1508 Buckeye, The Shaw House
Owners: Tyson and Katie Hall
Style: Classical Revival, built in 1920

The house at 1508 Buckeye was originally built in 1920 at 1325 S College Ave. by Attorney MH Shaw. Southern Antebellum architecture was a style preferred by Shaw’s wife, and nod to the family’s roots in Jackson, Mississippi; so he had a lovely two story classical revival house constructed, with full-height Doric columns. This house presented quite the impressive facade on South College Ave at the time.

The Shaw family lived in the home until 1929, at which time they sold it to Dr. Dana Oliver Norton (a former Army Captain and practitioner of Homeopathic medicine), due to their imminent relocation to Denver. According to City Directories, Dr Norton apparently died soon after he purchased the house, and his wife Edith continued to live there to raise her two small children, John (6) and Judith (4). During this time, Edith is listed as a nurse in the public school system.

In 1948, Edith sold the house to Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, and moved farther south to a modest home at 1636 S College, which she purchased from Nellie Cram. The fraternity stayed until the early ’70s, at which time they moved west to 709 Wagner Drive.

The home appeared destined to be demolished until Harry & Evie McCabe stepped in purchased it in 1974, and had it moved to its present location. Harry, a former Deputy District Attorney, had lived in the house previously as a member of the fraternity, and apparently had fond memories of the dances and socials where he courted the girl who was to become his wife. The house was allegedly cut in two, and the roof removed in order to make the 2 mile trek to Prospect Estates. Once situated on Buckeye St., the garage was attached and the hearth and curved walk reproduced precisely with numbered bricks which had removed from the previous location. After a couple of years of their own effort, the McCabes completed their rehabilitation, and occupied the house. The Coloradoan ran a feature article on the culmination of their work in March of 1976.

In 2002, the house was owned by Dr Mark Paulsen and Ms. Heather Crammond, who put it on the Historic Homes tour.

In 2008, Cynthia Cooper, an attorney and her mother, Joan Rodier, a noted interior designer, purchased and renovated the house once again. In their effort to bring the house back to it’s original splendor, it was necessary for them to stabilize and reinforce the structure. In 2016, Cynthia and Joan sold the home to its current owners, Tyson and Katie Hall.

The Halls use the spacious home to their advantage, displaying their extensive collections of antiquarian books, furniture, paintings, and numerous historic artifacts.

-Bill Whitley