Real estate appraisal card. 334 E. 2nd Street, lots 22-23, block 24, in Salida, Colorado.
This dwelling was erected between 1898 and 1902. The 1903-04 Salida city directory indicated that Harry H. Neilson, a switchman for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad lived here. By 1911-12, David H. Lewis lived here. He operated a restaurant at 218 Lower F Street. Mrs. Mary Clark, a waitress at the restaurant, roomed here. The 1922-23 city directory showed Peter and Martha Brow residing in this house. Mr. Brow was a blacksmith for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. By 1931, William H. and Viola Thompson lived at this address and were owners of the property. Mr. Thompson, born in 1884, was an engineer for the D&RGW. He died in 1945; his wife lived until 1972. Arthur L. and Robin M. Oswalt owned the property after the Thompsons.
Girard and Lucille Gardunio were living in this house by 1951. Mr. Gardunio was a quarryman at the Monarch Quarry. The Gardunios and their three children were still living here in 1965, when Mr. Gardunio was employed as a carpenter by Butala Construction.
This parcel also had a secondary residence on the alley addressed as 334 1/2 E. Second Street. According to the 1911-12 city directory, Ida M. McCoy lived in this backlot building; she was a waitress at a restaurant (possibly that of David H. Lewis, who lived in the main house). Ben and Della Lucero were living here in 1951, when Mr. Lucero died. Born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1876, Mr. Lucero came to Salida in 1917, where he worked for the Rio Grande Railroad until his retirement. Mrs. Lucero was also born in Santa Fe in 1881.
History Colorado's Architectural Inventory Forms have more information and are available at the Salida Library.
