the public. It is likely that the owners of the other lots adjoining will in the near future build similar buildings on their ground and fill the space to the corner." The building's foundation was in by late February 1902, and the Salida Mail commented that "the plans provide for arrangements which will make it a very handsome and desirable residence. A large force of hands is at work, and the building will be completed in the very near future." The 1903-04 city directory indicated that Amanda B. Creswell was operating a boarding house in this building. The 1909 city directory referred to this building as the DeWeese Terrace and listed its address as 121 E. Front. The Sanborn maps for 1904 through 1929 show the building in use as a two-unit dwelling. It was addressed as 135-37 in 1904 and 133-35 subsequently. The 1945 Sanborn map identified this building as the New Haven Hotel.
217 E. Sackett Ave.
Real estate appraisal card. 217 E. Sackett Ave., lot 9 + 1/2 of 8, block 3, in Salida, Colorado.
217 E. Sackett Ave.
Real estate appraisal card. 217 E. Sackett Avenue, lots 9 + 1/2 of 8, block 3, in Salida, Colorado. This house was built between 1898 and 1904. Leo Welch, a machinist with Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, lived here in 1910. He had married Pearl B. Welch in 1900. Mr. and Mrs. Welch were both born in Texas in 1879. By 1920, Thomas and Elizabeth Kennedy, both Canadian-English immigrants, lived at this house. Thomas Kennedy was born in Ship Harbor, Nova Scotia, in 1856. He came to the United States in 1897 with his wife and children. They all became naturalized citizens in 1919. Thomas worked as a locomotive carpenter with the Denver & Rio Grande. The Kennedys had five children by 1910: Thomas W. (b.1857), John A. (b.1884), Wilfred T. (b.1889), Mary K. (b.1893), and Agnes L. (b.1896). All of the children were also born in Canada. Like his father, John A. Kennedy was also a carpenter. Agnes worked as a saleslady at a dry goods store. Thomas W. was a railroad laborer. He retired on his railroad pension in 1926. The Kennedys still lived at this house in 1931. In 1930, John A., Thomas W., and Agnes still lived with their parents. Thomas Kennedy, a Salida resident for thirty-nine years, died in April 1936. He was 80 years old at the time of his death. Elizabeth died a few years later, in February 1941.
227 E. Sackett Avenue
Real estate appraisal card. 227 E. Sackett Avenue, lots 7 + 1/2 of 8, block 3, in Salida, Colorado. This house was built between 1898 and 1904. In 1906, David C. Kern, a carpenter for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, lived at this house. He was born in Ohio in 1868. His wife, Eva W. Kern, was born in Missouri in 1869. They were married in 1888. The couple had a daughter, Crystal M. Kern, who was born in Kansas in 1893. By 1910, they had moved to a different house in Salida. David and Eva Kern still lived in Salida by 1930. John P. and Clara Foley lived at this house by 1920. Clara was born in Kentucky and John was born November 1, 1858, in Lee County, Iowa. Both of his parents were born in Ireland. He worked as a pumpman with the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Maintenance Ways Employees (B. of M.W.E.), an organization for water employees of the railroad. John still lived here in 1930, but Clara had died at this point and his sister Julia Foley had moved in. Julia was born in Iowa in 1862. Also living with John and his sister was a widow from Maine, 80-year-old Hanna Malay. Julia Foley died in 1945, after which John lived with Mr. and Mrs. Chris Nasious. John died in May 1953 at the age of 94.
227 E. Sackett Avenue
Real estate appraisal card. 227 E. Sackett Avenue, lot 7 & 1/2 of 8, block 3, in Salida, Colorado.
239 E. Sackett Avenue
Real estate appraisal card. 239 E. Sackett Avenue, lot 4, block 3, in Salida, Colorado. This house was erected before 1886. In 1903-04, Lee Huston, a repairman with the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, and the family of James H. Huston, a carpenter, lived at this house. Besides carpentry, James was involved with important mining enterprises in the Salida area. He was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1840. He served with the 20th Illinois regiment during the Civil War. His wife Emma was born in Ohio in 1849. The couple married in 1869. Their son Oscar L., born in Kansas in 1870, lived with them in 1900 at a different address, as did a granddaughter, Pearl Houston, born in Colorado in 1892. By 1910, James and Emma lived at a different house with Pearl. James was still working as a carpenter. They also had several lodgers staying with them. James died in November 1910. His obituary noted that he was highly regarded by the community. He had lived in Salida for 15 years by the time of his death. By 1920, Emma was living with her daughter and son-in-law, Guy and Olie Hall. Newton C. Kimberlin lived at this address in 1906 and worked as a repairman with the D&RG. Newton was born in 1856 in Illinois. His wife, Ella A. Kimberlin, was born in Iowa in 1861. They were married in 1880 and had two children by 1910: Frank S. (b.1891) and Ray E. (b.1901). Frank was born in Missouri and Ray in Kansas. Frank worked as a coach cleaner for the railroad in 1910. By 1920, Newton was working as a car inspector for the railroad and was living alone on East 2nd Street. By 1910, Lee H. Tomlin, a D&RG clerk, lived here with his wife Jessie. The Tomlins were married in 1910. Lee was born in 1891 in Colorado and Jessie in 1892 in Colorado. They had a roomer, Alva A. Fowler, who was a caller for D&RG. Alvie was born in 1891 in Colorado. John August and Josephine Johnson resided at this location in 1922. August was a railroad fireman. August and Josephine were both born in Sweden, August in 1856 and Josephine in 1860. August came to the U.S. in 1880 and Josephine in 1881. They married in 1881. They had five children together. August died in February 1938 at the age of 82, after living in Salida for twenty years. In 1930 Henry and Caroline Cocking lived at this address. Henry was born in Cornwall, England in 1851. He came to the U.S. when he was twenty and came to Salida around 1893. Caroline was born in Indiana in 1852. Henry worked as a miner. He died in August 1938 at the age of 87, at the home of his stepson, G.A. Patton, who he had been living with at the time. Caroline had died couple of years earlier in 1936.
239 E. Sackett Avenue
Real estate appraisal card. 239 E. Sackett Avenue, lot 4, block 3, in Salida, Colorado.
247 E. Sackett Avenue
Real estate appraisal card. 247 E. Sackett Avenue, lots 1-3, block 3, in Salida, Colorado. This building was erected in 1891. The 1893 Sanborn identified this building as the Knox Hotel. By 1898, the building was labeled as "furnished rooms." The 1903-04 city directory listed at least eight lodgers at this address, all of whom worked for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad in such capacities as boilermaker, machinist, hostler, or helper. By 1905-06, Marie Kelly (the widow of Thomas) was operating a rooming house in this building. Several members of her family also lived here, including two sons who worked as brakemen for the D&RG. One other brakeman, a fireman, and a boilermaker for the railroad lodged here as well. The 1911-12 city directory still indicated that Mrs. Kelly was operating a rooming house at this address. George and Thomas Kelly, her sons, lived here and were now conductors with the D&RG. Other residents included two brakemen, a hostler, and an engineer for the railroad. The 1920 Census listed Mrs. Kelly, her son Thomas (still a conductor), her daughter Marie (a pianist at a theater), and two railroad worker lodgers at this address. The 1931 city directory no longer listed Mrs. Kelly, although her son, railroad conductor Thomas F. Kelly, still resided here.

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