Nostalgia & History > Grand Hotel

The Grand Hotel was built in 1884 on the southeast corner of 8th Street and Cooper in Glenwood Springs. [This is now the location of the Glenwood Springs City Hall.] The Grand Hotel was also known as the Barlow Hotel, St. James Hotel, Yampa Hotel and St. Joseph’s Sanitarium. The hotel was built by Fred A. Barlow. Fred A. Barlow also built the first hotel in Glenwood Springs. There is a picture of this first hotel on an earlier posting,
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,1382559,1382559#msg-1382559

Picture 1 below, is Photo H-359 from the Denver Public Library digital photo web site, http://photoswest.org:8080/cgi-bin/cw_cgi?getBasicTerms+8058 . Title: Glenwood. Summary: Eastward view of Hotel Glenwood and First National Bank buildings from Grand Avenue in Glenwood Springs, Colorado; Hotel Yampah [Grand Hotel] is visible in distance; various pedestrians and horse-drawn buggies are shown. Date: [between 1886 and 1901].

The Hotel Glenwood was built in 1885.

Picture 2 below, is from the January 28, 1891 Avalanche newspaper and is an advertisement for the Hotel Barlow with a picture of the hotel.

Picture 3 below, is DPL Photo X-8872. Title: First Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs. Summary: 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." Date: 1885. Notes: Title hand-written on back of photoprint. Formerly F10951. Hand-written on back of photoprint: "Six horse team bringing mail from Aspen on Grand Ave. where Bullocks is now (1951). Later moved over on Blake Ave. between 7th & 8th."

[I realize that Picture 3 is off the subject but it is an interesting picture and I couldn't’t resist including it.]

In 1922 my Dad [John] worked one night as relief telegrapher in Glenwood Springs and stayed one night at the Grand Hotel.

[John is Kent and is preparing to go Glenwood.]

Monday, March 6th, 1922

8:30 am. Cold. 22 below zero. Shorty returns with funnies. Everyone in Eagle just about sick. Doctor Rucker called for Mrs. Jackson at Wolcott. Tuff part of year. Guess that dance at Avon was a "Jinx". Looking for J.P. Carrigan's letter to send to Tom Gill. Luck was with me. Nora goes to village - registered letter. Ed Warren pays a visit - 1 pm until 3:00 pm. Writing. A cut in force of laborers. Frank Wagner prepares to leave. C. McMillan calls on phone at 6:10 pm. Dan and Gallagher play pitch. A "crisp" evening. Cards and "writing". 10 pm.

Tuesday, March 7th, 1922

8:00 am. Clear and calm. 15 below zero. Frank W. and Shorty McKnight go to RU [Wolcott]. Mail at 10:00 am. 1 letter from E.E. Lea. One from "Dream Woman's." Dinner at 11:28 am. Nora goes to Merril's. The subject: "Bon Bons." Dan watchmaker. "Jack" writes. "Mother" reading. Off to the village [Wolcott] 1:30 pm. Both bosses on deck. A message to go to Glenwood. Biz attended to - off for Kent at 3:07 pm. Arrived 3:37 pm. A rush to get ready. Engine arrives 4:20 pm. All aboard for Glenwood. A swell trip. A number of deer in Canyon. Arrive Glenwood 6:00 pm. Met No. 16 at Dotsero. To work. Miss Lola leaves. Vi as dispatcher. A consist, a few messages and a couple of tickets. No. 4 and No. 1 - 10 minutes late. The crowd for Grand Valley. The news of Etchison death.

Wednesday, March 8th, 1922

12:01 am. Stauffer arrives. Was talking to Kn at RU. Checked keys. Everything ok. Saved the day by sending the route card on No. 4. To the restaurant for pie and coffee. To bed - No. 31 Grand Hotel. Eddie Holland tries to surprise Jim but makes a mistake. Jim crawls in about 2:00 am. All set until 11:00 am. Out and stirring about. To drugstore for malted milk. To Jack's barber shop. Met Mrs. J. Flynn. Dinner. A visit to the depot. Up to 915 Bennett. [At this time John’s sister, Kate, was married and living in Glenwood.] Taking care of baby until Kate goes to Sanitarium with Miss Inez. Tom appears with 2 gentlemen. Katie and Miss Thurston returns. I go to work. Jeff on duty. So I am going home on No. 16. Wolcott 10:10 pm.

---

---

---