D.7.0 - 1709 Willow Street — original pdf

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HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMITS MAY 24, 2021 PR-2021-051493 1709 WILLOW STREET D.7 – 1 PROPOSAL Demolish a ca. 1924 house. ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH One-story rectangular-plan, hipped-roof frame cottage with a partial-width inset porch with plain, square wood posts; single and double 1:1 fenestration with incompatible gingerbread-trimmed wooden screens. From the time of its construction until around 1924, this house was a rental property, with tenants including a barber, a carpenter, and a farmer with his beauty operator wife. Around 1934, the house was purchased by Annie Hudson, a Scottish born widow who worked at Austin Laundry and Dry Cleaning for many years. Although the city directories of the period and the Sanborn map of 1935 indicate a shift in addresses, staff believes that Annie Hudson lived next door at 1707 Willow before moving into this house, where she lived until the mid-1940s. Following Mrs. Hudson’s occupancy, the house was owned and occupied by Cleveland and Kathryn McMahan, who lived here until around 1956. Cleveland McMahan was a plumber. The house then became a rental property until the mid-1960s, when Sebastian and Ernestina Martinez, who were still living here in the early 1990s. Sebastian Martinez worked at the city water treatment plant. STAFF COMMENTS The 2016 East Austin Historic Resource survey recommends the building as contributing to a potential local historic district and to a potential National Register historic district. Designation Criteria—Historic Landmark 1) The building is more than 50 years old. 2) The building appears to retain a high degree of integrity. 3) Properties must meet two criteria for landmark designation (LDC §25-2-352). Staff has evaluated the property and determined that it does not meet two criteria: a. Architecture. The building does not appear to convey architectural significance. It is a common vernacular type in this neighborhood, which renders it potentially contributing to a future historic district, but not as an individual landmark. b. Historical association. The property does not appear to have significant historical associations. It was the home c. Archaeology. The property was not evaluated for its potential to yield significant data concerning the human to several working class families. history or prehistory of the region. d. Community value. The property does not possess a unique location, physical characteristic, or significant feature that contributes to the character, image, or cultural identity of the city, the neighborhood, or a particular demographic group. e. Landscape feature. The property is not a significant natural or designed landscape with artistic, aesthetic, cultural, or historical value to the city. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Encourage rehabilitation and adaptive reuse, then relocation, but release the demolition permit upon completion of a City of Austin Documentation Package consisting of photographs of all elevations, a dimensioned sketch plan, and a narrative history to be archived at the Austin History Center. LOCATION MAP D.7 – 2 PROPERTY INFORMATION D.7 – 3 1709 Willow Street ca. 1924 OCCUPANCY HISTORY 1709 Willow Street Sebastian and Ernestina Martinez, owners Senior equipment operator, City Water and Wastewater Department. Sebastian and Ernestina Martinez, owners Employed by the City of Austin City Directory Research, Austin History Center By City Historic Preservation Office April 2021 1992 1985-86 1981 1977 1973 Sebastian and Ernestina Martinez, renters Driver, Water Treatment Plant Sebastian and Ernestina Martinez, renters Driver, Water Treatment Plant Sebastian and Ernestina Martinez, renters Laborer, City Water Treatment Plant Sebastian and Ernestina Martinez, renters Laborer, City Water, Light, and Power Department 1968 1962 1959 Vacant Oma Hemphill, renter No occupation listed D.7 – 4 1957 1955 1952 1949 1947 1944-45 1941 1939 Kenneth and Barbara Poehl, renters Printer Cleveland J. and Katherine McMahan, owners Plumber, Bradshaw & Puryear, 702 E. 3rd Street. Cleveland J. and Kathryn McMahan, owners Plumber, Bradshaw & Puryear, plumbing and heating contractors, 103 Brazos Street. Cleveland J. and Kathryn McMahan, owners Mechanic, Capitol Plumbing and Heating Company, 1701 W. 5th Street. Cleveland J. and Kathryn McMahan, owners Plumber Annie Hudson, renter Checker, Austin Laundry and Dry Cleaning Company, 1514 Lavaca Street. Annie Hudson, owner Floorwoman, Austin Laundry and Dry Cleaning Company, 1514 Lavaca Street. Annie Hudson, owner Forewoman, Austin Laundry and Dry Cleaning Company, 1514 Lavaca Street. Annie Hudson, owner No occupation listed Annie Hudson, owner No occupation listed Waverly and Ruby Raney, renters Farmer Farmer Operator, Marinello Beauty Shop, Driskill Hotel Waverly and Ruby Raney, renters Waverly: Ruby: 1937 1935 1932-33 1930-31 1929 1927 1924 1922 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES: Waverly and Ruby Raney (ca. 1928 – ca. 1934) The 1930 U.S. Census shows E.W. and Ruby Rainey as the renters of this house, which is addressed as 1709 Willow Street. E.W. Rainey was 39, had been born in Texas, and had no occupation listed. Ruby Rainey was The address is not listed in the directory. NOTE: George C and Jessie Collier are not listed in the directory. No occupation listed Operator, Marinello Beauty Shop, 608 Brazos Street. Waverly and Ruby Raney, renters Waverly: Ruby: George C. and Jessie Collier, renters Barber Martin L. and Winnie McGee, renters Carpenter D.7 – 5 38, had been born in Texas, and was an elevator operator. They had no children listed with them. Annie Hudson (ca. 1934 – ca. 1946) The 1910 U.S. Census shows Seth R. and Alice E. Hudson living on Lovers’ Lane on a rented farm. Seth R. Hudson was 56, had been born in Texas, and was a teamster. Alice E. Hudson was 42, had been born in Texas, and had no occupation listed. This was the second marriage for both of them. Alice E. Hudson died in 1914. The 1920 U.S. Census shows Annie Hudson renting the house at 1905 Willow Street; Seth R. Hudson is not listed with her. Annie Hudson was 54, had been born in Scotland, and was the forelady at a laundry. The 1930 U.S. Census shows Annie Hudson as the renter of the house listed as 1707 Willow Street. She was a 56-year old Scottish-born widow who had no occupation listed and no other people in her household. The addresses in the 1700 block of Willow Street changed frequently according to Sanborn maps and city directories. Annie Hudson is believed to have lived in the house now known as 1707 Willow before moving to this smaller house around 1937. The 1940 U.S. Census shows Annie Hudson living at this address as a lodger in the home of Alfred and Grace Tromp, who are listed as the renters of this house. Annie Hudson was a 75-year old Scottish-born widow who was the floor lady at a laundry. Alfred Tromp, 24, was born in Texas and was an electrician’s helper with the City Electric Department. His wife, Grace, 20, had been born in Texas, and was a stenographer in an abstract company. The Tromps had no children, and both had lived in Bastrop County, Texas in 1935. Her 1953 death certificate indicates that Annie Kemp Hudson was born in Scotland in 1864 and was living at 2408½ Lake Austin Boulevard at the time of her death. She was widowed and an employee of Austin Laundry. Obituary of Annie Hudson Austin American, May 1, 1953 Cleveland and Kathryn McMahan (ca. 1946 – ca. 1956) Cleveland Jackson McMahan noted this address as his home on his 1940 World War II draft registration card, and listed his wife Kathryn as his next of kin. He was born in Tyler, Texas in 1917 and was employed by John L. Martin, a prominent local plumbing and heating contractor. He was 5’-9” tall, weighed 160 pounds, and had a light complexion with brown hair and brown eyes. Cleveland McMahan died in Bell County, Texas in 1988.  D.7 – 6 The 1922 Sanborn map shows the lot as vacant. The 1935 Sanborn map appears to show the house, but with an address of 1707A Willow, which does not appear in city directories of the period. D.7 – 7 The 1962 Sanborn map shows the house (on the fifth lot east of the intersection) with the modern address of 1709 Willow. The footprint of the house is the same as the 1935 map above. Building permit to Cleveland McMahan to construct a frame garage (1950)