Mayeda House - 2440 10th Avenue Court

 Print Listing Historical Name - Murphy House; Bond House; Mayeda House
Style - Modern Movements/Minimal Traditional
Built Year - 1949
State ID - 5WL4984

Description - This house consists of an original single-story side-gabled dwelling which measures 32 feet north-south (across) by 22 feet east-west (deep), and a shed-roofed addition which measures 32 feet north-south by 12 feet east-west. The addition was built onto the house's original east (rear) elevation in 1970. The dwelling is supported by a low unpainted concrete foundation, and its exterior walls are clad with beige color horizontal vinyl siding over wood frame construction. The roof is moderately-pitched side-gabled, covered with brown asphalt composition shingles. The minimally-overhanging eaves are boxed with beige color vinyl or metal trim. There is no chimney. The home's windows are primarily 2/2 double-hung sash with painted or stained brown wood frames and surrounds. A painted beige wood-paneled front door, with four very small centered upper sash lights, and covered by a painted brown wood storm door, is located on the façade (west elevation). This door leads into the house from a 2-step concrete porch which measures 4 feet by 4-feet. The porch is covered by a gable roof with curved knee brace supports. A painted or stained brown wood-paneled door, with three upper sash lights, and covered by a painted or stained brown wood storm door, is located on the north (side) elevation. This door enters into the house from a 2-step concrete stoop. The 1970 shed-roofed addition to the east (rear) elevation is of wood frame construction. The addition is penetrated by 1x1 horizontal sliding windows glass bypass door enters the addition at the north end of the east elevation.

Historical Background - Greeley city directories and Weld County Assessor records indicate that this house was built in 1949. According to the 1950 city directory, C. Howard Murphy was the home's first resident and he was probably its original owner and builder. Murphy, who passed away in July 1999 was a local contractor during the post-World War II years. Thus, it is probable that he built this house as well as others in the Arlington Neighborhood. According to his obituary, Murphy was born in Broken Bow, Nebraska on February 18, 1915. He grew up in Lebanon, Nebraska where he worked part time in his father's bank, and where he graduated from high school with honors in 1932. He later attended Denver University, and the University of Nebraska School of Architecture. Murphy was married to Eunice M. Speetzen on December 24, 1941. During the ensuing war years, the Murphys lived in Denver where he worked for the Broderick and Gordon Construction Company building ordinance plants in Colorado, Utah and Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Murphy moved to Greeley in 1945, where according to his obituary, Mr. Murphy "designed and built numerous homes and projects in Greeley and Boulder." Also according to his obituary Murphy later purchased the Weller Lumber Company, served as a director for the United Bank of Greeley, was active in the Greeley Rotary Club, and belonged to several building associations. Murphy retired in 1984, and he passed away in July 1999 at the age of 84. His wife, Eunice, preceded him in death. The Murphys were survived by at least one daughter, Marcia (Murphy) Bowers. Following the Murphys brief initial tenure of approximately two years, this property was next occupied for a brief time by Burton Allen Bond. The son of Allen Henry and Stella (McGlauflin) Bond, Burton had been born in St. George, Maine on April 18, 19909. He was married to Frances Long in Milton, Massachusetts on June 5, 1937. Mr. Bond attended Burdette College in Boston, before working as a foreman at the United States Arsenal in Watertown, Massachusetts during World War II. He was later employed by the Cornell Dubiler Electric Corp., and he was involved with grand circuit of harness racing in the late 1940s, in which capacity he helped develop the "Phantom Barrier" starting gate. In Greeley, he purchased the United Motors Service Garage from Al Purdy in 1950, and he subsequently operated the business as Bond's Automotive until his retirement in November 1978. Mr. Bond passed away in Greeley in August 1986 at the age of 77. He was survived by his wife, Frances, and by twin daughters, Carol I Bond and Corrine A. (Bond) Morey, and two grandchildren. From the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s, this property was occupied by a series of relatively short term tenants. These included: W.J. Hobbs (mid-1950s); W.M. Gregory (late 1950s); K.F. Fawcett, Jr. (early 1960s); Ronald Brown (early-to-mid-1960s); Lester Mattocks (late 1960s); and Gregory and Deanna L. Shannon (early 1970s). City of Greeley building inspection records indicated the property was owned by Charles and Lucille Weber between circa 1968 and 1975. The Webers apparently maintained it a rental. From 1974 to the present (2005) this property has been occupied by two generations of the Mayeda family. Sam Isamu an Chiyoko (Arakawa) Mayeda moved into this house circa 1974, and purchased it a year or two later. Sam had been born at Watsonville, California on September 12, 1909, the son of Nisaku and Nase (Oshima) Maeda. He and Chiyoko were married at Cheyenne, Wyoming on October 31, 1942. The couple then made their home in Denver, where Sam was employed by the Denver Vegetable Company. The Mayedas later farmed in northeastern Colorado, near Kersey, Gill, and Johnstown-Milliken where the family operated the Gerye Produce Company. In the years following their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Mayeda also raised a family of one daughter and two sons, whom they named Iris, Barney and Douglas. They retired to this house in Greeley 1974. Sam passed away just five years later in January 1979, at the age of 69. Today (in 2005), the property is owned by Douglas M. and Letha C. Mayeda. Although members of the Mayeda family lived here as recently as 2002, it is now maintained as a rental.