| |
Don’s Hobbies -
813-815 10TH ST
 Print Listing
Historical Name -
Montgomery Ward Co.
Style -
Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements/Commercial Style
Built Year -
1928
State ID -
5WL4165
Description -
Two-story rectangular brick commercial building with flat roof stepped down toward rear. Façade has central arched parapet with brick coping. Walls are painted brick and glazed brick on front. Brick panel on front wall echoes shape of parapet and is stuccoed. Brick piers enframe building and project slightly above roof. Upper story has three Chicago style windows with wide central sash flanked by narrow sashes and topped by transoms. Fabric awning above first story. First story has two inset entrances with metal frame glazed doors and with large metal frame display windows flanking walls angled in on east. Entrance doors altered from double to single with transoms and sidelights. Brown brick under windows. West entrance is blocked off with timber planter. Brick chimney. Rear wall has single-light fixed and multi-light double-hung sash windows. Metal balcony on second story shelters first story flush panel door.
Historical Background -
This building was erected by A.E. MacDonnell (sometimes cited as MacDonald) for Montgomery Ward & Company in 1928. Mr. MacDonnell was described as a “veteran Greeley building contractor.” The Greeley store opened on 8 December 1928, carrying “a complete and varied line of stock.” On 21 December 1928 the Weld County News reported that D.R. McArthur, a Greeley businessman, bought the new building, which was occupied by Montgomery Ward & Company under a long term lease. The newspaper reported that “the Montgomery Ward building is two stories with basement, 100 by 50 feet. It was built under specifications furnished by Montgomery Ward & Company and is one of the most modern store buildings in northern Colorado…Mr. McDonald [sic] has taken a leading part in the development of both Tenth and Eleventh street as part of the business district. He has also built a number of other downtown buildings as a contractor for other property owners.” Montgomery Ward & Company operated here through at least 1970.
The company was founded in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward and two associates who published the first general merchandise mail order catalog in the country in Chicago. The catalog has been judged “perhaps the greatest single influence in increasing the standards of American middle-class living.” Other firms copied Ward’s catalog, resulting in the creation of a huge mail order industry. Montgomery Ward’s stores were described as offering “aisle after aisle of merchandise under a single roof…one-stop shopping in America’s heartland long before the explosion of malls and superstores….” Montgomery Ward discontinued its catalog operations in 1985. In 2001, the company ceased business.
|