HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 08/15/2000 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 86, 2000, DESIGNAT AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 9
FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL DATE: August 15, 2000STAFF:
Karen McWilliams
SUBJECT:
Second Reading of Ordinance No. 86, 2000, Designating the Franz-Smith Cabin, Fort Collins
Museum, 200 Mathews Street, Fort Collins Colorado, as a Historic Landmark Pursuant to Chapter
14 of the City Code.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The owner of the property,the City of Fort Collins, initiated this request for Fort Collins landmark
designation for the Franz-Smith Cabin. This building is important for its architectural and historical
significance to Fort Collins. Ordinance No. 86, 2000, was unanimously adopted on First Reading
10 on July 18, 2000.
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AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY ITEM NUMBER: 19
DATE: July 18, 2000
lip FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL STAFF:
Karen McWilliams
SUBJECT:
First Reading of Ordinance No.86,2000,Designating the Franz-Smith Cabin,Fort Collins Museum,
200 Mathews Street, Fort Collins Colorado, as a Historic Landmark Pursuant to Chapter 14 of the
City Code.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends adoption ofCeOrdince on r eading. t a public hearing held on June 28,
2000, the Landmark Preserva imous commended designation of this
property as a landmark for its architectural and historical importance to Fort Collins.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The owner of the property, the City of Fort Collins, is initiating this request for Fort Collins
landmark designation for the Fr th pi
i portant for its architectural and
historical significance to Fort lins. Fr b 's unusual two-story log structure.
Dating from the homestead pe din Fo CoIIi in s associated with the Franz family.
The cabin illustrates the comm , 11 be used by the Museum as a
vehicle for the interpretation of early homesteading in Fort Collins.
HISTORICAL SUMMARY
The Franz-Smith Cabin,originally located adjacent to Shields Street near Harmony Road,was built
c. 1882, on a homestead patent filed by Henry and Caroline Franz. Henry and Caroline Franz
immigrated to the United States from Wurttemburg,Germany in 1867. The Frames began their life
in the United States in Trenton, se a es the availability of land and the
advancements in fatrning and ' gati chni s e r f 'ly moved to Fort Collins in the
early 1880's. During their firs ear,th ranz ved in sod cellar,until the resources were
available to build this unusual t l The fa cultivated the land,farming sugar
beets, alfalfa and other grains.
The Smith family rented the land and the cabin for a period of time before purchasing the land in
1936. The Smith's son Ward, and his wife Lois, lived in the cabin until the senior Smiths moved
out of a new home built on the same land. The cabin continued to serve as a residence, housing
family and friends of the Smith family until 1987. In 1987 the Smiths sold their land to the
developer of the Clarendon Hills subdivision,with the stipulation that the cabin was to be saved and
moved to another location. The Larimer County Historic Alliance took stewardship of the structure,
and moved it to Livermore with the intention of restoring the building and creating an architectural
park.
Jul
DATE: y 18, 2000 1 2
ITEM NUMBER: 19
Unfortunately, the dreams of the Larimer County Historic Alliance were never realized, and the
cabin was left exposed to the elements. Earlier this month,the badly deteriorated cabin was moved
from its location in Livermore to the Fort Collins Museum courtyard,where it will be restored. The
intent of the Museum's courtyard is to interpret Fort Collins'history through its historic structures.
The courtyard currently contains three other log structures. The Antoine Janis cabin is the oldest in
the courtyard, and was the impetus for the Museum. This lodge pole pine cabin was constructed c.
1858 and serves to illustrate the importance of the trapper-trader era in Northern Colorado. The
Elizabeth Stone cabin was built in 1864, and is the only remaining structure from the military
encampment. The third structure is the 1905 Boxelder School House. The Franz-Smith Cabin,once
restored, will interpret early homesteading in Fort Collins,as well as the community's agricultural
roots.
The Franz-Smith Cabin is con ered to a m e Ject. s such,the conservation standards
adopted by the Fort Collins Mu r r and rvation of the Franz-Smith Cabin
will serve as the standards by which maintenance, restoration, alterations or changes to the cabin
would be reviewed for compliance with Chapter 14,Article III, of the City Code.
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