CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS WITH STYLE
In which Bob and Camille spend the night at Shirley's Thanksgiving Weekend, 2006
SETTLING IN
Ahhhhhh! Wine and roasted chestnuts by the fire in Shirley's living room and then whipping up a Thanksgiving feast in her kitchen. Life doesn't get much better than this! Shirley's fireplace was painted by an artist to look like tile and brick. We have a photo very similar to this one from 1992 of Shirley and Camille in Shirley's kitchen working on a Thanksgiving dinner together.
ARCHITECTURE
The second reason for our visit was to take a look at some of the buildings designed by Eugene Groves, the architect who designed Shirley's house, above, in 1932. The detail from inside her living room is typical of his work. Mr. Groves was recognized for his expertise in in the use of poured, cast and reinforced concrete to create domes and other rounded features.
THE NORDLUND HOUSE
The first stop on our architectural tour was this home which is on the National Register. The similarity between Shirley's home and the Nordlund house are striking. It has crossed Shirley's mind that getting her home on the State or National Register might be a worthy pursuit.
Here again is that signature rounded look.
THE CAMPUS TOUR
Next stop, the Colorado State University campus in Fort Collins, where train tracks run right through the middle of town. Shirley has a list of buildings designed by Eugene Groves and Bob has a map of the campus.
A VERY PRETTY CAMPUS
Camille walks along the tree-lined 'oval.' This bronze titled "Twenty Percent Chance of Flurries" caught Bob's eye. It depicts a cowboy riding through the snow with a calf across his saddle.
STUDENT SERVICES
This was our favorite building on campus. To view all sixteen Eugene Groves buildings on our tour, go to Eugene Groves Architectural Tour
A TREASURE HUNT
On the way home we went looking for this famous gas station, designed by guess who. This is how it looked before it was moved to make way for a highway. Jack Kerouac wrote about taking a nap in the grass outside this gas station in his book On The Road.
VOILA!
After considerable driving around we finally saw it! The poor old gas station stood on blocks behind a chain link fence on the outskirts of Prospect New Town.
Atop cinder blocks and I-beams, the building is just a shell of its former self.
Nevertheless, the features that identify Eugene Groves' style were clearly evident.
We loved the painted Art Deco details.
The last rays of sunlight pour through the building and out its pane less windows.
The sun was fading as we left the old gas station and headed home.
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