New Castle Colorado History

Hotel Mason

Circa 1887 - A different view of the Albany Hotel and the adjoining Hotel Mason at the Albany's original location at the corner of 1st & Main Street, New Castle, Colorado.

Hahn's Hall

Circa 1888 - Hahn's Hall located at the corner of 4th & Main Street. The Garfield County Library is located here today. C.N. Hall was one of New Castle's influential Town leaders in the early days of the Town and served as Mayor in the early years. He is shown in this photo standing in front of the buildings entry doors. Hahn's Hall was identified as an Opera House. Bruce Leland accurately described Opera Houses during this time frame. Opera House was a generic term for local entertainment most likely small traveling vaudeville troupes, lectures, political speeches, dances and things of that sort.

1888 Plat of New Castle 

1892 Leaders of New Castle Colorado

   Circa 1892 - This portrait is of some of New Castle Colorado's earliest influencial leaders. (L-R) Al Beardsley, New Castle's first Town Attorney and responsible for providing the legal work in setting up the Town's original governmental operations. John MacRae, one of New Castle's early Mayors. he also served as the Garfield County, Colorado Treasurer, John W. Ritter, New Castle's 2nd Mayor and partner to John MacRae in the Ritter & MacRae General Store, Ritter would become the recognized leader of the community for many years. Sam Streeter was the general manager of the H.R. Kamm General Store and later the owner of the Livery Barn on Main Street. Sitting in front is Max Schayer, who owned the first drug store in town and was involved with the early town government.

In 1897 the ferry at New Castle was getting ready for its last trip as the bridge was about to be opened. Note scaffolding still in place under the bridge.
From left to right: 1. Idelle (Murtle) Phillips 2. Mrs. Clay Benson 3. Estella (Murtle) Davis  4. Mrs. W. J. Murtle 5. Clay Benson - ferry operator

 

1910 - Photo taken at what is now the 4-way stop on N. Midland Avenue (Coryell Town). The house in the background is still located there today and was formerly known as the VIX house.

 

1912 Colorado Midland Depot in New Castle- Six years later, CMRR was bankrupt and shut down.
They were a casualty of government mismanagement of rail traffic while taken over for WWI. The CMRR was denied freight, it all went on the D&RG.

 

1913 Photo of New Castle

New Castle Colorado's Baseball Team 1913

1913 - New Castle baseball team. The mine companies would often pay miners with baseball skills to play on the team. Most of the towns in the valley had a team representing their community and the games were extremely competitive. Sitting in the lower right is longtime resident Claude Hall, in the back row far left is William "Doc" Marshall (the pharmacist), a New Castle Mayor and next to him is Clarence McMahan, also a New Castle Mayor. In front of "Doc" is Claude Hall (the barber).

1928 New Castle Colorado's Graduating Class

1928 New Castle, Colorado High School - Newspaper Club: (L-R) Front Row: Miss Conklin (Teacher), Ruth Youmans, Robert Weller / Middle Row: Lena Miller, Julia Steinart, Lenna Prechtl, Lorena Clinard, Edna Shepard / Back Row: A.V. Wilson (Principal), Bryan Youngclouse, Clifford Doyle, Franklin Wilson, Lester Miller, Lee Crawford. Thanks to Alan Lambert

1928 New Castle Colorado's Basketball Team

1928 - New Castle, Colorado Jr. High Basketball Team. Back Row: (L-R) Sparks, Marion B. Gilmore, Coach Miller, Parrish. Front Row: Bird, Wilson, Bob McNeal, Leonard Hiner, Walter, David McNeal, Tasso, Branson.  This wonderful photo courtesy of Alan Lambert.

Circa 1930 - New Castle school children dressed in 1700's early american costume. (L-R) Mary Davis, Bill Williams, (?), Ed Carter, Harold Westley, (?), Leonard Rippy, Ursula McMahan.

 

George Jesse Schmueser (1876 - 1957) married Clara V Crawford, August 16, 1902, later articles show. He was employed by Colorado Midlands RR in the roundhouse at Basalt about 1901. For a time, they moved out of state, but returned. Clara died in 1917. Spanish flu maybe? He then married Gertrude Inley (1882 - 1946) in 1919.  This photo is from the August 1933 Conoco "Red Triangle" magazine and article as well. It shows the Conoco station at the J. G. Schmueser store in New Castle.

1936 - New Castle High School Basketball (Conference Champions)
Back Row: (L-R) Joe Shanks "Manager", Bill Williams, Leonard Rippy, E.O. Whitehead "Coach & Principal", Clay Ritter, Irving Tuttle, Louis McMahan "Assistant Coach".
Front Row: Harold Westley, Leroy Clutter, Creger Westley, Walter Sparks, Harold Sample, Glen Morgan.

New Castle Colorado  looking west Circa 1940's

New Castle Colorado looking east Circa 1940's

Circa 1948 - The Bowles Market located on the west side of 6th & north side of Main Street, New Castle, Colorado. This building had a lot of uses during it's time including, bowling alley and picture show. The lot where this building was located is now a vacant lot owned by the Town. A bus stop for RFTA is located in front of it. Mt. Medaris is in the background.

 

1978 Looking west

2021 Looking west

Walking tour pamphlet of New Castle Colorado History

---