Palafox House, 575-585 South Meyer Avenue, Tucson

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ARIZ,10-TUCSO,30/38-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The rear buildings of this complex of dwellings are probably among the oldest structures on the block. Form- ing an L, the. buildings running east-west once faced toward the well on the interior of the block, now in the rear yard of S. Meyer Avenue. The dwelling in front, facing S. Meyer Avenue, is of more recent construction, exhibited by its setback, gabled roof, and landscaping. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: 575 S. Meyer, ca, rear apartments, possibly pre-1880. 2. Architect: None known. 3. Original and subsequent owners: See chain of title belowi Part of Lot 7, Block parcels 29 and 30. Deed, March 12, recorded in Volume 10, page Corporate Authorities of the Village of Tucson to Theodosia Martinez.

Deed, July 12, recorded in Volume 10, page Theodosia Martinez to Soledad Acosta. Deed, June 1, recorded in Volume 43, page Soledad Acosta to Vincente*Palafox. Deed, November 24, recorded in Volume page 60. Soledad Acosta to Guadalupe Herreras. Deed, August 24, recorded in Volume 47, page 301 Vincente and Guadalupe Palafox to Guadalupe Herreras. * See Vicente^ below. PALAFOX HOUSE, Si HEYER AVE. HABS Ho. AZ-73-38 (Page 2) Deed, November 17, recorded in Volume 57, page Andres and Margarita Herreras to Casimiro and Antonio Gallego. Deed, July 13, recorded in Volume page Florencio Gallego, et al to Maria Antonio Gallego. Deed, August 19, recorded in Volume page Estate of Casimiro Gallego, deceased.

Deed, July 25, recorded in Volume page Estate o Maria Antonio Gallego to Florencio Gallego, et al. Deed, July 28, recorded in Volume page Rosario Gallego et al to Florencio Gallego. Deed, July 30, recorded in Volume page Florencio Gallego to Genoveva and Manuel Bermudez. Deed, October 16, recorded in Volume page M. R. Bermudez to Y/ G/ Avila. Deed, August 25, recorded in Volume page 37. M. R. Bermudez to R. M. Verdugo^ 4. Builder: Vicente Palafox; rear apartments- unknown. 5. Alterations and additions: The rear section of this complex prob- ably pre dates The several dwellings, because of their irregular shapes and sizes, could have been constructed at differ- ent times.

Two porches on the rear structures were removed between and only minor exterior modifications have been made since that time. A small building housing several bathrooms has been constructed during the past five years. B. Historical Events and Persons Connected with the Structure: This house and the rear apartments are associated with two families Palafox and Gallego. The Gallego family acquired the property with the rear apartments during the first decade of the Palafox gave the western part of the lot, facing S. Meyer Ave., to her son Vicente who constructed the house atff575. Andres Herreras, married to a sister of Vicente Palafox, occupied one of the rear apartments for several years before Building a house on the opposite side of S.

Meyer Avenue.In the house and apartments passed to the Gallego family, friends of the Herreras who lived at Kennedy and Convent streets, and who owned a ranch called La Sierra. Ylario Gallego, a carpenter-, married Dolores Herreras (a daughter of Andres) and later moved to Los Angeles. The Gallego family was large, and the property remained in their posses- sion until the PA1AF0X HOUSE, S. METER AVE. HABS No. AZ-T3-38' (Page 3; Prepared Ann E. Huston Project Historian, Maureen L. Gerhold Assistant Project Historian, Historic American Buildings Survey September PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION- A. General Statement: Architectural character: This rambling series of living units reaches back into the lot, creating an open area on the south side.

One portion of* this structure is believed to he the old- est structure on the "block. Condition of fabric: The "building is. structurally sound, "but suffers some deterioration. The "building is about to undergo rehabilitation work. B. Description of Exterior: 1. Over all dimensions: The building measures 22' north-to-south along the main (west) facade of The south facade_.gf measures The building extends 871 east' into the block. The rear portion measures UO' wide, north-to-south, and 17' deep The connecting wing measures 11' wide, north-to-south, and is 52' long. The general shape of the "building is an L. 2. Foundations: Inaccessible. 3. Wall construction, finish and color: The building, is constructed of mud adobe walls, plastered, and painted white. h.

Structural system, framing: The adobe bearing walls support a tem of ceiling joists of milled lumber (2" x 6", 3" x 7", 2" x where exposed. The northeast room of has a ceiling of pine vigas, reinforced by two V x 6" girders. This room may constitute the oldest structure on the block. The roof system is of standard milled lumber rafters. 5- Openings: a. Doorways and doors: Doorways have doors set to the inside surface of the vail. The jambs are of wood boards, the doors are either of six panels or five panels. The entrance doorway to is located at the center of the west facade. The other doorways are located on the sides facing the open area (i.e., south and west). m PALAFOX HOUSE, S.. MEYER AVE. HABS No. A2-T3-38 (Page k] b.

Windows: There is a full variety of window types on this building. The windows-of. 575 are wood double-hung six-over-six sash..; 577 has- wood double hung windows with one-over-one and six-over-one sash; the windows of are constructed of miscellaneous- sash, pieces-; the windows of 5o5 are of wood, in single-pane casements. Some openings have a wood trim on the exterior.. 8. Roof: a. Shape, covering: The roof of 575 is gabled with the ridge running north, and south.. All other portions of the building have low shed-roof forms. The roofs are covered with rolled, asphalt roofing.. b. Cornice, eaves: The building has exposed rafter ends with some flat board fascias. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: This "building has an over-all plan in the L con- figuration^ There are five units.

is a three-room unit with, two rooms- on tHe west front. Entry is made to the room on the north, side. There is one long room on the east .rear, accessible from the room on. the south. is a two-room unit. Entry is made into the larger of the rooms, with access then to the secondary- room "to. its west. is a three-room unit. Entry is- made into the smallest room, with access then into a larger room, which nas- been divided by- a partition into two rooms. is- a three-room unit. Entry is into the room on the south- west, with access- to a room directly east of it and to one to the north. The latter room might possibly be the oldest building on the. block. is- a two room unit. Entry is made from the west into the first room., which gives access to the second room to its east. 2.

Flooring: There are both concrete slab floors and wood board floors in this building. The front rooms of are of wood, as are the rear rooms- of the north, and east rooms of and the floors of All the rest are concrete. 3. Wall and ceiling materials: The walls are generally of plaster on adobe. There are some frame partitions, either with board surface or plastered.. U. Openings-: Interior openings- generally have flat board jambs, with some flat board trim. Doors- are generally missing. PALAFOX HOUSE, S. METER AVE. HABS No. AZ-T3-38 (.Page 5) D. Site: 1. This "building is situated on the east side of South Meyer Avenue. It sets- against its- north, property line -with, the street unit abutting the neighboring structure to the north.

The building extends- east to the rear property line, and then south to that property line. These portions of the building loosely define an open area which, has- a fence along the south property line. s There is- a three-unit outdoor bathroom structure of concrete "blocks-, containing toilet, lavatory-, and shower. There are no other structures on the site. There is- no vegetation other than some Chinaberry trees in the front yard of Prepared by: Prof. Robert C. Giebner Project Supervisor Professor of Architecture University of Arizona July PART III. 'SOURCES OF XWORMATTOfl A. Old Views: aerial photograph of Tucson taken from Sentinel Peak. Arizona Historical Society. B.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ARIZ,10-TUCSO,30/38-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Company maps, 9 Tract Books, Pioneer National Title Insurance Co. (Microfilm, Recorder's Records) Tucson City Directories, Building slips, Pima County Assessor's Office. Arizona Historical Society clipbooks (Florencio Gallego) PALAFOX HOUSE, S. MEYER AVE. HABS No. A2-73-38 (Page 6) 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 (NAEK) in cooperation vith the Tucson Barrio Association* Inc. Funds 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 Robert J.

Kapsch, Chief of NAER, John Poppeliers, Chief of HABS, and Kenneth L. Anderson, Principal Architect, the project vas completed during the summer of at the HABS field office in Tucson, Arizona, by Robert C. Giebner, 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 Sutphdn (Virginia Tech); and Comprehensive Employ- ment and Training Act (CETA) Summer Youth Employment Program Interns: Maria Arriola (Tucson High School; Ernest Cotta; Lupita Lopez (Tucson High School), and Anna Trinidad. Photographic records were made for HABS by David J. Kaminsky, Photographer, Roswell, New Mexico. Editing and final preparation of the docu- mentation vas carried out in I98I in the HABS Washington Office by William Joseph Graham, Architect, and Lucy Pope "Wheeler, Writer/Editor, of the HABS professional staff.