133 Lower D Street

Description

Real estate appraisal card. 133 Lower (or North) D Street, lots 10-13, block 2, in Salida, Colorado. This house was built before 1886, based on Sanborn Insurance maps. In 1903, Salida citizen Charles Lines lived here with his wife, Josephine, and two children. Born in Nashville, Illinois, in 1861, he came to Salida in 1890, after living in St. Louis for four years. He was employed by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad during his entire time in Salida, working over the years as coal chute foreman, manager of the oil house, and checker in the warehouse. He married Josephine Waldorf (b.1868), originally of Missouri, in St. Louis on 24 October 1888. Both of Josephine's parents were born in Germany. The couple had two sons, one of whom was killed in battle in World War I. They also had a daughter, who died at the age of five in 1904, when the D Street hanging bridge collapsed over the Arkansas River. Their son, Lance, also lived here. Living with the Lines in 1903 were the following roomers: S.J. Carter, Stephen E. Merrill, and O.N. Smith, all of whom were employed as firemen with the railroad. Charles died in July 1925, after a nine-day illness resulting from when a splinter in his finger became infected. Henry L. Batkin, an employee of the Denver & Rio Grande, lived here with his wife Lena J Batkin. Mr. Batkin was born in Kansas in 1879. Mrs. Batkin was born in Georgia in 1881. The Batkins had a daughter, Helen, who was born in 1907 in Oklahoma. Also living here was Claude R. Bassham, a helper with the railroad. In 1922, Amarante and Celestina Garcia lived here. Both of the Garcias were born in New Mexico, Amarante in 1888 and Celestina in 1874. Mr. Garcia was employed by the railroad as car repairer. The Garcias had five children, all of whom were born in New Mexico: Marandy, Rosie, Joe, Roseata, and Rosneta. The family still lived in Salida in 1930, although on West Front Street. The 1930 U.S. Census listed several people living here, including David Hand (b.1863), originally of Indiana, and eight year old Harry lreball who was rooming with Mr. Hand. No indication is given of their relationship to each other. Also living here were Fred. D. and Della Leason. Fred, originally born in Kansas in 1885, worked as a locomotive engineer with the steam railroad. His wife Della was born in Missouri in 1885. Their son Emory A. Leason, who was born in Colorado, lived with them as well. The 1951 city directory indicated that John F. and Laura Maestas were the owners and residents of the house. Mr. Maestas was an employee at a marble quarry in that year. The 1965 city directory listed John and Desideria Maestas as the owners of the house. John F. Maestas was born in 1900 in Vallecitos, New Mexico. At the time of his death in 1979 he was identified as a retired D&RGW employee. Mr. Maestas was survived by eight children, twenty-two grandchildren, and sixteen great grandchildren. An Assessor's appraisal card indicates that Laura V. Maestas was a subsequent owner of the house. History Colorado's Architectural Inventory Forms have more information and are available at the Salida Library.