Bachenberg House - 1835 12TH AV

 Print Listing Historical Name - Greer House; Sargent House
Style - Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements/Craftsman
Built Year - ca. 1922
State ID - 5WL3514

Description - This Craftsman style house is located on the west side of 12th Avenue, in the block between Cranford Place and 19th Street. This one-story wood frame dwelling has a concrete foundation faced with red brick. Single, paired and tripled two-light hopper basement windows, with painted white wood frames and surrounds, and painted black wood screens. The house's exterior walls are cladded with painted white horizontal wood siding, with 1" by 4 " corner boards. Painted brown square-cut wood shingles appear in the upper gable ends on the north and south elevations, and in the upper gable end of the front porch roof on the east elevation. The house is covered by a low-pitched side gabled roof, with brown asphalt shingles, and with exposed rafter ends with a fascia board. Decorative purlins and ridge poles appear in the upper gable ends on the north and south elevations. A red brick fireplace chimney is located on the exterior of the north elevation, and another red brick chimney is located on the roof ridge. The home's windows are primarily paired and tripled 4-over-1 (ribbon style) double hung sash, and 8-over-1 double-hung sash, with painted wood frames and surrounds, and with aluminum screens. Two square single-light windows flank the fireplace chimney on the north elevation. A 4-step concrete porch is recessed under a large intersecting gable roof, at the north end of the façade, on the east elevation. The porch features a concrete floor, red brick kneewalls, and a tapered red brick pier which helps support the gabled roof. Two stained natural brown wood paneled doors open onto the porch. A relatively large shed-roofed addition has been built onto the house's original south elevation. The addition features painted white horizontal wood siding, 1-beside-1 horizontal sliding windows, and a horizontal sliding glass door, located on the addition's west elevation.

Historical Background - Built in the early 1920s, this house at 1835 12th Avenue has served as a single-family dwelling throughout its history. According to Greeley city directories, John P. and Molly Greer were the home's first residents, living here between 1922 and 1941. Mr. Greer was a stockman and cattle buyer, and according to the directories, the Greer family included up to six members. In the 1940s, this property was home to a number of short-term occupants, including Peter Deer, Clarence G. Corey, Ben Fink, George F. Smith, and James D. Mudrow. In about 1951, the property was acquired by Wesley J. and June (Corsberg) Sargent, who then lived and owned here until the late 1960s. Wesley James Sargent had been born in Greeley on August 25, 1917, the son of Mr. And Mrs. James Sargent. He attended Greeley schools and the University of Northern Colorado, before entering the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, where he attained the rank of captain. Wes and his wife June married on may 28, 1943, and in the ensuing years, they raised a family of two sons and one daughter. Wes was employed by the Jones Company for a number of years, prior to establishing his own business, Sargent's Sport Shop, in 1961. Mr. Sargent passed away on March 15, 1978, after suffering a heart attack at his sporting goods store. Following his death, the Wes Sargent Memorial Scholarship Fund was established at the University of Northern Colorado. From the late 1960s to the present, 1835 12th Avenue has been owned and occupied by Elmer and Mary Kaye Bachenberg. Mr. And Mrs. Bachenberg were married at Lincoln, Nebraska on April 27, 1957, and after living in Lincoln for four years, and in Denver for three years, they came to Greeley in 1964. Elmer and Mary Kaye were both public school teachers, and professional librarians. Both were employed as librarians at the University of Northern Colorado, and Mr. Bachenberg was also a certified archivist and a professional parliamentarian.