McGill House - 1129 CRANFORD PL

 Print Listing Historical Name - Atkinson House
Style - Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements/Craftsman - bungalow
Built Year - 1920
State ID - 5WL3684

Description - This Craftsman style bungalow is located at the northeast corner of Cranford Place and 12th Avenue. The house's façade fronts toward Cranford Place to the south. The house is supported by a low concrete foundation, covered with painted white texture stucco, and it has a full basement, with three-light hopper basement windows. The dwelling is of wood frame construction, and its exterior walls are cladded with painted white, narrow, horizontal wood siding. Stained dark brown square-cut wood shingles appear in the upper gable ends. The house is covered by a low-pitched hipped roof, with intersecting gables over the front porch, and at the north end of the east and west elevations. The roof is covered with red asphalt shingles, and the rafter ends are exposed beneath widely-overhanging eaves. One red brick fireplace chimney, with a corbelled cap, is located on the exterior of the west elevation. The house's windows are primarily 4/1 and 6/1 (ribbon-style) double-hung sash with painted white wood frames and surrounds. Two 4/1 (ribbon-style) double-hung sash windows on the façade (south elevation), flank a large single-hung sash window with a stained glass transom light. Two single-light fixed-pane windows flank the fireplace chimney on the west elevation. A stained dark brown solid wood door, with three upper sash lights, and with a black metal storm door, opens onto a Craftsman style porch which extends nearly the full length of the façade (south elevation). The porch features a concrete floor, red brick kneewalls, and red brick piers, which support the gabled porch. A distinctive, painted white, gable ornament in the upper gable end of the porch roof, comprises the house's most notable architectural feature. Secondary entrances into the home are located on the north (rear) elevation, and at the north end of the east elevation. On the north elevation, a stained natural brown wood-paneled door, with one upper sash light, and with a wood screen door, opens onto a small concrete porch, covered by a gabled hood, with kneebrace supports. At the north end of the east elevation, a flight of seven carpeted concrete steps descends to a painted white wood-paneled basement-level door.

Historical Background - Constructed in 1920, this Craftsman style bungalow has been owned by only a few families throughout its more than eighty year history. According to Greeley city directories, the home's original - and most enduring - owners were Dr. Thomas E. and Ione (Schmidt) Atkinson. The Atkinson family - initially including children Mary Louise, Horace E., Thomas E. Jr., and Lorene - lived and owned here for more than four decades, until the early 1960s. Born on June 3, 1887, Thomas Atkinson was the son of Greeley pioneers Horace E. and Carrie (Morse) Atkinson. Educated in Greeley public schools, Thomas went on to attend the University of Colorado Medical School where he earned his M.D. degree in 1915. After graduating, on July 17, 1915, Dr. Atkinson was united in marriage to Miss Ione Schmidt. Thomas and Ione then moved to Mullen, Nebraska where he opened his first medical practice. In 1918, Dr. Atkinson became a member of the U.S. Army Medical Corps, during World War I, assigned to U.S. Army base hospital #88 in France. Following the war, in 1920, the Atkinsons relocated to Greeley, moving into this new house on Cranford Place. In 1924, Dr. Atkinson spent a year in New York, training at the New York City Hospital where he became an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist. He subsequently was in private practice in Greeley for many years, until his retirement in October 1965. Ione Atkinson preceded her husband in death, passing away on February 7, 1960. Dr. Atkinson passed away in early March 1966, soon after his retirement. Following the Atkinsons long tenure, in the mid-1960s, 1129 Cranford Place became the residence of Frank W. Morris and family. The Morris's lived and owned here until the early 1980s. Francis Victor lived, and perhaps owned, here in the late 1980s and early 1990s.