1361 E 3rd Ave Durango, CO 81301

This lovely historic Queen Anne style Victorian known as The Judge's House, was built in 1888 by Judge George Sumner and has been an integral part of Durango’s history and the home of many of its influential citizens for 130 years. The home is a well proportioned two-story structure built from wood, stucco and large stone blocks quarried from native sandstone. The gracious floor plan and its original style is very much intact. The current owners have done extensive remodeling but now can not move here. Their careful restoration over the years accomplished a lot of the "behind the scenes" work: removing almost all the old lathe and plaster wall surfaces, adding blown in insulation, new wiring and plumbing, refurbished with new walls of authentic hand plaster, architectural shingle roof, sewer line, and an entire new radiant under-floor heating system on both floors with separate thermostats in every room. There are still a few some areas to complete, the most obvious being updating the kitchen and baths. The home is functional as is but the sellers, not having lived there, felt they should leave the decisions on design and style of those areas up to the next owner, and have priced the property accordingly to leave room for the buyer to do so. (See one of the possibilities, the white kitchen, in the digital rendering in the photos). Beautiful trim work and large windows still grace these high-ceilinged rooms that creates a light and spacious ambiance. The formal entry encompasses the original staircase with the main parlor and a stone fireplace to the north, where the Judge is said to have held court. To the south is the sitting room with a gas insert fireplace and an ensuite library/office. The flowing floor plan opens into a formal dining room, complete with crystal chandelier and built-in hutch with charming original hardware. The breakfast room, with mullioned windows and views of the La Plata Mountains, was built by the second judge, Judge Searcy, in 1919 along with many of his improvements, including the native stone on the exterior. The stairs to the upper level exhibit an unusual wood rail and detail, leading to a cozy landing alcove and views west. On this floor is the master with a sitting room ensuite (space for a possible future master bath), two other bedrooms and a bonus room that could serve as a nursery, office or hobby/playroom. The second full bathroom is off the hall with two sinks and a period built-in cabinet. This home is on a very large 10,481 sf lot, right downtown with a big backyard and views out to the La Platas. The sellers also rebuilt, from the ground up, a replica of the original carriage house which is currently an unfinished studio/storage space. Expanded uses should be checked with the City. This property is registered in the Historic 3rd Avenue Boulevard District and is subject to historical guidelines and approval of any exterior changes by the Boulevard Preservation Board. The City of Durango administers these which can be found on their website. They also have Grant information available for this type of property. This is an incredibly unique opportunity and must be felt to be appreciated. If you recognize the craftsmanship of days gone by and are intrigued with history you will be drawn to this lovely home.