Boulder Historic Places Plan

Statement of Significance

Roney Farmhouse is historically significant for its role in the agricultural development history of the Valmont Community, and architecturally significant as an intact example of an early 20th century farmhouse as reflected in its vernacular hipped-box design, simple wood-framed construction, and prominent front porch. 15 The farmhouse remains in its original location, set back from Valmont Road approximately 30-feet. 16 It is the only historic farmhouse in the Valmont community remaining it is original location, making it a unique piece of history to the Valmont community and city of Boulder. Roney Farmhouse is significant for the role it played in the development of the Valmont Community within the City of Boulder since the early 1900s and its associations with the Roney Family. This farmhouse is located along Valmont Road in east Boulder in an area generally known as the Valmont Community. Like other farmhouses of its era, it was located in a community that was established to facilitate agricultural trade between Boulder and its outlying farm communities. 17 In the early 1900s, James Roney moved to the Valmont Community and built the farmhouse that fronts Valmont Road today. Other than maintaining the farmhouse and land, James Roney served as undersheriff for Boulder County starting in 1918. His son, Robert Roney, married Boulder native, Ruby Sellers, and together they helped establish the Pow Wow Rodeo and served the wider Boulder Community by working with the Post Office to deliver mail to mountain communities. 18 Roney Farmhouse is significant as an early example of a vernacular farmhouse within the east Bolder community and the United States. It represents the typical vernacular wood frame structure built throughout Colorado farming communities since 1860, as well as within many rural areas of the United States in the early 20th century. 19 Typical characteristics of this style include but are not limited to: simple modest buildings, usually small one-story structures, hipped roofs with central dormers, and a front porch. This is the last remaining farmhouse from east Boulder's early Valmont Community to remain in its original location. Recommended Period of Significance The recommended period of significance for Roney Farmhouse is from 1910 to 1968. The period begins with the construction of the farmhouse and ends with the year the Roney family ceased occupying the farmhouse as their residence.

15 Holthouser, Neil and Ruth McHeyser. Memorandum for 5172 Valmont Road, 4. 16 Ibid., 3. 17 Ibid., 2. 18 Ibid., 3. 19 Ibid., 4.

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