Historic Research Attachment 1 Attachments 2 and 3 Attachment 4

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2 Historic Research Attached is a copy of the research guidelines (Attachment 1) included in an inventory of historic buildings prepared for the Town of Castle Rock in 1984 by a group of graduate students attending the University of Colorado. The inventory itself is also an excellent research tool, as it contains valuable information on many of our historic structures. Copies are available in the Development Services Department at the Town of Castle Rock Administration Building. Also available at Town Hall are copies of a publication called Castle Rock Style. This book is an excellent architectural reference. Old minutes of the Castle Rock Town Board and historic ordinances are also available in the Town Clerk s office, and there is a large aerial photo taken in 1949 located in Town Hall as well. The Castle Rock historic district includes properties located within the three original plats of the town. These are Craig and Gould s Addition (1874), Town of Castle Rock (1874) and Wilcox Addition (1875). Copies of these plats are available at the Castle Rock Town Hall and the Douglas County Clerk and Recorder s Office. The first step in researching your property is to create a complete chain of title from the applicable plat to the present. If you are lucky enough to be in possession of a title abstract, some of this work may already have been done for you. Otherwise, you will need to conduct a complete search of the records in the County Clerk s office, which can be very difficult and time-consuming. Once all of the property owners are known, you will be able to research the old tax rolls to determine when the structure was built. These are available on microfilm at the County Treasurer s office. The next step is to learn more about the people who occupied the structure and the events that may have taken place there. The local history section of the Philip S. Miller Library is an excellent source of this type of information, and there is a very informative website available at At the library you will find telephone directories, Sanborn insurance maps, old newspapers and census records, biographies, aerial photos, etc. Also, there are several excellent books to be found there which may prove helpful. We recommend the following four in particular: Douglas County, a Historical Journey, by Josephine Lowell Marr Castle Rock, a Grass Roots History, by Robert L. Lowenberg Philip Simon Miller Butcher, Banker and Benefactor, by Debbie Buboltz-Bodle Our Heritage: People of Douglas County, by Douglas County Historical Society Another great source of historic information is the Castle Rock Museum and Historical Society, located at 420 Elbert Street ( ). Also attached are some recent research summaries (Attachments 2 and 3) that were submitted to the Historic Preservation Board for hearing items on historic structures and a historic landmark designation application form (Attachment 4) that can be completed and returned to the Town of Castle Rock Development Services Department if you wish to apply for landmark status on your property.

4 Research Guidelines for Historic Buildings Prepared for the Town of Castle Rock by The Center for Community Development and Design University of Colorado at Denver Research: This inventory provides a systematic structure for continued research. Most of the buildings in the inventory have not been completely researched. The following sections highlight the basic philosophy behind historic building research, suggests sources of information, and outlines research methodologies which may be helpful in continuing to trace the history of Castle Rock s existing buildings. In researching a building, one looks for answers to questions such as the following: 1. Who built the building and when? 2. What style is it? 3. What did the building originally look like inside and out? 4. Who owned and lived in it? 5. What were the cultural forces at work when the building was built? There are four basic sources for historical information about historic buildings: (1) oral history; (2) documentary sources; (3) inferred data and (4) physical evidence. Oral History: Oral history is an important way of finding information by talking with people. The first steps are to try to talk to the people who lived there, current and previous owners, and others who are familiar with the building. Older residents who have lived in the city for a long time may know a lot about many of the building and neighborhoods. Their names can be obtained from local libraries, historical societies, or even by advertising. When you interview people, it is recommended that you have a written checklist for relevant information and that you inquire as to whether or not they have any old photographs or other supporting materials. Documentary Sources: Documentary evidence is a second source that is important to explore. Although not a factor in researching Castle Rock structures, it should be remembered that records and deeds from before 1850 tend to be rather vague and relate more to the land than to the dwellings; much information can be obtained despite this difficulty, and records due to loss by fire.

5 Where to search: 1. The Building Department is usually a good source of information, especially if building permits were issued at the time the building was constructed. The building permit may indicate the date permit was issued, the name of the owner, the name of the architect and builder, the type of heating plant, roof and other construction materials, floor plans that show placement of major features, and dated and types of major alterations. 2. The County Courthouse, in most cases holds records of deeds. The deed record will indicate the grantor (seller), the grantee (buyer), the type of legal instrument, the cost, the date of sale, and legal description of the property. 3. The Assessor s Office has information pertaining to the building s exact address, the owner s legal name, and the legal description of the property. 4. The City and County Archives may contain other information about the building being investigated. 5. City and County Directories contain an alphabetical list of names, a classified business directory, and a tax list. Often these directories are cross-listed allowing one to work backwards to correlate name of property owners with their address. 6. Sanborn Insurance Maps in use by the Town of Castle Rock are four maps developed by fire insurance companies dating back to the 1890 s. These maps show the original footprint of early building as well as the materials used for their construction. 7. Newspapers often contain detailed descriptions at the openings of public buildings. In addition, prominent people are in the obituary pages and in other social notices. 8. Federal Census Information is available for specific buildings built in This information is not available from other census years. 9. Local/State Historical Societies and the Western History Department of the Denver Public Library have photographs and much other information. 10. Manuscripts, Diaries and Letters of early residents sometimes include descriptions of buildings or other related information. Biographical sources of names of significant owners of a house or property may be researched through genealogical sources. 11. Investment and Tax Rolls can be useful in determining when structures were built upon a property as indicated by an increase in assessed value.

6 Inferred Data: When more specific information is not available, you can still make an educated guess about things like the date of construction and other historical associations. Style, methods of construction, materials, and location all provide historical clues. Physical Evidence: Physical evidence is provided by the building itself and requires knowledgeable interpretation to be useful. Among the elements that can yield dating clues are: nails, latches and hinges, timber framing, sash and window glass, plaster lath, woodscrews, doors, fireplaces and chimneys, and paneling. One of the most interesting kinds of evidence available, these clues are also subject to misinterpretation. Consultation with an historic architect is advised if physical evidence is the main source of information about and historic structure.

8 THE SELLARS HOUSE 22 LEWIS STREET Photo Courtesy of Castle Rock Historic Buildings Inventory

9 According to obituaries and biographies located at the Philip S. Miller Library, John and Nancy Sellars arrived in Colorado in 1865 immediately following the Civil War and settled on a ranch near present-day Littleton, where their daughter Nellie was born. Sometime after 1870, according to census records, the Sellars migrated to the gulch that now bears their name, southeast of present-day Castle Rock. In 1874, they purchased one of the first lots sold by Jeremiah Gould in the Craig and Gould s Addition to Castle Rock and some time shortly thereafter built one of Castle Rock s first homes at the southeast corner of First and Main (later changed to Lewis Street). The earliest available Douglas County tax roll is for the year 1876, and this document shows a value for this lot (lot 1, block 21) that is high enough to indicate that the house had been constructed by that time. Tax records for subsequent years clearly indicate that this lot had been improved. The Sellars must have been living in the house by 1877 when their son Frank was born. According to early Castle Rock newspapers and the 1880 census records, John Sellars served as postmaster of our town from 1880 until about Early minutes of the town board indicate that he also served as police justice (similar to a modern-day code enforcement officer) in 1882 and Library records show that Nellie Sellars married Samuel Barker Smith in 1881 and remained in Castle Rock after her family moved to Colorado Springs in The house remained in Mrs. Sellars name until 1887, when it was purchased by Rufus Conant, who was an early Castle Rock grocer, according to library records. In 1880, the two lots south of the Sellars home were purchased by the Denver and Rio Grande Railway Company as part of the railroad spur that was built to carry rock in and out of the O Brien Quarry, southeast of town. According to town records, the spur crossed Cantril at about First Street, continued east on First to Main, south on Main past the Sellars house and across the lots on the south side to the present location of Lake Gulch Road. The spur was only in existence until about 1900, according to library records, but after the track was removed in 1902, the bed was used as a road for many years. This road can be seen in aerial photographs taken in 1937 and 1949, available at the library and the Castle Rock town hall. An addition appears to have been added on the south side of the original house at some point, as the house is located within about a foot of the original south lot line, according to a survey prepared by Dave Archer. It is difficult to determine from the tax records exactly when the addition was constructed, but it was probably about 1919, when a man named John Gross owned the property. The consideration shown on the deed to Samantha Garrision in 1920 indicates this as well. Bud Phelps, a long time Castle Rock resident that owns the home on the south side, rented the Sellars house some time around 1950 from John Benson, who was the owner from 1949 to Mr. Phelps tells us that the addition existed when he lived in the house and that he and his wife were very concerned about the proximity of the road to their home, as they had small children at the time. The 1949 aerial shows the addition and the road, which was located just south of the house. Mr. Phelps also tells us that a red-headed lady and

10 her husband ran a restaurant out of the house in about According to the current owner, the framing and wiring on the south side are clearly different from those of the original structure and obviously quite different from those of the later addition. This can apparently be seen in the attic. The materials used in the addition are consistent with the dates estimated above as well. In 1955, the Town of Castle Rock conveyed the three lots south of the Sellars house to Robert and Nellie Higginson, who built the home Mr. Phelps currently owns. In 1956, the owners of the Sellars house (Oliver and Abilene Hood) acquired the north ten feet of Lot 2 from the Higginsons, presumably because their house was located so close to the Higginson property, and the road was no longer in use. The detached garage was apparently constructed some time after 1949, as it does not appear on the aerial photo in town hall. According to the current owner, the house was originally built on a rock foundation. Mr. Phelps says the basement was added some time after the flood of 1965 in order to stabilize the structure. The concrete was apparently poured around a huge boulder that was too large to move, and this massive rock is still part of the basement. Again, it is difficult to tell exactly when the basement was added, but the house was owned by Charles and Joanne Foote from 1957 to 1987, and the basement was certainly added prior to the addition on the east side. It may have been as late as 1975, however, from what the tax records indicate. A review of the town building records and the county assessment records tells us that the Footes added the rear addition in The current owners, Clayton and Wanda Hart, purchased the house in 1989 and have made some improvements over the years but have managed to maintain the integrity of the original structure in the process. This home was certainly one of Castle Rock s earliest structures and is an important one, as it was built by one of our original pioneers. It has been home to a number of Castle Rock residents over the years. The following is a complete list of the property owners compiled from a search of the Douglas County records Jeremiah M. Gould Nancy J. Sellars Rufus P. Conant Roy A. Davidson John F. Gross Samantha A. Garrison 1922 Orville G. Freed Lucy A. Hawkins (1/2 interest) J. J. Callaghan (1/2 interest) Lucy E. Joslin and Mary E. Moon (1/2 interest) Lucy E. Joslin and Mary E. Moon John Benson

11 Oliver B. and Abilene E. Hood Charles W. and Joanne L. Foote Lloyd T. and Norma J. Morris 1989-Present N. Clayton and Wanda N. Hart

12 Nancy Wiggins Sellars John C. Sellars Photos courtesy of : Local History Collection, Douglas Public Library District

14 203 Perry Street The Saunders House The Town of Castle Rock was platted in 1874 after the voters of Douglas County decided to move their county seat from Frankstown to the foot of what is now a well-known rock formation bearing the same name. The newly created lots were sold at a public auction the same year. A man named George Lord attended the sale and purchased two lots located at the northwest corner of Perry and Second Streets (Lots 5 and 6 of Block 22). Mr. Lord, who was the Douglas County Superintendent of Schools in the early 1870 s, sold the north half of Lot 5 in Judging from the assessed value of the remaining property over the next few years and the purchase price when it sold in 1882, a house was apparently built on this site some time in the mid 1870 s. According to Miss Margaret Waller, who was born in the house in 1884 and visited the current owner in 1969, the original house consisted of two rooms on the southeast side of the current structure (hatched with triangles on the attached drawing). Mr. Lord also owned a large acreage in the north part of what is now the Town of Parker, so he may not have actually lived in this house. Wilbur Waller, Margaret s father, married Mary Russell in 1881 and purchased the Castle Rock Journal and this house in Mr. Waller was one of the signatories to the Articles of Incorporation for the Town in 1881 and according to early Town records, served as Town Clerk in the mid 1880 s. He ran the newspaper until 1886, and according to Miss Waller, the family stayed in this house only when her father was working on the paper. Mr. Waller homesteaded 160 acres in what is now part of Founders Village and apparently built a frame house on that property some time before This is probably where the family lived the rest of the time. Judging from documents recorded with the County, this house appears to have been moved in the late 1880 s when Mr. Waller ran into some financial difficulties and lost his acreage. Although it is difficult to determine where the house was moved, it appears to have been attached to the northeast side of the existing house at Second and Perry sometime before When Ben and Bette Saunders purchased the house in 1950, there were still two distinct rooflines that could be seen in the attic. This second house is hatched with squares on the drawing. In 1891, Mr. Waller deeded the property to Clara Waller Warner, who was probably his sister. It was subject to an existing loan, however, and Mrs. Warner let the property go back to William Whitney in Mr. Whitney and his partner, Wallace Holcolm, were hardware dealers who operated a business out of a building behind the courthouse on Jerry Street. This building is now part of an apartment complex. Mr. Whitney owned the house for almost ten years and most likely lived there, as the only other property he owned at the time was a general store located at the southeast corner of Third and Wilcox Streets. This store is shown on the Sanborn insurance maps for 1895 and 1902.

15 An addition was added on the northwest side of the house some time in the early 1900 s, according to Sanborn maps and tax records for this time period. This addition is shown without hatching on the drawing. It included a bedroom with a large walk-in closet and an expansion of the existing kitchen. It also included three porches. The house sold twice in 1902 and again in 1905, so it is difficult to determine which owner made the improvements. It may have been Charles Woodhouse, however, as he owned it from 1905 until his death, leaving the property to his daughter, Ada Ritchey, in Apparently Mr. Woodhouse lived in the house, as the only other property he owned at this point was unimproved, according to tax records. Charles Woodhouse raised his family on a ranch near Castle Rock where he built a large home from bricks that he manufactured himself, according to a biography found at the Philip S. Miller Library. Josephine Marr talks about this brick factory in her book as well, stating that the bricks that Mr. Woodhouse made were used in the construction of the courthouse in for chimneys and stoves. Charles Woodhouse also signed the Articles of Incorporation for Castle Rock and was the Town s very first Street Commissioner, serving from , according to early minutes of the Castle Rock Town Board. Ada Ritchey sold the house to George Leonard in The Leonard family owned the property for thirty years, and Mr. Leonard was responsible for the modernization of the house. He was a plumber by trade (the only one in Town at that time), so he brought running water to the house and converted the porch on the west side into a bathroom. According to Bette Saunders, Ben Saunders, Sr. did the carpentry work on this project in the 1920 s. Mr. Saunders was her father-in-law. Mrs. Saunders knew the Leonards when she was growing up and visited the house frequently when she was a young girl. Bette Gilbert married Ben Saunders, Jr. in 1945, and they purchased the house in 1950 from Mr. Leonard s estate. Mr. Saunders passed away in 1987, but Mrs. Saunders continues to live in the house. Mr. Saunders followed in his father s footsteps and had a very successful career in the construction business. In his younger days, he owned and managed a fuel and feed store located on Wilcox Street. He was also one of the original stockholders of The Bank of Douglas County. Debbie Bodle talks a great deal about the Saunders in her book about Philip Miller. The Saunders have made enormous improvements to this charming house over the years. In the early fifties, they removed the porches and completely changed the front of the house by enlarging both windows, eliminating one of the doors and moving the other one to a new location. Mr. Saunders also installed a gas furnace in the attic, as the house had previously been heated with coal and wood stoves. The wall in the second house was also removed to enlarge the living room. In the late fifties the Saunders replaced the walk-in closet on the north side of the house with a new bathroom (shown in the unhatched portion of the drawing), eliminated the existing bathroom and added two additional rooms and a new porch on the west side (hatched with hexagons). The detached garage was built in 1979.

16 In the late eighties after Mr. Saunders passed away, Mrs. Saunders wanted to cut down on the upkeep of the house, so she replaced the wood siding with vinyl. In 1996 she replaced the old wood and coal-burning stove in the living room with a gas fireplace. This is a wonderful house that has endured over time and has a very rich history. It has had only two owners in the last eighty years, and Mrs. Saunders has been involved with the house for most of this time. It is truly her house!

IDENTIFICATION OF HISTORIC PLACE: Historic Landmark Designation Application Form Name or Description of Property (historic name if known): Address or Location: Legal Description: Property Owner(s)

19 IDENTIFICATION OF HISTORIC PLACE: Historic Landmark Designation Application Form Name or Description of Property (historic name if known): Address or Location: Legal Description: Property Owner(s) Name: Property Owner(s) Mailing Address: Daytime Phone: Property Owner(s) Signature: Fax Number: SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS: Provide the following items with the completed application form. Please contact Town staff if assistance is needed with submittal requirements. 1. Description of the characteristic(s) of the proposed landmark that justifies designation as a landmark. (See checklist below.) 2. Description of the particular feature(s) that should be preserved. 3. A current photograph of the historic place. 4. Any additional information the applicant may wish to provide. REVIEW CRITERIA CHECKLIST (CHARACTERISTICS JUSTIFYING DESIGNATION): Check all items that apply. Provide additional explanation, or other information on a separate page and attach to the application. Additional comments, or items may accompany the application. Character, interest, or value of the proposed landmark as part of the development heritage or cultural characteristics of the Town. Proposed landmark as a location of significant local, county, state or national event. Identification of proposed landmark with person(s) significantly contributing to local, county, state or national history. Proposed landmark as an embodiment of the distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style valuable for the study of a period, style, method of construction, or the use of indigenous materials (i.e. the use of locally quarried rhyolite rock being of significance to the Town). Proposed landmark as an identification of the work of an architect, landscape architect, or master builder whose work has influenced development in the town, county, state or nation. Proposed landmark is of architectural, cultural, archeological, or geological significance. Proposed landmark as an example of either architectural or structural innovation. Relationship of the proposed landmark to other distinctive structures, districts, or site that would also be determined to be of historic significance. Age of the structure (50-year minimum is generally required), or year built: 100 Wilcox Street Castle Rock, CO Facsimile \\ESUS\THUsers\pmorton\jhk\Landmark Application Form '02.doc

First Floor Plan. Second Floor Plan

First Floor Plan. Second Floor Plan The Flint Homestead was built by 1709 for Ephraim Flint (1641 1723) and his wife Jane Bulkeley. They did not have any children. In 1723 he willed his mansion house to his nephew, John Flint, and to John