Leadville Historic Resources Survey Plan June 2015 Three Gables Preservation Leadville Historic Resources Survey Plan June 2015 Prepared for: Leadville Historic Preservation Commission Leadville City Hall 800 Harrison Avenue Leadville, CO 80461 Prepared by: Deon Wolfenbarger Three Gables Preservation Nederland, CO Funded by: History Colorado Certified Local Government Grant CO-14-020 Three Gables Preservation The activity that is the subject of this material has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Historic Preservation Act, administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior for the State Historical Society of Colorado. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of the Interior or the Society, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the Department of the Interior or the Society. This program receives Federal funds from the National Park Service; Regulations of the U.S. Department of the Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination in departmental Federally-assisted programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, age or handicap. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program, activity or facility operated by a recipient of Federal assistance should write to: Director, Equal Opportunity Program, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1849 C Street, N. W., Washington, D.C. 20240. ii Leadville Historic Resources Survey Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS Project Goal, Background & Summary ............................................................................... 1 Project Goal ..................................................................................................................... 1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 1 What is a Survey? ............................................................................................................ 2 Project Area ......................................................................................................................... 5 Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 7 Field Survey ..................................................................................................................... 7 Photography .................................................................................................................... 7 Maps................................................................................................................................. 7 Archival Research ............................................................................................................ 7 Evaluation ........................................................................................................................ 7 Factors Affecting Survey Priorities ..................................................................................... 9 Previously Documented Resources ............................................................................... 10 Geographical distribution and number of historic resources ....................................... 14 Funding and Staffing ..................................................................................................... 21 Opportunities ................................................................................................................. 22 Threats ........................................................................................................................... 24 Integrity ......................................................................................................................... 25 Historic Contexts ........................................................................................................... 27 Property Types ............................................................................................................... 35 Survey Priority Recommendations ................................................................................... 48 Priority One Survey - Survey Within Five Years .......................................................... 50 Priority Two Survey - Survey Within Ten Years .......................................................... 60 Priority Three Survey - Survey Within Twenty Years .................................................. 70 Bibliography ...................................................................................................................... 76 Appendices ........................................................................................................................ 77 iii Three Gables Preservation Acknowledgements/Project Team City of Leadville, Colorado Mayor Jaime A. Stuever City Council Mike Canty - Ward 1 Greg Labbe- Ward 1 Jake Mohrmann- Ward 2 Gwen Shepherd - Ward 2 Max Duarte - Ward 3 Luke Finken - Ward 3 Project Manager Sarah Dallas, Administration Services Manager & Planning Official Historic Preservation Commission Judy Hinton – Chair Andy Wuenschel- Vice Chair Mary Bender Victor Christian Nicole Thompson Curt Fladager – Alternate Will Hottle – Alternate Barnabas Kane – Alternate Peggy Matthews – Alternate History Colorado Elizabeth Blackwell, Architectural Survey Coordinator Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation Patrick Eidman, Preservation Planner Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation Three Gables Preservation Deon Wolfenbarger, Historic Preservation Consultant iv HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY PLAN City of Leadville, Colorado PROJECT GOAL, BACKGROUND & SUMMARY PROJECT GOAL The goal of the “Historic Resources Survey Plan” is to define and prioritize future historic surveys in Leadville for the next twenty years. This includes recommendations for which level of survey is appropriate for various areas of the city, cost estimates for different survey phases, and prioritizing survey phases according to factors affecting historic resources in Leadville. BACKGROUND Leadville’s unique and colorful history has long been recognized. After the Leadville National Historic Landmark district was designated in 1961 by the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior, the city adopted an ordinance to “encourage the conservation, historically appropriate and structurally sound renovation, and the creative and economically viable reuse of certain structures and areas contained within its boundaries.” More specifically, the purpose of the ordinance was defined in Section 17.44.020: A. To protect the unique character of Leadville; B. To safeguard the city's historic and cultural heritage, as embodied and reflected in its designated National Historic Landmark district; C. To foster and enhance civic pride in the attractiveness and accomplishments of the past development eras of the city; D. To strengthen and enhance the economy of the city; E. To protect and enhance the city's historical, cultural, architectural and related attractions for residents and visitors; F. To stabilize and improve property values and commerce; G. To promote the uses of Leadville's NHL district and the designated structures therein for the education, pleasure and welfare of residents and visitors. The NHL district, however, does not encompass of all Leadville’s historic resources. The Leadville Historic Preservation Commission was created in 2013 in part to protect the unique historic character of Leadville, including but not limited to the NHL district. In order to plan for all of Leadville’s significant historic resources, a better understanding of the number and extent of these resources is necessary. Historic resource surveys are the basis for evaluating and then preserving Leadville’s historic properties. Three Gables Preservation PROJECT FUNDING This project was sponsored by the Leadville Historic Preservation Commission and funded by a Certified Local Government grant. The City of Leadville became a Certified Local Government (CLG) in 2013. This federal designation recognizes the efforts of local, state and federal governments working together to save the irreplaceable historic character of communities. By receiving certification, Leadville has made a commitment to historic preservation. In turn, this enabled the Leadville Historic Preservation Commission to apply for a CLG grant. The City of Leadville was awarded a CLG grant in 2014 for the Survey Plan project through History Colorado, which acts at the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for the state of Colorado. Certified Local Government grants originate from the Federal government, and grant projects are subject to the disclaimer on page ii. WHY IS A SURVEY PLAN NEEDED? The cost of an intensive level survey for every historic building in Leadville exceeds the city’s budget as well as the limits of any grants that are currently available. Therefore, it is necessary to define survey phases that can be completed in a cost-effective and timely manner, and to prioritize those phases according to the needs of the city as well as the potential threats to historic properties. The survey plan will aid the City in scheduling and writing grant proposals for survey projects. WHAT IS A SURVEY? A survey is a process of identifying and gathering data on a community's historic resources. There are several steps to this process. First, there