This home, located at 2907 Altura just east of the Piedras intersection, is a previously undocumented design by the architectural firm of Trost & Trost. It is in an unremarkable Bungalow style, but has clean lines and some fascinating detail. The home is of brick construction, built on a cut rock foundation. The cost of construction was $3,000.00.
John O. Forbes, previously a Traveling Salesman and also described as a Grocer, purchased this lot for $450, described as lots 3 and 4, block 29 in Altura Park (EPCAD confirms this as the home's location). He purchased it from the Altura Realty Company, with a closing date of August 30, 1912. The Trost plans for this Bungalow had been completed on or before August 3rd, so we conjecture that construction began immediately, and possibly before, the closing of the land sale. This would place completion of the home to late 1912 or very early 1913. EPCAD dates the erection of the home to 1911, which is comically closer to the actual date than they usually are.
Interestingly, the lot on the northwest corner of Altura and Division (today's Piedras) directly across Piedras street from this home was sold to W.H. Forbes at the same time. We are unaware how W.H. and J.O. are related.
We are pleased to welcome a new Bungalow into the family of documented Trost properties!
-- Mark Stone, citing period newspaper articles accessed from newspapers.com and information accessed at EPCAD (El Paso Central Appraisal District)
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| Google Earth Street View, accessed December 2020 |
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| Google Earth Street View, accessed December 2020 |
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| Newspaper clipping from the 08/03/1912 El Paso Herald, accessed at newspapers.com |
