Real estate appraisal card. 400 E. 2nd Street, lots 14 & 15, block 25, in Salida, Colorado.
This house was built as two separate dwellings erected between 1895 and 1902. The houses were addressed 400 E. 2nd (the current address) and 131 C Street.
In 1903-04, Charles Fry and Frank Taylor roomed here. No occupations were provided for the two men. By 1905-06, Mrs. Margaret "Maggie" Smith, a widow (of Rev. Joel Smith, who died in 1896), lived here with her three daughters and one son. Margaret Smith was born in North Carolina in 1861. There were three roomers living with them, all of whom worked for the Denver & Rio Grande: George A. Bennett, a conductor, Adam A. Moore, a machinist and William J. Tierney, a conductor. Mrs. Smith continued to live here in 1910 with her daughters Maude, Angeline N., and Josephine M.,and son Thomas B. Maude worked as a clerk at the Golden Rule Store, which supplied dry goods. Angeline was a clerk at R.N. Pherson. By 1911-12, Thomas was also working as a clerk. Sarah Vestal, a 67 year old widow from North Carolina and her Colorado-born daughter Alice, a 32-year-old single woman, also lived at this address in 1910. Alice worked at a millinery shop. In 1911-12, Jesse R. Pruett, a barber at J.M. Manful, also lived with the Smiths and Vestals.
By 1922, James T. and Luetta E. Sweeney lived at this house, with James working as a clerk. Marion M. Burgner lived at this address by 1931. In 1951, Mrs. Elizabeth Gates, the widow of Earl Gates, Mrs. Sarah Bertschy, and Mrs. Clara Potter lived here. In the 1930 US Census, Sarah Bertschy was listed living at 421 Park Avenue with her husband George (b.1864) and their granddaughter, Lillian M. Obernathy, age five. Sarah Bertschy was born in Missouri in 1874, marrying George in 1892. In 1953, this was the residence of Nere (1880-1953) and Alpha Bouchard (1891-1980), who was also cited as an owner of the building. The couple had lived in Salida for eight years. In 1965, the city directory listed "no information" for this address.
History Colorado's Architectural Inventory Forms have more information and are available at the Salida Library.
