puebloization

The most radical change in architecture on the plaza, however, was the Herman Blueher house at 302 San Felipe. Originally a brick Queen Anne, this imposing structure would have been the pride of any Victorian American city. Separated from the street by a spacious yard, the two-story building was further heightened by a gabled roof. The porch, laden with gingerbread trim, surrounded the home on both stories. During the "puebloization" of the 1950s, however, new owners adapted the home for use as a restaurant, and altered it radically. They flattened the gabled roof, creating a Territorial look. They removed porches, as well as all window trimming. Finally, the new owners built an extension on the first floor, bringing it right to the sidewalk and adding a low-slung, covered, wooden portal. This building would be completely unrecognizable to Herman Blueher.

1999 April 1, Judy Mattivi Morley, Albuquerque, New Mexico, or Anywhere, USA?: Historic Preservation and the Construction of Civic Identity, archived from the original on 25 Aug 2023, page 170