304 E. 2nd Street

Description

Real estate appraisal card, 304 E. 2nd Street, lots 14-16, block 24, in Salida, Colorado. This house was built before 1886, based on a Sanborn map of that date. Ernest M., Harry, and Sidney De Late lived at this house in 1903-04. They all worked for Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. Ernest was a machinist. Sidney was a switchman and the head of the household. Harry was an apprentice. Harry De Late continued to live here in 1906, when he was listed as an apprentice with the railroad. By 1911-12 this was the residence of Robert E. Brinkerhoff. He was identified as a packer. John S. Brittain was a boarder in the house. The 1920 US Census indicates that George A. and Alice Shirk lived here. Mr. Shirk was a railroad engineer. The Shirks had three sons (Harold H., George B., and Lyle C.) and two daughters (Cleo and Dorothy). Mrs. Shirk's sister, Lula Harrold (27) lived with the family in 1920. Mr. Shirk was born about 1872 in Kansas and had served as a private in the Nebraska infantry during the Spanish American War. Mrs. Shirk was born and raised in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania in 1871. Mrs. Shirk had been ill for many years before passing away at the age of 64, in December 1935. Mr. Shirk died in Grand Junction in February 1962. He was a resident of Salida for more than 60 years before moving to Grand Junction. William H. and Salina Manley occupied the home by 1922. William, a brakeman, was born in 1864 in Vermont, and Salina was born in 1865 in Colorado. Salina was William's second wife. He had previously been married to Mary Manley (b.1858) who died in 1893. Mary had been born in Ireland, emigrating to the U.S. in 1884. Harry Manley (b.1884), William's son from his first marriage, lived with William and Salina in 1922. In 1920, Harry worked at a billiards hall. Harry was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, coming to Salida with his parents when he was two years old. Harry Manley died suddenly and unexpectedly on the floor of his pool hall in July 1924. He had counted the cash and was about to leave for the night when he fell to the ground. The cause of death was assumed to have been a heart attack. His obituary noted that he had been crippled since childhood. His father, William Manley died in April 1927 at the age of 63. He had been retired from the railroad for a year at this point. His second wife, Salina had already died by this time. By 1930, Thomas Fred and Frances G. Rhoades lived at the house. Thomas (b.1892) was originally from South Dakota and worked as a brakeman for D&RGW. Frances was born in 1896 in Colorado, but both of her parents were from Sweden. The Rhoades had two sons: George F. (b.1922) and Rex T. (b.1925), both born in Colorado. Thomas died in October 1947. Herbert Cole, a fireman with D&RGW moved into the house by 1951. Herbert A. and Edith M. Cole lived here in 1965. No occupations were listed for the Coles in the city directory of that year. History Colorado's Architectural Inventory Forms have more information and are available at the Salida Library.