Neale House - 1847 12TH AV

 Print Listing Historical Name - Holmes House; Clark House
Style - Late Victorian/Edwardian
Built Year - 1909
State ID - 5WL3513

Description - This house is located on the west side of 12th Avenue, in the block between Cranford Place and 19th Street. Among the Cranford neighborhood's earliest built homes, this is a 1.5 story wood frame dwelling, supported by a low sandstone foundation. There is a basement beneath the dwelling's main floor, and the stone foundation walls are penetrated by 3-light hopper basement windows, with painted white wood frames and surrounds. The house is of wood frame construction, and its exterior walls are cladded with painted white horizontal wood siding, with variegated wood shingles in the upper gable end on the façade (east elevation). The house features a rather tall, angular form indicative of architectural styles and vernacular house forms dating from the late-Victorian era. The roof is a steeply pitched front gable, covered with grey asphalt shingles, and with flared eaves. A very large gabled dormer, with flared eaves, is located on the north elevation; a shed-roofed dormer, with variegated wood shingle siding is located on the south elevation. A tall red brick chimney is located on the north-facing roof slope. The home's windows are primarily single and paired 1-over-1 double-hung sash, with painted white wood frames and surrounds. A stained natural brown glass-in wood frame entry door opens onto a carpeted wood porch which extends nearly the full length of the façade. The porch features an open wood balustrade, and Doric columns and engaged columns, which support a low-pitched hipped porch roof. A painted white solid wood door, with a silver metal storm door, opens onto a large concrete porch on the home's west (rear) elevation. A one-story screened-in porch addition has been built on the original dwelling's south elevation.

Historical Background - Built in 1909, this residence at 1847 12th Avenue was among approximately sixty-four houses built in the Cranford Neighborhood during the first decade of the twentieth century. In the ensuing decades, the pace of construction would increase, as the 1910s, nearly eighty homes were constructed in the neighborhood, and by the end of the 1920s, the neighborhood had seen the construction of more than 130 additional new homes. The first known resident of this property was Charles N. and Alice (Ingraham) Holmes, who, according to Greeley city directories, lived here until 1936. Among the region's early settlers, the Holmes' were married on June 29, 1873. Charles and Alice, for the most part, lived here during their retirement years. Mr. Holmes passed away circa 1930; however Mrs. Holmes continued to live here until 1936. The next owners and residents of 1847 12th Avenue were James A. and Sadie A. Clark, who lived here between 1937 and 1949. Mr. Clark, during these years, worked as a painter and decorator. During the Clark tenure, in about 1948, a portion of the building was apparently converted into an apartment, as the address 1847 1/2 12th Avenue, begins to appear in the city directories. The next long-term owner of 1847 12th Avenue was Everett E. Shupe, who purchased the property circa 1951. Everett E. Shupe was born in Denver in June 1905. He attended Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois, where he received a degree in journalism. On August 1, 1931, he married Harriet Healy, in Chicago. The couple moved to Colorado Springs, where Mr. Shupe worked for the Gazette-Telegraph newspaper. Afterwards, Mr.. Shupe managed radio station KVOR in Colorado Springs. The Shupes then moved to Greeley, where Everett worked at radio stations KFKA and KYOU. In the early 1960s, the Shupes moved to Lamar, where Everett managed radio station KLMR. A few years later the Shupes moved to Tabernash, where they managed a small business. During these years, the Shupes retained ownership of their home here at 1847 12th Avenue, renting it out to a series of tenants. In 1971, the Shupes retired, moving back here to their 12th Avenue home in Greeley. Mr. Shupe passed away five years later, on April 16, 1976, at the age of seventy. He was survived by his wife, Harriet, and three sons, Richard, Marshall, and Donald. Mrs. Shupe continued to live here for several more years.