Pawn Shop - 719 7TH ST

 Print Listing Historical Name - Greeley Fire Engine Hose House
Style - No Style
Built Year - Pre-1886
State ID - 5WL4104

Description - Long, two-story, rectangular commercial building with flat roof which is stepped down toward the rear and which has a grain elevator tower at the northwest corner. Front (south) has inset entrance near center with glazed door with transom, angled walls adjacent to entrance, and plate glass display windows. Also slightly inset entrance at west end of façade. Fabric awning with metal braces shelters façade. Upper story is clad with metal panels and has a large rectangular area covered with a grille. Wire drawn brick chimney on west wall. West wall composed of painted concrete block. Also painted brick section near top of west wall and pieces of rock-faced masonry (possibly rock-faced concrete block). No door or window openings on west wall. Tall grain elevator tower is stuccoed and has sloping shoulders and windows on north and south. Rear has series of large garage door openings.

Historical Background - This building appears on an 1886 Sanborn map and may be on the 1882 Bird's-Eye-View of Greeley. The 1886 map indicates that the building was a fire engine hose house with a bell tower. The hose house was still here in 1901, when the equipment in the building included a steamer, a hook and ladder truck, and three hose carts. In 1901 the building also included a jail, which was not indicated on the 1895 map. The building was also indicated as a firehouse with jail on the 1906 map. City directories indicate that the firehouse was here through 1907. A photograph of the firemen in front of the firehouse shows the steam pumper and the hook and ladder wagons drawn by four horses, while the hose carts were drawn by the firemen. W.D. Farr mentions that the horses were housed at the rear of the building. By 1909, the building had been converted to a hay and feed business. The 1909-15 city directories list M.D. Spencer, feed and coal, at this address. Mrs. L.A. Spencer was listed living above the business. The 1917-35 city directories listed the Cash Feed and Seed Store at this address. The business expanded during its tenure, adding a hay warehouse by 1918. The upper story was utilized as apartments during this period. In the 1937 through 1970 city directories, the Meyer Brothers Hatchery was listed at this address. W.D. Farr recalls that baby chickens were sold here and that the owner had a big incubator. Chicken feed was also an important part of the business, with the feed mixed in the rear two-thirds of the building. A 1957 article in the Greeley Tribune also reported that Ross Titler ran a theater above the Meyer Hatchery at one time.