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Adams County
© 2001 by Leona L. Gustafson
FORGOTTEN PAST OF ADAMS COUNTY, VOL. I
5106 North Washington Research Team: Sandy Benevidez Jim Ritterhouse Dave Stealy Mike Wood The Globe Hotel stood in the vicinity of 5300 Waterfelit Avenue, now Washington Street. The Hotel was built in the year 1891, owned and operated by the American Smelting and Refining Company. The Company also owned twelve small cabin type houses for employees' families to live in, called Sheedy Row. This line of houses, built on either side of the hotel, was located North & East across the Street from the smelter. The Hotel was four stories high, and approximately eighty feet across the front. The outside was made of white brick with heavy oak outer doors and shutters, also a wide, wood plank sidewalk leading around the building and to the street. On the first floor of the hotel was a general Mercantile store selling everything from food, hardware and clothing, to veterinarian supplies. A private party operated the store. An old rickity wagon pulled by a horse would deliver the housewives' supplies preordered from the mercantile store. Getting supplies generally took just a few hours, depending on whether they were in stock. Just above the store were three floors with room for the employees of the smelter to live in. There were 125 living rooms on all three floors. There were also three large coal furnaces to heat this large building. All the rooms were very neatly furnished. The rugs were made of the finest materials around. Even the rest of the interior design was made to last, as well as good looking. There was a family style dining room on the second floor, serving an average family a good meal for 5O cents to $1.50 depending on the number of people and how large their appetite was. This was cheaper than going in to town to eat. Transportation was no problem. There was a small rail car to bring the miners from the mines to the hotel and on in to town. The track ran from the mines out west and up north to the terminal in downtown Denver. Part of the track ran just south of Sheedy Row, south of the smelter and on in to the mountains: This would allow for miners to stay over night in the hotel before going on to the assayers' office the next day. In approximately 1934 progress slowed down for the hotel because of the rumor that "illegal doings" were going on in the hotel. Because the people moved out, money stopped coming in and the hotel closed down in early 1936. Later on they tried opening again, but this failed. Late in the spring of 1936, after the second attempt failed, the decision came to demolish the building because it was to expensive to let sit and pay taxes on. In June of 1936 it was demolished. The project took 3 weeks to tear down and to remove all the rubble. The day the wreckers came, all the neighbor kids came to find the gold coins that had fallen between the wood slats of the side walk and store floor. Many coins were found. Plans were made to build more buildings in the vacant lot, but because the lot was in the path of the refining smoke, plans were forgotten. The smelter leased the land to Mr. Hyderman, who later turned the lot back to the company. American Smelting & Refining Company still ownes the land. References: Mrs. Ella Tanka Dr. Frank LaConte, Jr. Mr. John Gizewski Mr. Bomeretto The Denver Public Library Western History Section (General information on Globeville) The State Historical Colorado State Museum American Smelting & Refining Company Denver Office |