National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
OMB No. 1024-0018, NPS Form United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section No. 7 Page 1 University Neighborhood Historic District, Laramie, Albany County, WY Narrative Description Summary The Laramie University Neighborhood District encompasses a substantial portion of the residential area south of the University of Wyoming. Known locally as the “tree area,” the district extends roughly from University Avenue on the north to Custer Street on the south, and 6th Street on the west to 15th Street on the east. The district comes within one block of the eastern boundary of the Laramie Downtown Historic District (NR, 11/10/88). The district is largely contained within the plat of the original town; however, the blocks between 11th and 13th Streets were platted under the Union Pacific Company’s 4th Addition, and the blocks between 13th and 15th Streets were platted under the First Grand Avenue Addition. All three plats provided for wide streets, alleyways and tree strips, giving the district continuity in plan and layout. Initially local businessmen, ranching families and railroad workers built the homes in the district, with development generally proceeding from west to east. The real growth occurred from the 1900s through the 1940s, reflecting a period of intense growth for the University of Wyoming. By 1958, the end of the period of significance, almost all of the lots had been in-filled, which accounts for the low number of buildings that are noncontributing due to age. Description The district consists of a grid of paved streets running parallel and perpendicular to the Union Pacific Railroad line, slightly askew of the cardinal directions. Concrete or sandstone sidewalks are laid along all streets of the district, and deciduous and evergreen trees are planted in tree strips and in most yards, adding to the historic character of the district. Setbacks are generally uniform with most front yards open to the sidewalk, giving the district a neighborhood feel. At every corner the name of the street is embossed in the curb. The district is distinctive for its historic residential buildings, pedestrian-friendly atmosphere, tree-lined streets and landscaped yards. As the primary east-west corridor in Laramie, Grand Avenue serves as both a residential street and a U.S. Highway. Although traffic is heavy at certain times of the day, the presence of large trees and landscaping helps to buffer the homes from the traffic. Ivinson Avenue provides the primary access to the University of Wyoming, while Garfield, University, Custer and the north-south streets are generally quieter and more residential in nature. The western boundary of the district is adjacent to the commercial sector of Laramie, one block from the Downtown Historic District. The district is bounded on the north, south, and east by residential areas and to the north by the University of Wyoming campus. The neighborhood is, and has been, closely tied to the University. OMB No. 1024-0018, NPS Form United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section No. 7 Page 2 University Neighborhood Historic District, Laramie, Albany County, WY The 24-block district is anchored by several individually listed National Register properties, including the Ivinson Mansion (603 Ivinson Avenue, 1892), the Conley House (718 Ivinson Avenue, 1888) and the Lehman- Tunnell Mansion (618 Grand Avenue, 1891). Just outside of the district boundaries are additional National Register listed properties, including Old Main at the University of Wyoming (1886), Cooper House (1921), the East Side School (1878; 1928; 1939), St. Paul’s Evangelical Church (1891), and the St. Matthews Cathedral Close (1892-1925). The district highlights the growth and development of Laramie’s residential neighborhoods from the 1870s to the 1950s. This nine-decade period of development allows for a broad diversity of building styles, from Italianate (700 Ivinson) and Gothic Revival (310 South 10th) to Prairie style (1117 Grand) and Moderne (1420 Grand). The district has the highest concentration of 100-year-old houses in Laramie, most of which are found on Ivinson and Grand Avenues. The most notable building boom took place after World War I, with the highest number of houses being added in the years from 1920 to 1929. The architects or builders of most of the houses in the distinct are unknown. However, one local architect, Wilbur Hitchcock, designed at least twenty-five buildings in a variety of styles including Craftsman, Prairie and Tudor Revival. Most of the houses in the district were originally built for single-family residents, but were quickly modified (often by the addition of basement apartments) to accommodate the growing population of University students, staff, and faculty. Some apartment buildings in the district, such as those at 709 and 710 Ivinson Avenue, were specifically built with this situation in mind, while others were modified accordingly, as was the case with the house at 719 Grand Avenue. The district has always been almost exclusively residential, with a few churches and a school. The first commercial building was not built until 1949. A surprising number of houses retain all of their original features. Original building materials include sandstone (for foundations and occasionally exterior walls), brick, wood clapboard or shiplap siding, and stucco. Most roofs were originally covered with cedar shingles. Most buildings have poured concrete foundations, many of which are covered with a thin coating of stucco and scored to look like block or stone. Decorative features such as bay windows, embellished porches, knee braces, exposed rafter tails and eave brackets can be seen on many houses in the district. While every house is different, several houses are strikingly similar, suggesting houses built on speculation by a specific developer. Many homes in the district have matching, detached one- or two-bay garages that were constructed during the early automobile era (1910 – 1930) and still retain their integrity. Many of these have original wood siding and wooden hinged or sliding garage doors. Only a few other types of outbuildings, such as sheds and backyard barns, are found in the district. The most common alterations include enclosed porches, rear additions, replacement windows, covering of exterior walls with stucco or asbestos-shingle siding, and covering of roofs with asphalt shingles. All buildings have asphalt-shingled roofs except where noted. Many houses that have undergone alterations have retained their basic form, and thus contribute to the historic character of the neighborhood. Overall, the buildings and landscaping in the district are well maintained and suggest pride in ownership. OMB No. 1024-0018, NPS Form United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section No. 7 Page 3 University Neighborhood Historic District, Laramie, Albany County, WY Architectural Types and Terms Buildings that exhibit features of an identifiable architectural style are identified as such. Major styles found in the district include Gothic Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Eastlake, Folk Victorian, Prairie, Craftsman, Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Dutch Colonial Revival, Renaissance Revival, Mission Revival, Moderne, International, and Ranch. The prevalent house style in the district is Craftsman followed by Tudor Revival. Terms not in common usage are defined below. Free Classic refers to a style that mixes elements of the Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles. Free Classic houses generally have the irregular floor plans and numerous projections typical of the Queen Anne style, mixed with columns, pediments and other Classical features. Usonian was the name given by Frank Lloyd Wright to small, economical houses he designed in the late 1930s and 40s. The name is usually applied to residences, but can also be used to describe Modernist churches of the 1940s and 1950s. Features of the Usonian style include horizontal orientation, ribbon, clerestory and corner windows, traditional materials used inside and out, cubist building volumes, cantilevers and overhanging eaves, and flat or low gabled roofs. False Mansard refers to a style popular in the 1970s which uses the form of the mansard roof, but does not resemble the Second Empire style with which the mansard is usually associated. Contemporary refers to modern buildings with low gabled roofs, often with overhanging eaves and exposed roof beams, and exterior cladding of wood, brick or stone, which lack traditional detailing (McAlester 482). Vernacular house forms Some buildings in the district do not exhibit distinctive qualities of any particular architectural style and thus are identified by their general form and roof type. “Cottage” is commonly used to refer to a small, one-story, vernacular residence, while “house” is used to refer to a two-story or larger vernacular residence. Common vernacular house forms found in the district include: Cross-gable cottage/house: 1- to 2-story residence with two intersecting gable roofs, generally square in plan. Eave-front cottage/house: 1- to 2-story, rectangular, gable-roofed residence with the eave facing forward and containing the front entrance. Gable-front cottage/house: 1- to 2-story, rectangular residence with the gable facing forward and containing the front entrance. OMB No. 1024-0018, NPS