Selzler House - 2011 8TH AV

 Print Listing Historical Name - Jay C. Lee House
Style - Bungalow
Built Year - 1920
State ID - 5WL4350

Description - This house at 2011 8th Avenue is situated on the west side of the thoroughfare, between 2007 8th Avenue to the north and 2015 8th Avenue to the south. The dwelling is set back approximately 50 feet from the street. A planted grass yard with mature landscaping surrounds the structure, and a chain-link fence encloses the back yard. A concrete driveway runs along the south side of the building, through a porte cochere, connecting 9th Avenue to a garage southwest of the dwelling. Oriented to the east, the house rests on a concrete foundation with one-beside-one-light, vinyl frame basement windows. A red, raked brick veneer clads the exterior walls, and white-painted false half-timbering, with gray-painted stucco, covers the gables. A thick growth of ivy obscures most of the southeast corner of the house. Windows are one-over-one-light, double-hung sash, with white vinyl frames; the principal (east) elevation features picture windows. The northernmost picture window, which is not beneath the porch roof, has a metal awning over it. A front-gabled porch extends across the southern three-quarters of the asymmetrical front (east) façade. The porch continues seamlessly southward with a side-gabled wing, creating the porte cochere. Massive brick piers, with decorative corbelling and alcoves, support the porch-porte cochere roof. Accessing the porch on its south end are five concrete steps, flanked by brick kneewalls. The front doorway, located on the south end of the front (east) elevation, hosts a white-painted metal slab door opening behind a white, vinyl-frame storm door. A seven-step concrete stairwell, surrounded by a black, wrought-iron railing, leads to a basement doorway on the east end of the south elevation. The doorway features a white-painted, nine-light, metal slab door. A shallow, rectangular bay, covered in white vinyl siding, emerges near the center of the south elevation. The bay features a band of one-over-one-light windows. Extending across the northern three quarters of the rear (west) elevation is an enclosed, shed-roof porch. The porch is entered on the west end of its south elevation, through a vinyl frame storm door. A chimney with prominent heart is engaged to the north elevation. Just west of the chimney is a one-beside-one-light, sliding sash window. Red-gray asphalt shingles cover the front-gabled roof and porch roofs, and the eaves are boxed with white vinyl fascia and soffit. A red brick chimney protrudes from the roof's south slope. A shed-roof dormer runs along the south slope of the roof.

Historical Background - In July 1887, James M. Freeman platted Arlington Heights. The area was also known as Freeman's Subdivision and consisted of a large area extending south from downtown Greeley. Individual lots were created, including this one at 2011 8th Avenue, as demand for housing increased with suburban growth in Greeley. Ambrose O. and Ollie May Colvin purchased the lot sometime before 1919, when they sold it Jay C. Lee. Local tax assessor records reveal that the current home was built in 1920. Ownership of the lot transferred several times between 1924 and 1928, from J.B. Fuqua to George and Edna Luman to Carrie Isenhart. Dr. Thomas Clyde Wilmoth resided at this address from 1935 until at least 1944. Henry H. and Katherine Adler lived here between 1946 and 1959. Mr. Adler was born on January 9, 1889, in Kolb, a German settlement in Russia. He came to the United States with his family circa 1901, and they settled in Hastings, Nebraska. The family moved to Weld County sometime in 1902, corresponding to the sugar beet boom in northern Colorado. Adler worked as a farmer for many years and married Katherine Krenning on November 10, 1926, in Longmont. They had nine children altogether: sons Francis, Ray, Gordon, Roy, and Frank; and daughters Patricia, Marcia, Esther, and Ellen. Mr. Adler was a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church and died in April 1957. Perhaps during the Adler's tenure or immediately following it, Edward Lehan purchased the property and resided here from at least 1963 until 1974. Born at Dunlap, Iowa, on August 21, 1909, Lehan came to Greeley with his family in 1911. He graduated from the Colorado State College of Education (now the University of Northern Colorado) in 1934 and married Sarah McRoberts on August 25, 1947 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Mr. And Mrs. Lehan had two daughters, named Sarah and H. Catherine. Edward Lehan died on May 18, 1976. Several individuals owned the property between 1975 and 1997, including Douglas P. and Denyse C. McNutt; Grace Donkersloot Napier; Michael L. and Judie A. Lesh; Tom Weber, and Jana and Kris Pickett.