Welcome to Loveland's Residential Historic Walking Tour!
In addition to some important community buildings like schools and churches, this walking tour features some historic homes that were either given Loveland historic landmark status for their individual significance to the community or that contribute to Loveland's West 4th Street and West 5th Street Historic Districts. See below for more information on these historic districts.West 4th Street Historic DistrictThe homes of the West 4th Street Historic District are comprised of a relatively homogeneous group of one story brick bungalows constructed in the Clearview 2nd Addition. The homes were constructed in the 1920s by Loveland contractor William W. Green, and they reflect the prosperity of the community at that time. Mr. Green is credited with construction of approximately 150 houses in Loveland, and was a co-applicant in platting the Clearview 2nd Addition in August 1919. Research has identified that a number of these homes were occupied by some of Loveland’s distinguished citizens of the 1920s -1940s. The homes of this district are most notable for their varied architectural elements, and for their similarities – most are one story bungalows constructed of buff-colored brick. The homes in the district represent three architectural styles including Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, and Craftsman. While most of the homes in this district exhibit features that are distinctly representative of their style, there are a few examples where a blending of the styles has occurred. West 5th Street Historic DistrictEarly residents of West 5th Street made their livelihoods as bankers, realtors, insurance agents, lawyers, pastors, and architects as well as trade vocations such as plumbers, electricians, carpenters and contractors. Several teachers, many of whom were employed at nearby Loveland High School, also resided in the neighborhood over the years. Other residents gained employment at the local Great Western Sugar Company factory, established in 1901, and at the Empson Canning Company facility, established in 1908. Many residents were also engaged as proprietors or employees of downtown Loveland businesses, including hardware stores, groceries, lumber yards, dry goods stores, and shoe stores.The neighborhood's mixed socioeconomic status was reflected in its varied architecture, where stately 2½-story Edwardian and other prominent Late Victorian-era style houses were erected next to humble hip-roofed wood frame cottages. Known as "hipped-roof boxes," these modest homes represent a predominant housing type, throughout Loveland and elsewhere, in the years prior to 1910. By the late 1910s though, Bungalow and Craftsman style homes had become most popular in the neighborhood, a trend which would continue well into the 1930s. Early residences in the area also included predominantly brick 1½-story Classic Cottage style and 2½- story American Foursquare style houses. Other late nineteenth and early twentieth century dwellings were built as modest vernacular wood frame homes, with few stylistic influences. The late 1920s and 1930s then saw the construction of several English-Norman Cottage style houses, most notably in the 400 and 500 blocks of Harrison Avenue. Finally, some of the neighborhood's most recent homes, built in the 1940s, were constructed in the Minimal Traditional style of architecture.
240 W. 4th St. – First Presbyterian Church
(Known as Grace Community Church) First Presbyterian Church was founded in 1904 by the Reverend Rueben S. Smith and twenty-six members. The growing congregation decided to erect a church on three lots at the southeast corner of Fourth Street and Grant Avenue. Plans were drawn and the new building became a reality with the assistance of the Board of Church Erection and a fund-raising campaign. The church’s most notable feature is the bell tower clad with horizontal wood siding. The original structure was constructed of masonry, with red brick laid in running bond and supported by a coursed sandstone foundation.Three services were held on dedication Sunday, March 24, 1907. The congregation flourished, necessitating a large addition to the south of the original church in the 1950s. In the 1960s, the decision was made to relocate. Since then, this building has been occupied by the Fourth Street Baptist Church and Grace Baptist Church, renamed Grace Community Church.
370 W. 4th St. – Loveland High School
(Known as Bill Reed Middle School)This massive structure opened in 1918 as Loveland High School. Upon completion of a major remodeling in 1939, the school operated as a combination junior and senior high school. After the older students left in 1964 to attend the new high school built on Twenty-ninth Street, this building was renamed Bill Reed Junior High to honor a popular faculty member.A WWI veteran, Howard E. “Bill” Reed served as recruitment officer in 1940 until the age of seventy-five, when he retired as a Brigadier General. During some of those years, he juggled his Army duties with athletics coaching and science classes. In 1947, he was appointed Superintendent of Loveland Schools.
501 W. 4th St. – Jeffery House
Mr. and Mrs. Winslow Earl Jeffery purchased this property from Henry Uhrich on January 18, 1910. The foursquare-style house stood largely as constructed until 2008 when an addition—designed by architect Bud Frick of Fort Collins—was built onto the original north (rear) elevation.Mr. Jeffery and his partner Andrew Rose operated the Jeffery and Rose Drug Store in the 400 block of Cleveland Avenue after Mr. Jeffery and J.V. Yoeman bought out Walt’s Opera House Pharmacy. The Jeffery family lived in this home from 1910 to 1923 and again from about 1931 to 1942, after which ownership of the residence changed frequently.
805 W. 4th St. – Elmer Ivers House
This Tudor Revival was built in 1927 by contractor William W. Green of Loveland and initially occupied by his daughter Mary and her husband Elmer Ivers. The Ivers family resided here for nearly forty years, until circa 1965.A distinguished citizen, Mr. Ivers twice held the office of Mayor of Loveland, in 1931 and in 1955. He was appointed Postmaster of Loveland in 1934 and held that position until 1955. Mr. Ivers was instrumental in instituting Loveland’s Valentine Re-mailing Program and was active in many other areas of the community.
813 W. 4th St. – Lightner - H.E. Bill Reed House
This bungalow, featuring a semicircular arched portico with Tuscan columns, was built in 1923 by contractor William W. Green. The home was occupied initially by Clarence E. and Minnie J. Lightner from 1925 to the mid-1930s. From circa 1936 to 1975, Howard E. “Bill” Reed and his wife Alma lived here.Howard “Bill” Reed was one of the town’s more prominent twentieth- century citizens. A teacher and coach at Loveland High School, he was appointed Superintendent of Schools during the 1940s. Mr. Reed was involved in many areas of the community.
818 W. 4th St. – Avald Becker House
Built in 1926 by contractor William W. Green, this bungalow’s most distinctive features include the Colonial Revival-style porch, the brick chimney, and the small eyebrow dormer on the front slope of the roof. The home’s only known alteration, the addition of a twelve-foot-wide carport on the south elevation, most likely was constructed between 1937 and 1948.The house was first owned and inhabited by Clarence W. Smith (owner of the Loveland Creamery) and his wife Elizabeth. In 1929, another Loveland Creamery employee, Avald Becker along with his wife Mildred, acquired it. The Becker’s resided here until 1965 or later.
912 W. 4th St. – Mahanna House
This one-and-a-half story bungalow and garage were built by contractor William M. Green in 1922 and originally owned by Charles and Mae Evett. In 1925, this became the home of John S. and Jennie M. Mahanna, owners of the J.S. Mahanna Coal Company. The residence stayed in their family until the mid 1980s.During the late 1980s through the early 1990s, Steve and Marlene Funk lived here. Mrs. Funk was the manager of the Garment District, a clothing store; Mr. Funk worked as a self-employed electrician.
930 W. 4th St. – Angove House
First owned by Charles E. and Georgia Angove, this Classical Revival bungalow was built by contractor William W. Green in 1924. Mr. Angove served as the station agent at Loveland’s Union Pacific Railroad Depot from 1898 to 1903 and was the superintendent at Loveland’s Great Western Sugar Company plant during the 1920s and 1930s.In the 1950s, the home was occupied by Ernest and Ruth Weinland. Mr. Weinland served as a state representative and as a state senator. From 1957 into the early 1990s, the home belonged to Luther Crenshaw Jr. and his wife Doris.
927 W. 4th St. – McCreary House
This Craftsman bungalow was built between 1922 and 1925 by contractor William W. Green and initially occupied by the Peterson family until around 1939. Attorney Hatfield Chilson (a partner in the firm Chilson & McCreary) and his wife Marian lived here for nearly a decade, until 1950. Robert M. and Mary Jane McCreary purchased the home and resided here with their children until his death in 1961; Mrs. McCreary remained in the home until the mid 1990s.Between 1948 and 1970, the bungalow underwent two alterations: the full-width, shed-roofed rear addition was constructed; a second front doorway on the east side of the clipped gables room (to the left of the facade) was covered by vinyl siding.
960 W. 4th St. – Green House
Contractor William W. Green built this Classical Revival bungalow in 1924 for his own family, who lived here until the late 1930s. A substantial addition to the south elevation predates 1968. In 1983, the house was connected to the garage by a smaller addition to the west elevation.William W. Green was a well-known carpenter and builder and is credited with building all of the homes on the 800 and 900 blocks of West Fourth Street, among some 150 houses he built throughout Loveland. After William’s death (circa 1939), his widow Jennie sold the property to Dr. John Louis Waldner. The current residents have owned the home since 1968.
714 W. 5th St. – Darling House
This Craftsman bungalow was built in the early 1920s. The first owner and occupant was Bernt Hanson around 1922 to 1927.Occupied by several others for brief periods, the house became the property of Raymond W. and Mabel Darling in 1933. They converted it into an apartment house and lived there through the 1940s. The building was acquired circa 1965 by Loren K. Wilcox and reconverted to a single family dwelling. Mr. Wilcox lived here through the end of the 1970s, before selling to John L. Martin. The current owners used the bungalow as a rental property for a number of years before moving into it themselves in 1999.
707 W. 5th St. – Ivers House
Built in 1901, this brick home was owned and occupied by the James Ivers family who moved here from Iowa in the late 1890s. The home underwent several renovations prior to 1999.James Ivers, a notable businessman and building contractor, is credited with constructing at least twenty-six residential and commercial buildings in Loveland. He built this home for his family, and it was here that he raised his children and lived out his life. In 1951, the property was owned by Orville and Vera Mills who ran it as Mills Convalescent Home. Another owner used the residence as a photography studio.
603 W. 5th St. – Fansler House
Norton C. Fansler built this Queen Anne Vernacular in 1905 for a local minister who occupied it with his elderly mother. Other than upgraded plumbing and heating systems and a modernized kitchen and bath, the house retains its original appearance. An early chicken coop was converted into a garage; a larger, two-car garage was added in the 1970s.One of the home’s two front doors allows direct access to the parlor, a convenience for the early minister who performed funerals at the residence. The 1920 census shows that Norton Fansler later occupied the home with his family.
501 W. 5th St. – Tiley's Grocery
A former grocery store, this Vernacular-style structure was built in 1922. Telephone directories from 1922 and 1927 list Lewis H. and Mae Tiley as the proprietors. By 1927, the store had been taken over by William H. Knievel; 1930s directories list the property as Knievel’s Food Store No.1. In 1940, it was known as Tiley’s Grocery; however, by 1947, it had become Lane’s Grocery, operated by Everett Lane. A number of other individuals and families operated the neighborhood grocery into the mid-1990s. The building is now a private residence.
463 W. 5th St. – A.S. Benson House
This Edwardian-style house, built in 1897, was the residence of Aaron Shaw Benson, an influential and prosperous citizen of Loveland who served as a Representative in the Colorado Legislature.Additions include a bathroom on the north side in 1906 and a second-story bedroom and (second) bathroom on the back of the home in 1957. The garden shed was added to the property in the 1950s. Construction date of the carriage house most likely coincides with the home.
460 W. 5th St. – Kelim House
Built in 1902, this late-Victorian was owned by Lee J. Kelim until 1906 when it was purchased by the Mayor of Loveland, Harry E. Kelly and his family. The property changed hands several times. The current owner has lived here since 1952.Three historic, secondary buildings are located on the property: a garage southeast of the main house; a shed, known as The Store House, near the rear southwest corner of the property; and a secondary residence named The Doll House near the rear southeast corner of the property.
432 W. 5th St. – Mehaffey House
This late-Victorian house was built around 1907. Winfield and Grace Mahaffey and their family resided here until circa 1939. Several subsequent owners occupied the home until the current residents purchased it in 1973.The property includes a gabled garage and chicken house, both dating to pre-1927. In 1961 and 1963, the east side of the (west) back porch and the south elevation received structural additions. In 1972, a shed was attached to the garage. The current owners remodeled the existing bath and added a dormer with a new window in 1992.
411 W. 5th St. – F.M. Samuels House
Frank G. Bartholf constructed this Eclectic Victorian in 1891 as part of a small subdivision. The original structure exemplified the characteristics of a Queen Anne cottage in its use of iron roof cresting, a veranda, and carved spindlework. A prominent businessman, Mr. Bartholf organized and financed a fire team and helped build Loveland’s first opera house (the A&B Building).This home’s first owners, F.M. and Edith Samuels, added the small detached garage (now a guesthouse) pre-1914 for the first electric car in Loveland, owned by Mrs. Samuels.Later additions are clearly delineated from the original portion of the house, illustrating how housing needs and desires changed through the last century.
411 N. Harrison Ave. – Armstrong House
This property was initially developed around 1906 with the construction of a house for Robert and Katie Russell. Arthur and Mary Armstrong purchased the property in 1925 and hired contractor William W. Green to rebuild at this site. The substantially new, English- Norman Cottage, completed around 1930, perhaps incorporated some elements of the earlier dwelling. The home remained in the Armstrong family through the 1950s.The current owners have lived in the home nearly five decades. They added an attached garage in 1993.
502 N. Harrison Ave. – Sampson House
This English-Norman Cottage is believed to have been built by contractor William W. Green circa 1932. Home to original owners Jesse A. and Gretchen R. Sampson, the property was purchased by the Handys, who resided here from the late 1930s to the early 1940s. The longest tenured residents were Frank and Ona Goeltl, who lived here circa 1949 to the early 1970s.Although there have been no additions to the original dwelling, records indicate that Mr. Goeltl received a permit in 1955 to erect a concrete patio adjacent to the home’s east elevation.
500 N. Grant Ave. – St. Johns Catholic Church
Built in 1903 under the direction of Father G. Joseph LaJeunesse (pastor of St. Joseph’s in Fort Collins), St. John’s served its members at this location until 1957. Used as a Knights of Columbus Hall through the late 1960s, the building later housed the Bible Baptist Church and, eventually, a Lutheran congregation. St. John’s first resident priest, Father William J. Howlett—historian of the Catholic Church in Colorado—authored Life of Bishop Machebeuf (regarded as the inspiration for Willa Cather’s Death Comes from the Archbishop.)The historical integrity of the structure was diminished by the large, two-story addition on the northeast corner and the removal of the original bell tower. The building is now a private residence.
