2821 W. 25TH AVENUE

This home was likely built around 1888 by Priscilla T. Bell, the widow of Reverend John Dempster Bell. Before arriving in Denver in 1884, previous stops for the couple included Canon City and Los Angeles. In addition to preaching, Reverend Bell was an author. His books include A Man (1860) and The Great Slighted Fortune (1878). Bell died in Denver in 1886, leaving Priscilla a widow. Priscilla lived in this house until her death in 1922, often taking in renters to help make ends meet. Occupations of early tenants included a tinner, a billiard table manufacturer, a tramcar inspector, a fireman, and a candy maker. For much of its history, the house is listed under two different addresses (2821 and 2825), indicating that it had two units. The original address for the property was 518 Emerald Avenue. After Priscilla’s death in 1923, the property changed hands frequently, generally serving as a rental property. Other long-term owners of the property include Fred Landry, a driver for the Deline Manufacturing Company (1929-1937) and Clarence McCuistion, a foreman for the Gates Rubber Company (1955-1964).