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Polansky House -
2440 11th Avenue
Print Listing
Historical Name -
Swan House; LaTorra House; Stoll House
Style -
Other Style
Built Year -
1950
State ID -
5WL4999
Description -
The property at 2440 11th Avenue consists of a single-story wood frame house, with an attached single-stall garage, and with a small shed-roofed extension built onto the rear of the garage. The residence portion of the building measures 30' N-S (across) by 24' E-W (deep); the attached garage, located at the east end of the north elevation, measures 12' N-S by 20' E-W; the shed-roofed extension, built onto the garage's east elevation, measures 8' by 8'. The house is supported by a low concrete foundation, and there is evidently a basement as the foundation walls are penetrated by 1x1 horizontal sliding and single-light hopper basement windows. The building's exterior walls are clad with painted light beige horizontal weatherboard siding, with painted dark beige 1" by 4" corner boards. The intersecting hipped roof is covered with grey asphalt shingles, and the eaves are boxed. Two large 1x1 horizontal sliding windows penetrate the façade wall on the west elevation. There are two 2/2 double-hung sash windows on the south elevation; one 1/1 double-hung sash window penetrates the north elevation; windows on the east (rear) elevation include one 1/1 double-hung sash, 2/2 double-hung sash, and one small non-historic 1x1 horizontal sliding window. A painted white wood-paneled front door, with one upper sash light, and covered by a white synthetic storm door, enters the house on the façade (west elevation). This door leads into the house from a 2-step concrete porch which is covered by an extended overhang of the roof eave. A painted white entry door leads into the rear of the house on the east elevation.
The attached garage is supported by a concrete slab foundation, and it is covered by a low-pitched hipped roof which intersects with the house roof. The garage's exterior walls are clad with painted beige horizontal weatherboard siding, with painted dark beige 1" by 4" corner boards. A white metal-paneled overhead garage door, on the west elevation, opens onto a concrete driveway which extends to 11th Avenue to the west. A single 4-light hopper window penetrates the garage's north wall. A painted white wood-paneled door enters the shed-roofed extension built onto the garage's east elevation.
Historical Background -
Weld County Assessor records indicate that this house was built in 1950. D.R. Swan, who is listed as the owner/occupant in the 1952 and 1954 Greeley city directories, was probably the original owner. Subsequent owners who also lived here included Robert A. and Leola LaTorra (mid-1950s), James E. and Rosalie Pivonka (late 1950s), and Henry Stoll (1960s).
Robert LaTorra was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming on August 15, 1924, the son of Dominic and Ruth LaTorra. He grew up mostly in Greeley, graduating from Greeley High School in 1943. Robert served in the Army Air Corps between 1944 and 1946, before embarking on a twenty year career as a chief pilot and engineer with McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Company. On February 12, 1954, he was married to Leola A. Eckhardt in Greeley. They then lived in Greeley for several years before moving to Palm Desert, California. Mr. LaTorra passed away in California on May 26, 2004 at age of 79. He was survived by his wife, Leola, a daughter, Barbara (Blackstock), and two sons named Dick and Jim.
James E. Pivonka and Rosalie (Reynolds) Pivonka were married in Abilene, Texas on July 3, 1943. They moved to Greeley soon after their marriage and have remained here from that time on. A graduate of Colorado State College of Education, and the University of Northern Colorado, Mr. Pivonka farmed and owned an accounting firm prior to his retirement in 1982. Mr. and Mrs. Pivonka celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in Greeley on July 3, 2003.
Obituaries for two persons named Henry Stoll were located in Greeley Tribune obituary files. Both are listed under the Sources of Information. The Henry Stoll who owned and lived in this house in retirement throughout most of the 1960s, was probably born in Denhoff, Russia on July 1, 1884, and immigrated to America at a young age. He came to the Windsor area in 1902, and was married to Christina Wacker in Loveland on July 19, 1906. The Stolls farmed near Windsor and Morgan County, before retiring (apparently to Greeley) in 1946. Mrs. Stoll passed away on January 18, 1963. Mr. Stoll died on March 5, 1978 at the age of 93. They were survived by two daughters - Marie (Brandt), and Margaret (Foos), and four sons - Carl, Jacob, Alvin, and John.
Greeley city directories indicate that from 1970 to the present (2006) this house has primarily served as a rental. It has been home to a progression of relatively short-term tenants, probably including several who were students at the University of Northern Colorado. The property is currently owned by John E. Polansky of Loveland.
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