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Sleight House -
1854 12TH AV
 Print Listing
Historical Name -
Knies House
Style -
Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Tudor Revival
Built Year -
1930
State ID -
5WL3493
Description -
The residence at 1854 12th Avenue is located on the east side of 12th Avenue, I nteh block between Cranford Place and 19th Street. The dwelling is of wood frame construction, and is supported by a low concrete foundation. The exterior walls have been cladded with non-historic, painted pale blue, horizontal wood siding, with the siding painted gold color on the side elevations to the north and south. The house is covered by a moderately-pitched cross gable roof, with a saltbox, or swept gable roof form toward the façade. The roof is covered with black asphalt shingles, and has closed eaves. A red brick fireplace chimney is located on the exterior of the north elevation, and another red brick chimney is located on the south-facing roof slope. Non-historic bubble skylights penetrate the roof on the south and west elevations. A band of three 8-light windows are located on the façade, on the west elevation. Windows elsewhere on the residence are predominantly single 6-over-1, or 8-over-1, double-hung sash with painted gold color wood frames, and painted white wood surrounds.. A painted red wood-paneled front door, with a black metal storm door, opens onto a 2-step, rounded, concrete porch, located on the façade. A rear entry door is located on the east elevation.
Historical Background -
Greeley city directories indicate that this lot had been developed by 1913, although the original house at this location was apparently replaced or substantially enlarged, in about 1930. Owners or residents at this address prior to 1930 included Mrs. Agnes Nagle, Charles Proctor, Mrs. M.M. Skarboe, C.L. Klein, and E.O. Comings. Mrs. Nagle, who lived at this address in the late 1910s, was employed as a nurse.
According to the city directories, this residence at 1854 12th Avenue was home to Winfield L. Knies and family, from 1931 until the early 1970s. Mr. Knies had been born on July 31, 1892 at Pottsville, Pennsylvania. On June 3, 1917, he married Ruth Evelyn Kirkpatrick at Arriba, Colorado. Two years later, the young couple moved to Greeley where Winfield enrolled at the Colorado State Teachers' College. According to his obituary, Winfield became the college's first male president of the student body. Mr. Knies graduated from Colorado State Teachers' College in 1925; he and Evelyn then moved to Seattle where he earned a master's degree in business administration from the University of Washington. The family then returned to Greeley where Winfield became a professor of business education. Thirty-five years later, Knies retired from the University of Northern Colorado as an emeritus professor. Following his retirement from U.N.C., Mr. Knies served as the superintendent of schools at Gill, Colorado for four years. In Greeley, Mr. Knies was a member of the First Congregational Church, and was an honorary member of several fraternities, including Phi Delta Kappa, Pi Omega Pi, and Kappa Delta Pi. Mr. Knies passed away on September 18, 1984, at the age of 92. He was survived by his wife, Ruth, two daughters, Betty Jane (Wood) and Joanne (Williams), and a son, William S. Knies.
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