Real estate appraisal card. 121 E. 2nd Street, lot 8 & part of 9, block 31, in Salida, Colorado.
A bake house (set back from the street) is the only structure shown on this parcel on the 1893 Sanborn fire insurance map. The front part of this building was erected in front of and attached to the bake house at the street line between 1893 and 1898. The 1898 Sanborn identifies the building as a grocery store.
By 1904, the building housed a paint and wallpaper store with a tin shop in the rear and a paint shop in a separate building to the rear. The 1905-06 city directory lists the People's Paint and Wall Paper Company at 121-23 E. 2nd Street. James L. Pearce and John F. Erdlen were the proprietors. William G. Morris provided tin and sheet iron work. The shop carried wallpaper, moldings, oils, varnishes, paints, and glass, and offered sign writing, paper hanging, painting, and decorating. The paint and wall paper store of Robert N. Pherson was listed here in the 1911-12 city directory. A paint and wallpaper store was still located here according to the 1914 Sanborn map.
By 1922-23, the plumbing and heating shop of Eugene W. Tucker was housed in the building. He was listed here in the 1930-31 city directory and Lhe building was identified as a tin and plumbing shop on the 1945 Sanborn fire insurance map. The 1951 and 1961 city directories show Salida Plumbing and Appliance Company here; Edward H. Mahe was its president. This building was apparently part of the Salida Mountain Mail office at the time the Salida Downtown Historic District nomination was prepared in 1983.
History Colorado's Architectural Inventory Forms have more information and are available at the Salida Library.
