Chavez, Juan, House
7809 4th St., NW, Albuquerque, NMThe Juan Chavez House -was for many years after its construction a combination residence and grocery store, one of the earliest in this part of the valley. Its classical detailing and hip roof on the terron first story are representative of many small early 20th-century transitional style houses; unlike the rest, the Chavez House remains as it was built. It is locally significant as an early store in the area and as a rare well-preserved example of a vernacular Hipped Box Cottage style.
Chavez came from San Acacia, a village farther south on the Rio Grande. He and his sons built the house and a barn
between 1914 and 1917 and then farmed the fields to the west. His wife Candelaria baked bread and pies to be sold in the grocery store located in the southeast corner of the house. The Chavezes also sold their produce here as well as meat which they raised and butchered themselves. The store was kept open on Sundays for the many customers who stopped by on their way home from church. Juan Chavez also worked for a liquor wholesaler and during prohibition used to store bootleg liquor in an upstairs bedroom.
The parents of the present owners bought the property in 1948. Louis Gross Sr. made wine in Bernalillo and sold it from the house, continuing its partial commercial use. Louis Gross Jr. and his family lived in the house. Local significance of the building:
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.