The Yingling-Berry Building
1421-1427 Miner Street
In the 1880’s, L. W. Berry purchased the eastern half of this property, intending to use it as an oyster saloon. At this time the plot contained a small wood frame structure. It is likely that Berry replaced this with the current brick building circa 1887. In 1897, the western building was built and purchased by George Yingling The two structures may have been connected as early as 1900, when they were used as a general store, with apartments on the second floors. In the 1930’s the building contained the local creamery, selling milk, ice- cream and candy a favorite spot for the local children. For awhile, a real estate and furniture store occupied the east side of the building and, in the 1940’s, the Martway Store sold clothing and shoes here. From the mid-1960’s through the mid-1980’s, the local Ben Franklin variety store was located in this building.
The two-story rectangular brick buildings are constructed in the commercial vernacular style. Both buildings contain elaborate, boxed cornices having large brackets at either end and two small brackets in between. To the west, there are diamond decorations in the second story brick façade.
1421-1427 Miner Street in Idaho Springs, Colorado
