Bernal House, 571 South Meyer Avenue, Tucson

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ARIZ,10-TUCSO,30/3-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

This L-shaped adobe house with attached porch stands out through its non-characteristic shape and its relationship to the street. Built in a Late Transitional Sonoran style, the gabled and hipped roofs are of corrugated metal and the porch with its turned posts may have been built by the Tucson mas- ter carpenter, Manuel Flores. It exhibits Traditional Son- oran influences through its flush front and contiguity to the dwelling on the south. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: 2. Architect: None known. See reference above, however, to "master carpenter Manuel Flores." See also Barrio Libre, AZ-73, historical essay, page 12. 3. Original and subsequent owners: See chain of title below. Part of Lot 6, Block parcel 24.

Deed, February 13, recorded in Volume 41, page Laurencio and Angelita Huerta to Facundo Bernal. Deed, March 2, recorded in Volume page Benjamin T. Bernal to Robles. Deed, August 31, recorded in Volume page Robles to Errazu. Deed, March 20, recorded in Volume page Ricardo Errazu to Carlos G. Robles. 4. Builder: Facundo Bernal. Covered porch possibly by Maestro Flores. HABS No. AZ-73-3 CPage 2) 5. Alterations and additions: The rear porch of this house was enlarged between and Between and an addi- tion was Built onto the rear of the porch. B. Historical Events and Persons Connected with the Structure: Facundo and Emilia Bernal built this house at 571 S. Meyer Ave. in approximately and lived there until the Bernal was as carriage and hack driver, and worked for Diego Valencia.

Valencia, who lived on the corner of Convent and Kennedy, owned wagons and hearses, and contracted for hauling and driving- The Bernals had a son Benjamin and a daughter Emilia. The property passed from Facundo to Benjamin before falling into the hands.of Bemabe Robles in CSee p. 13 in Barrio Libre (AZ-73) historical essay.) ; Prepared by: Aan_ Huston Project Historian Maureen L. Gerhold' Assistant Project Historian Historic American Buildings Survey September PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: This building is a good example of the Late Transitional Sonoran style of architecture in Tucson. It is constructed of traditional adobe, but exhibits 'Anglo1 building forms and site utilization. 2. Condition of fabric: Generally good. B.

Description of Exterior: \ . 1. Over-all dimensions: The building measures approximately 181 north to south on its west facade and 46T west to east on its north facade, There is an addition measuring about 8V x 18' on the west side. The building abuts the adjacent Building to the south. 2. Foundations: There appears to be a concrete foundation under the building. 3. Wall construction, finish and color: The building is constructed of mud adobe, stuccoed on the exterior, and painted green. The addition to the east is of frame construction and has horizontal wood tongue-and-groove siding, also painted green. BERNAL BOUSE, 571 S. MEYER AVE, HABS No. A2-73-3 (Page3) 4.

Structural system, framing: The mud adobe walls support a stan- dard 2" x 10" joist ceiling system and a light-weight hip roof system. 5. Porches: There is a porch at the northwest corner of the build- ing, abutting the building on two sides. A matching porch for- merly existed at the northeast corner of the house. It has been replaced by the frame addition. The porch has a concrete slab" floor and one turned wood column on the corner. The roof is essentially flat, having a low slope for drainage. 6. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The entrance doorway is located on the west face, under the porch,. Another door is situated on the north face under the same porch. b. Windows: The west facade window has a double-hung sash with two-over-two lights, surrounded by a flat board trim.

One window on the north facade has a two-light sash which is in a fixed position. It is also surrounded by a flat wood trim with dimensions 1" x 5V. 7. Roof: a. Shape, covering: The roof of the building is gabled with the ridge extending north and south. There are hip roof exten- sions to the east and west. The northern gable has vertical board-and-batten closure with two diamond-shaped vents. The roof is covered with corrugated metal. b. Cornice, eaves: The eaves of the house are boxed on the west sides and have exposed rafter ends on the east side, C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plan: The building was originally a double house facing to the north. The plan of each unit was that of an 'V, and contained two rooms.

The wall which separated the two units has been pene- trated with a door opening to connect the units. The east rear has a frame addition containing the kitchen (in location of former northeast porch) and a general storage room and bathroom. 2. Flooring: The floors are of wood boards, 3 Douglas Fir. Floors of the porches and additions are of concrete. 3. Wall and ceiling finishes: The walls are of plaster on adobe. Ceil- ings are of wood lath and plaster. Ceiling height is In addition, the walls are of plywood. The ceiling of the addition is the underside of the roof. BERKA1 HOUSE, 571 S. MEYER AVE. HABS No. AZ-73-3 (Page 4) 4, Openings: Doorways between rooms have had the doors removed with one exception. Door jambs are of wood boards.

There is one five- panel door mounted with surface hinges and having a box lock. The openings have 5Vl flat board trim. 5. Mechanical equipment: a. Heating: There is- no heating system. b. Electricity: There is a standard electrical service. c. Plumbing: Plumbing has been included in the additions. D. Site: 1. General setting and orientation: __The building is located on the east side of South Meyer Avenue. It is oriented with its broad side facing north, possibly the original direction of the front facade when the building was a duplex. The west facade is situated at the property line. The building abuts the adjacent building to"the south. There"is' an open area to the north, defined by a corrugated inetal fence on the west side.

The rear yard is shared with, the property located at South Meyer Avenue. Prepared by: Prof. Robert C. Giebner Project Supervisor Professor of Architecture University of Arizona July FART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION Sanborn Fire Insurance Company Maps, 191 *U Tract Books, Pioneer National Title Insurance Company (Microfilm, Recorder's records)J Tucson City Directories, Building Slip, Pima County Assessor's Office Oral Interviews: Eliazar Herreras, E. Waverly. Felix Fimbres, k62 E. St. JihKWAJL HUUSE.O/l S. MEYER AVE. KABS No. AZ-73-3 (Page 5) PART IV.

PROJECT INFORMATION This project was undertaken by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) of the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service's National Architectural and Engineering Record (NAER) in cooperation with the Tucson Barrio Association, Inc. Punds for the project were provided By the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office and the Arizona State Office of Economic Planning and Development. Under the direction of Rohert J. Kaps-ch, Chief of NAER, John Poppeliers, Chief of HABS, and Kenneth L. Anderson, Principal Architect, the project was completed during the summer of at the EABS field office in Tucson, Arizona, by Robert C.

Giehner, Project Supervisor (Professor of Architecture, University of Arizona); William Joseph Graham, Project Foreman (University of Maryland); Ann E. Huston, Project Historian (California State University, Sacramento); Maureen L. Gerhold, Assistant Historian (Pennsylvania State University) ; Student Architects Scott Marshall Dolph (University of Arizona) ;'Carol Jean Lemon (Washington State Uni- versity) ; and Harrison Adam Sutphin (.Virginia Tech) ; and Comprehensive Employ- ment and Training Act (CETA) Summer Youth Employment Program Interns: Maria Arriola (Tucson High School]; Ernest Cota; Lupita Lopez (Tucson High School); and Anna Trinidad. Photographic records were made for HABS by David J. Kaminsky, Photographer, Rosvell, New Mexico.

Editing and final preparation of the docu- mentation was carried out in in the HABS Washington Office by William Joseph Graham, Architect, and Lucy Pope Wheeler, Writer/Editor, of the HABS professional staff. # ADDENDUM TO HABS No. AZ-73-3 571 SOUTH MEYER AVENUE (HOUSE) (BERNAL HOUSE) Barrio Libre (Barrio Historico) , ^ ... 571 South Meyer Avenue MHO;: Tucson , Pima County Arizona Ti'C'jQ . XEROGRAPHIC COPIES OF COLOR TRANSPARENCIES HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Washington,