827 Woodside
Albert and Captiola Martin House

Tax Photo - circa 1930s

Recent Photo

Albert and Captiola Martin built this house, although it is likely that they never lived here. They purchased the lot in May 1887 for $100 and sold it at the end of July to Lura Fay for $500. The house may not have been completed at the time of the sale, even though a record time of four days for constructing a four-room house would be set in 1892. Local contractor, Jake Pape had over 25 carpenters and brick masons on his payroll at the time. He advertised in the Oct.24, 1890 edition of the Park record newspaper:

Do You Want to Build?
I can build you a three or four roomed house and
Have it completed in a week. Don’t delay as fine
Weather will soon be at an end.

Lura Fay invested in this t-cottage and several other houses on Woodside and Norfolk avenues, offering them as rentals to local miners. The 1900 census shows Lorenzo and Alberta Aubrey rented this house and lived in this small home with their six children. Lorenzo was a local barber, originally from England. By 1901 the house was showing signs of wear and Lura hired Pape to repair it and her rental house next door (827 Woodside). The total cost of $150 was not an unreasonable price, as tradesmen on the job earned .40¢ per hour and a 2x4 cost .14¢.