447-451 South Main Avenue (House), Tucson

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ARIZ,10-TUCSO,30/53. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

This pre-19O0 building, of unknown builder, is an example of a Sonoran style row house typical of those found in the Barrio Libre. Built of adobe, set flush with the front property line, and with a gable now covering the original mud roof, the structure was probably constructed as a single- family dwelling. It was converted to apartments and under- went three additions to the rear to create more dwelling units. Such conversions and additions are common to the Barrio. PAST I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: Probably pre-1900. 2. Architect: Hone known. 3. Original and subsequent owners: See chain of title below. Part of Lot 2, Block parcel 27- Tax Deed, December 16, recorded in Volume 8, page 27. Robert H. Paul, Sheriff to V. M. Griffith, et al.

Tax Deed, February 20, recorded in Volume 12, page Robert H. Paul, Sheriff to Don A. Sanford. Deed, December 1, recorded in Volume 19, page 1U7. Treasurer to Territory of Arizona. Deed, March 13, recorded in Volume 36, page Trinidad G. Sandoval to Gertrude Bilderrolla. .iAilito=s*s> *,l - >* ^ ^J&^a^^v-s^i^^'^-zi^jii^^WiT^ ltU7-^51 SOUTH MAIN AVENUE HABS Wo. A2-T3-53 (Page 2) Deed, January 5, recorded in Volume 50, page 1^7 Gertrude Bilderrolla to Miguel Amparano, et al. Deed, September 6, recorded in Volume 63, page Miguel and Manuela Amparano to Rita Molina, et al. Deed, November 12, recorded in Volume page 2U2. Reyes Molina, Jr. , et al to Rita Molina. Deed, August 6, recorded in Volume page 75. Estate of Rita Molina to Alex Molina, et al.

Deed, October 21, recorded in Volume page Molina, et al to Molina. Deed, August 3, recorded in Volume U051, page 56. Molina to Abodeely. Deed, August 3, recorded in Volume U051, page 58. Conrado Molina to Abodeely. Deed, August 3, recorded in Volume U051, page 6l. Abodeely to Abodeely. k. Builder: Unknown. 5. Alterations and additions: The original structure probably consisted of a rectangular floor plan facing onto Main Avenue. Some time before two or three additions were extended from the rear of the build- ing to create another dwelling. The structure at one time housed three dwellings. B.

Historical Persons and Events Connected with the Structure: Because this area of Main Avenue was not included on the early Sanborn maps, and because the street numbers changed prior to it is im- possible to date this building or to associate any early names with it. Reyes Molina, a Tucson policeman, is the first-known occupant of the dwelling in possibly in as well. After the death of Rita Molina in the title to the property passed down through mem- bers of the Molina family, all of -whom occupied the property, from until when the structure was purchased by an out-of-state inves- tor. Reyes Molina died in Prepared by: Ann E. Huston Project Historian, Maureen L. Gerhold t Assistant Project Historian Historic American Buildings Survey September I98O UUT-^51 SOUTH MAIN AVENUE HABS No.

AZ-73-53 (Page 3) PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: This building Is a typical example of the Sonoran form, of row house found in the Barrio. It is three rooms vide to the street, each room having direct access. Over the years, three additions have been made to the rear of the structure. 2. Condition of fabric: At present the structure is unoccupied and condemned. It is boarded up. All power and utilities have been disconnected. Most doors and windows have been removed or dam- aged. Plaster and stucco have fallen away. A large portion of adobe wall at the rear of the building has collapsed. B. Description of Exterior: 1.

Over-all dimensions: The building measures from north-to- south along its west front facade, and from west-to-east along its south side. 2. Foundations: Foundations are unexposed and inaccessible. In the typical fashion of early adobe buildings, there may not be any true foundation. 3. "Wall construction, finish and color: The 18" thick walls are con- structed of mud adobe bricks set in mud mortar. At some later date, lime mortar with brick chips was set into alternating hori- zontal mortar joints which had been dug out. This was done to facilitate the application of a lime stucco surface. The original walls extended above the flat roof with a short parapet capped with fired brick. Additions to the building were of adobe.

The walls of the east extension at the south end have several courses of brick and con- crete block. These wall do not have a parapet. An addition at the northeast corner is also of adobe. A frame addition at the center of the east rear is covered with wire lath and stucco. All stucco is beige; much of the stucco is separating from the adobe wall. U. Structural system, framing: The l8"-thick adobe bearing walls sup- port a milled wood Joist system. Milled 2" x 8" joists with 1-inch wood roof sheathing over the original portion of the building would imply a replacement structure or a later date for the building than expected. There is no evidence of a mud roof in this portion of the building. The earlier flat roof is now covered with a low gable roof. SOUTH MAIN AVENUE HABS No.

AZ-T3-53 (Page U) The adobe vails of the additions support low sloping roofs. One roof of the south addition has a dimensioned joist system supporting a mud roof. A nev roof was "built over it. 5. Chimneys: There are no chimneys on the present building. Stove- pipe holes had been cut into the adobe walls in three rooms. 6. Openings: a. Doorways and doors; The vest (front) facade of the building has three entry doors, one to each of the front rooms - The doors are set to the inside surface of the wall in the ical fashion. Each doorway contains a four-panel door topped with an operable sash transom. The doorways have board jambs with 1* x hu flat board trim. Only the central doorway of the front facade has its door in place. Other doors on the building have been removed.

Doorways of the additions are simpler in detail, lacking the paneled jambs. b. Windows: The west front has three double-hung, one-over-one light sash windows set to the outside surface of the wall in the typical fasnion. The window openings have paneled jambs and heads and wood sills. All windows are broken or missing. Double-hung one-over-one-light windows of the wouth wall are set at the interior wall surface. 7. Roof: a. Shape, covering: The west front portion and part of the south wing (the entire original building) have a low gable roof covered with rolled asphalt. Roofs covering the additions are flat (sloped for drainage) with rolled asphalt surfaces. Below the low gable roof is an earlier flat roof which drained, via six canales, to the west front.

The roof sheathing is topped by rolled asphalt, there being no evidence of a dirt roof. The westernmost roof of the extension has an earlier mud roof, now covered by a frame flat roof. b. Cornice, eaves: The gable roof extends with eaves over the west wall parapet. Rafter ends and sheathing are visible. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: The original building was L-shaped with the long leg (containing three rooms) running north-south at the west property line, and short leg (composed of one additional room) at the south end. Uk7-k51 SOUTH MAIN AVENUE HABS No. AZ-,73-53 (Page 5) There are two early adobe additions. One extended the south side of the building to the east with two additional rooms.

The other was located at the northeast corner and across the back to meet the south wing. A final, frame addition was built at the rear center of the building, 2, Flooring: Floors are either of concrete slab or of 3^" wide pine boards. Of the original building, the north and south corner rooms have concrete floors. The center room, as well as that of the south leg of the L, are of wood. The addition to the northeast and across the rear has a concrete slab, while the eastern extension Of the south wing has a wood floor in one room and a dirt floor in the other. The frame addition has one room with a wood floor and a second room with a concrete slab (bathroom). The pattern for floor development is not clear. 3. Wall and ceiling finish:The walls and ceilings are of plaster.

The adobe walls were originally plastered with mud, being later re- surfaced with lime plaster. The ceilings are of wood lath and lime plaster. Interior partitions are of mud adobe and are plastered. k. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: Most interior wall openings are without doors. Wood Jambs are in place. Simple wood-board trim was employed in some openings, b. Windows: (See exterior description.) 5. Decorative features and trim: Simple flat wood trim is found in some openings. A bookshelf/cabinet was built into a former open- ing between the north and central rooms of the original structure. 6. Hardware: Removed. Evidence reveals it was standard. 7. Equipment: All mechanical equipment has been removed.

Origin- ally the heating was done with stoves, the stove-pipe openings still evident in three rooms. Electrical wiring was added later, for which the fixtures and most of the wiring have now been removed. Plumbing, added later, has been removed also. D. Site 1. General setting and orientation: The building is located on the east side of South Main Avenue on Lot 2 of Block 235 in the city of Tucson. It is positioned at the front (west) property line and extends from the north to south property lines with a single planar wall, punched ~by three sets of doors and windows. The east rear of the property is ill-defined, there being no markers, fences, or walls SOUTH MAIN AVENUE HAES No. AZ-T3-53 (Page 6) 2.

Outbuildings : There is an adobe, shed-roofed structure "behind the house, to the east, and along the south property line. Prepared by: Prof. Robert C. Giebner Project Supervisor Professor of Architecture University of Arizona July PART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION Arizona Historical Society, clipbooks. Building slip, Pima County Assessor's Office Sanborn Fire Insurance Company maps, Tract books, Pioneer National Title Insurance Company (Microfilm, Recorder's records). Tucson City Directories, 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.

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 Kapsch, Chief of NAER, John Poppeliers, Chief of HABS, and Kenneth L. Anderson, Principal Architect, the project was 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 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 hy David J. Kaminsky, Photog- rapher, Roswell, New Mexico, Editing and final preparation of the documentation 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.