Glenwood Springs Colorado

In 1883, standing on the north side of the Grand River looking southwest, we would see very few structures in the area where Glenwood Springs would be established. In the forefront of the photo is an island that divided the flow of the Grand River. For Walter Devereux to build his dream for the hot mineral waters, that flow would ultimately be diverted around the island. The north channel was filled in with rocks and dirt to create the area where Glenwood's Hot Springs Pool would begin to take shape. Local lawbreakers were given the option of working on the "jailbird rock pile".

First Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs  Date:1885
Men congregate outside of the first Hotel Colorado in the town of Glenwood Springs (formerly known as Defiance), Colorado, in Garfield County. Two, smaller, one-story buildings are next to the hotel. Signs: "Billiards & Pool."
Physical Description:1 copy photo negative ; 13 x 18 cm (5 x 7 in.); 1 photo print ; 11 x 16 cm (4 1/4 x 6 1/2 in.)
Born-Digital or Analog: Analog
Subject: Glenwood Springs (Colo.)Hotels--Colorado--Glenwood Springs Hotel Colorado (Glenwood Springs, Colo.)
Geographic Area: Collection Photographs - Western History
Related Material: Image File: ZZR710008872
Type of Material: Film negatives Photographic prints
Digital Version Created From: Caroline Bancroft.
Notes: Formerly F10951. Hand-written on back of photo print: "Six horse team bringing mail from Aspen on Grand Ave. where Bullocks is now (1951). Later moved over on Blake Ave. between 7th & 8th."; Title hand-written on back of photo print. R7100088724
Denver Public Library Special Collections

In May 1899, a group of fashionable women gathered for an outing on Grand Avenue in front of the Glenwood Hotel. The group includes (as identified on the back of the original): "Mrs. Ed Taylor, Sadie Kern, Mrs. Heisler, Mrs. Kilber, Mrs. Dickson, Mrs. Parkinson, and Mrs. Clark." The driver was Brink Barlow.

Glenwood Springs fire department Date: 1880-1890
Group portrait of members of the Glenwood Springs Fire Department at 8th (Eighth) and Grand Streets in Glenwood Springs (Garfield County), Colorado; the men pose in uniform with a hose cart, nozzles, speaking trumpets, and a dog. The Hotel Glenwood has a mansard roof, balconies, storefronts, and sign: "Grand Avenue Restaurant."
Physical Description: 1 photographic print on mat board ; 34 x 42 cm (13 x 16 1/2 in.)
Born-Digital or Analog: Analog
Subject: Hotel Glenwood (Glenwood Springs, Colo.)--19th century Glenwood Springs (Colo.)--19th century Fire engines and equipment--Colorado--Glenwood Springs--19th century Fire fighters--Colorado--Glenwood Springs--19th century Hotels--Colorado--Glenwood Springs--19th century Streets--Colorado--Glenwood Springs--19th century
Geographic Area: Glenwood Springs (Colo.)
Collection: Photographs - Western History
Related Material: Image File: ZZR711001850
Type of Material: Group portraits Photographic prints Black & white photographs
Notes: Title supplied. R7110018501
Denver Public Library Special Collections

Overlooking Glenwood Springs around 1900

Glenwood Springs has a special history regarding aviation activities: we are possibly home to the fourth oldest airport in the U.S.!
Glenwood's original airport activities can be dated back to 1913 on a graded polo field initially located in the area that now holds the current high school on Grand Avenue.
Operational airfields existed as early as 1909 in the United States, but these spaces were dedicated only to warfare planes. Operational airports weren't commissioned until 1910. By 1912, there were a reported 20 listed operational airports in the United States, with the 4th being Glenwood Springs, though none were exclusively dedicated to aviation. Many were converted country clubs or fields, such as Glenwood's original landing site. Most pilots that flew onto Glenwood's original airport field didn't have formal instruction on how to fly, as planes had been invented only ten years before, so they were literally flying by the seat of their pants.
Eventually, the airport was moved south in 1937, nestled alongside the Roaring Fork River, and became today's Glenwood Springs Municipal Airport(GWS). The airport initially aided in flying in the WWII Civilian Conservation Corps. Now, it is a general aviation facility that stores close to 70 aircraft. More than half are Glenwood residents and business owners!
(Photo courtesy Sig Olsen) This photo, found in the family archives of former Glenwood Springs resident Sig Olsen, shows the first "aeroplane" landing on the polo field in Glenwood Springs is now the site of Glenwood Springs High School and the Polo Park neighborhood. Note the crowd gathered to watch the landing and the continuous row of cottonwood trees along Grand Avenue.

This building at 420 7th Street housed the Roma Rooms and was constructed sometime between 1893 and 1898. This photo is from May 1918. Prior to the Roma Rooms, the building housed a saloon and was claimed to be a business location for ladies of the Red Light District. The Roma Rooms were a precursor to the Rex Hotel with the name change happening in 1922. The Rex was owned and operated as a hotel by Battista and Julia Anselmi until it was sold in 1944 to Julius and Amelia Zanella. Toni Peabody purchased the business in 1979 and it was later purchased by April and Steve Carver along with the Hotel Denver. For years it had provided low cost rooms for many who could not afford more. However, over time, it was in need of significant restoration. After much public controversy over historical preservation, the building was demolished in 1998 and the new structure that exists on the site today began operation in 2001. Denver Center is the name on the front of the building that is now located at 420 7th Street (the southwest corner of Blake Avenue and 7th Street.) In this photo, the east side of the Star Hotel is visible. The vacant lot in-between would become Bosco's Saloon. Part of a sign can also be seen that advertised the movie "Redemption" showing Friday May 24th at the Odeon Theater (currently KC's Wings and Sports Bar).

This CCC Camp (Civilian Conservation Corps) was located in Glenwood Springs at today's Sayre Park. Camp SP10C was established in 1934 and could accommodate 240 Corps members. The CCC was a government program that created jobs during the Great Depression. While in our area, the CCC built forestry trails, roads and campsites. They developed Hanging Lake Park and Grizzly Creek Campground and cleared the brush off Red Mountain to clear the way for a ski tow and ski run. After December 1, 1941, the Camp closed but was later reopened near the end of WWII and converted to a prison camp for captive Nazi storm troopers. It was reported that the prisoners played soccer and the townspeople of Glenwood Springs became an enthusiastic cheering section.

 

This building located at 512 10th Street (corner of 10th & Bennett) was built in 1908 by Dr. D. F. Berry and came to be known as the Glenwood Sanitarium. It became a highly reputable medical clinic furnished with the latest equipment. Large wards were included in the building plans: one for railroad patients, another for men from Shoshone Electric Plant, and a third for coal miners. At the time it's doors opened, a medical convention, hosting approximately 500 people, was held in Glenwood. In attendance were Dr. Charles and Dr. William Mayo (founders of Mayo Clinic) from Rochester and Dr. Lorenz from Vienna (the noted bloodless surgeon). A clinic was set up for them and local patients were prepared for surgeries by these famous men. The Sanitarium was also a training school for nurses who learned many new methods in the medical field. The Sanitarium was the first to introduce modern surgery and hospitalization in Glenwood Springs. After closing in the 1930's, it became the "Elms Apartments" and still functions as apartments today.

This circa 1940 photo shows Red Mountain Ski Area in Glenwood Springs. Land for the area was donated by J.E. Sayre (Sayre Park on south Grand) in 1938. A group of local volunteers led by Wilbur "Skip" Bolitho ( Bolitho Elementary) cleared and groomed an initial small area of the slopes. Its first use was the winter of 1938. By 1940 plans for installation of a chairlift began and a tram and wire cable were purchased from a mine near Ouray, Colorado. Members of the CCC, Civilian Conservation Corps, and local volunteers began clearing a new trail to the top of Red Mountain. The lift was 1,750 vertical feet at completion making it the longest lift in the Western United States and the third longest lift in the entire U.S. It was also the second chair lift constructed in Colorado. Through trials and tribulations the lift finally opened in January 1942. There were a series of openings and closings of the lift over the years. Lack of consistent snowfall ultimately closed Red Mountain Ski Area in 1958. You can support the Glenwood Springs Historical Society at https://glenwoodhistory.org/donate.

Glenwood Cafe

Hotel Barlow

Hotel Glenwood

Glenwood Train Station 1940

1947 Glenwood Demons Football Team

1950 Christmas

Dick Chatfield, Tom Williams and Jack Smith 1964

This photo is from 1910 of the Glenwood Hatchery located on Mitchell Creek in West Glenwood Springs. The Hatchery was inaugurated in 1906. This original building was large with barn-like framing. An electronic egg-picking machine used to separate live and dead eggs was developed in the 1960's by local Neil Van Gaalen who was superintendent of the Glenwood Springs Hatchery. This technology is used at all state operated hatcheries. The Glenwood Hatchery evolved to stock around 3 million sub-catchable fish for the waters of northwest Colorado. Eggs that are produced are also shipped to other state-operated fish hatcheries to be hatched, raised and used for stocking.

2018 Walking Tour of Glenwood Springs, CO

 

  Then - About 1900

Now 2025!

 

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