Root House, 22005 Gunnison Avenue, Saint Elmo (historical), Chaffee County, CO

Significance: An interesting illustration of the changes in log cabin construction technique from the initial boom of 1880-81 to the later 1880's is seen in the two-part log house of A.W. Root: Saddle notching to square; "Anglo-Western" plan of entry in gable end of 1881 to entrance in the longitudinal side of late 1880's. Root exemplified the versatility of trades required for an entrepreneur to make a living in a mining camp on a slow decline, such as was St. Elmo after about 1885.
Survey number: HABS CO-167
Building/structure dates: 1881-1882 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: 1885-1890 Subsequent Work