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Sparks House -
913 25th Street
 Print Listing
Historical Name -
Shearer House; Dodge House
Style -
No Style
Built Year -
1957
State ID -
5WL5005
Description -
The modest wood frame dwelling at 913 25th Street features a basic rectangular plan which measures 24' N-S (deep) by 36' E-W (across). Its façade fronts toward 25th Street on the south elevation. The single-story residence is supported by an unpainted concrete foundation which extends to approximately three feet above grade. The foundation wall is penetrated by (possible non-original) basement egress windows with concrete window wells. The house's exterior walls are clad with painted grey horizontal wood siding, while the low-pitched side-gabled roof is covered with brown asphalt composition shingles. The roof eaves are boxed with painted turquoise color wood trim. There is no chimney. A single-light fixed-pane window, flanked on either side by a single-light horizontal sliding window, penetrates the façade wall to the east of the entry porch. Two other single-light fixed-pane windows, each flanked by one single-light horizontal sliding window, are respectively located near the west end of the façade, and near the south end of the east (side) elevation. All of the home's windows are set in metal frames, with painted turquoise color wood surrounds. A nicely-finished, non-historic, stained natural brown wood-paneled door, covered by a white synthetic storm door, is centered on the façade. This door leads into the house from a 4-step, 5' by 6' concrete porch with flanking black wrought iron railings. The porch is partially covered by roof eave. A painted beige wood-paneled door, with one upper sash light, enters the rear of the house on the north elevation. A wood deck is located along the east end of the north elevation.
Historical Background -
Weld County Assessor records indicate that this house was built in 1957, while Greeley city directories reveal that it was initially owned and occupied by the Merrill Shearer family. Born in Greeley on December 22, 1920, Merrill was the son of Edgar and Carrie (Johnson) Shearer. A life long resident of the city, Merrill graduated from Greeley High School with the class of 1940. He then served with the United States Army in the European Theater during World War II, before embarking on a twenty-seven year career with the U.S. Postal Service. Mr. Shearer celebrated his 80th birthday with family and friends in Greeley on September 3, 2000.
The Ronald Dodge family, who lived and owned here between circa 1962 and the late 1970s, have been the property's longest tenured residents. City directories indicate that by the early 1970s, a basement apartment had been installed, which was then rented out by the Dodge family.
More recent city directories indicate that for the most part, the house was a rental during the 1980s and early 1990s. Residents during these years included Donn A. Pitz, David J. Simeone, Robert Schaffer, and R.L. Watson. Schaffer may have owned the property. David Sparks, who is the current owner and occupant, purchased the property in February 1996, according to Weld County Assessor records.
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