415 E. 2nd Street

Description

Real estate appraisal card. 415 E. 2nd Street, lots 9-10, block 28, in Salida, Colorado. This house was built between 1888 and about 1895. The 1903-04 City Directory listed Bernard "Ben" Graf, a conductor, living here with his family. At the time of the 1905-06 City Directory, the Grafs were living on F Street, and a barber, M. Lawrence Mueller, had moved in to this house. Ada Daniels, an operator at Colorado Telephone Co., and Lillian Daniels were listed as boarders during 1905-06. The Graf family again was listed at this address in the 1911-12 city directory, including Bernard "Ben" Graf, his wife J. Maud, and their three daughters and four sons. By that date, Ben Graf was affiliated with the Disman Clothing Company. Graf was called a pioneer of Salida, having moved to the town in 1891. The Salida Mail judged in 1921: "He is rated among those early pioneers who helped to build the prosperous country of today.· He was initially associated with the Denver & Rio Grande Western railroad. In 1908, he purchased the historic Disman Clothing Company with Sam Murdock. The partners installed the first electric lights in the store, in the late 1880s. This enabled railroad workers to be able to shop at night. By the 1920s, the enterprise was known as Ben Grafs and was located at 1st and F streets. The Salida Mail stated it was "a real credit to the section ... one of the best stocked of its kind in the west today." By the 1920s the Grafs were living on F Street. The 1920 U.S. Census indicated that this was the residence of the Graham family. L. Graham, a conductor for the Denver & Rio Grande railroad, lived here with his family. Mr. Graham, age 32, was born in Nebraska. His wife, Minnie, age 27, was born in Missouri. The couple had four children, two girls and two boys, all born in Colorado. In 1922-23, this was the residence of salesman George W. Cantwell and his wife, Alice. By 1927-28, the Nixon family occupied the house. This included Alonzo M. Nixon, an engineer, and his wife Maymie B. Also living here were Elsie Nixon, a clerk at Mrs. R.A. Spino dry goods and J.W. Nixon, a brakeman at Denver & Rio Grande RR. The house had changed occupants again by 1930, when William J. and Eleanor McNamara took ownership of the house. William was an engineer with the Denver & Rio Grande railroad. Mr. McNamara was retired by the time of the 1935-36 City Directory. Born in 1886, he died in May 1951 after spending several weeks at the Rio Grande hospital. Eleanor McNamara continued living in the house after William's death, until at least 1965, according to the city directory of that year. She passed away on 14 November 1973. Her obituary noted that she had been a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, the MSSA Club and a past president of the American Legion Auxiliary. She also taught piano and was the organist at St. Joseph's Church. History Colorado's Architectural Inventory Forms have more information and are available at the Salida Library.