826-828 Court Street

Architecture:

Style: Colonial Revival

Description: This symmetrical, turn of the century duplex is a two-story wood frame structure with wood clapboard siding on the first two stories, wood shingles in the gables, and a brick foundation. The roofline is mainly side gabled, with a centered front gable. A full width front porch has a shed roof with gables over each entrance, and turned wood posts and railing for support. One-story cutaway bays are located on the front corners. Decorative elements include detailing in the porch gables, and above and between the second story and attic windows.

Significant Period:

Construction Date: circa 1892

Architect/Builder: Unknown

Context: This structure, designed as a duplex, was the second building on the site. Theodore Price, a cabinet maker, paid property taxes and lived on this site from about 1871 to at least 1878. Mathias Matzen, a miller and foreman at McMorran & Company, lived there until 1888. Through 1890, the address 828 appeared but 826 did not, and only one person was listed each time. The 1893-94 City Directory was the first to list both addresses.

826 COURT: Lewis Robinson, foreman at the Sanborn Elevator, lived here from about 1893 to 1902. He likely died soon after as Mrs. Anna Robinson resided there in 1904. Thomas Francisco and John Phillips lived there in 1906. Rose E. Sullivan, of Sullivan’s Business College, lived there in 1907. Thomas Gerrie, a foreman for Aikman bakery, lived there with his wife Barbara from 1909 to 1915. Frank Zercher, master car builder for Grand Trunk Railway, and his wife Clara lived there from 1918 to the mid 1920s. Walter Talbot, manager for Smith Brothers, and his wife Fannie lived there until about 1940.

828 COURT: Thomas Griffith, a traveling salesman, lived there in 1893. James McGregor, a dentist, boarded and Minnie Conley was a domestic. Irvin McCollom, dealer in coal and wood, lived there in 1899. James Archbold, assistant secretary at Imperial Oil, lived there in 1901. Austin Andrews lived there in 1904. Jesse Newell, an express messenger, lived there with his wife Nena in 1907. Harry Douglas lived there in 1909. Joseph and Margaret Harford lived there from 1910 to 1915. He was manager of White Credit Clothing Company, then proprietor of Harford Clothing Company. Archibald and Isabelle Brooks lived there in 1918. He was district freight and passenger agent for GT Northern Railway. Kate Parker, widow of Arthur, lived there in the early 1920s. George and Jane Williams lived there in 1923. Frank and Clara Zercher switched from 826 to 828 by 1930 and lived there until about 1940.