Nostalgia & History > Railroad Hartsel, Colorado

Pictures 4, 5, and 6.

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Picture 7.

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The Hartsel Depot is still on site and looked to be in good shape last time I saw it about a year ago. A lot of the other buildings are gone. There is also a C&S depot in Jefferson, CO, also in South Park. Is there one left in Fairplay?

http://www.rrshs.org/depotmuseums/depotmuseum.htm

On the above website scroll down to Colorado. I don't know how complete the list is. Hartsel is not listed.

The big building in the second photo was the Hartsel Hotel. As a kid my dad and I used to have dinner and lunch at the hotel on a regular basis. Dad liked to fish the South Platte river and Antero Reservoir. This was the closest place for food for miles around. If memory serves me the hotel burned twice. It was rebuilt after the first fire and, as I recall, burned again sometime in the late 70's or 80's or was torn down. This appears to be first hotel but they were nearly identical from my recollection of photos of the first hotel in the lobby. That dirt road running through town became US Highway 24. The Hotel is long gone. Only part of the foundation remains and there is convenience store in what used to be the hotel parking lot.

Four additional photos from the Denver Public Library digital photo website.

Picture 1 below, is DPL photo MCC-1217. “Title: Hotel, Hartsel Springs. Summary: Exterior view of Hot Springs Hotel, Hartsel, Colorado reached via Colorado Midland Railway; two story wooden frame building with front porch and second story veranda, Hotel Hartsel horse-drawn coach (possibly a Hackney or Brougham) parked in front with driver holding reins. Date: (between 1907 and 1910). Creator: Louis Charles McClure 1867-1957. Medium: 1 copy photonegative; 9 x 11 cm. (3 1/2 x 4 1/4 in.) 2 photoprints; 19 x 24 cm. (7 1/2 x 9 1/2 in.) 1 photonegative: glass; 21 x 26 cm. (8 x 10 in.).”

Picture 2 below, is DPL photo MCC-1219. “Title: Dining Room, Hotel Hartsel. Summary: Interior view dining room, Hot Springs Hotel, Hartsel, Colorado reached via Colorado Midland Railway; dining tables, chairs, formal place settings and silverware, buffet, stove for heating. Date: (between 1907 and 1910). Creator: Louis Charles McClure 1867-1957. Medium: 1 photoprint; 19 x 24 cm. (7 1/2 x 9 1/2 in.). 1 photonegative: glass; 21 x 26 cm. (8 x 10 in.). Condition: Glass plate retouched by photographer.”

Picture 3 below, is DPL photo MCC-1220. “Title: Hotel Hartsel. Summary: Interior view of Hot Springs Hotel, Hartsel, Colorado reached via Colorado Midland Railway; lounge area with tables, rocking chairs, upright piano, couch, double glass bulb lamp. Date: (between 1907 and 1910). Creator: Lewis Charles McClure 1867-1957. Medium: 1 photoprint; 19 x 24 cm. (7 1/2 x 9 1/2 in.) 1 photonegative: glass; 21 x 26 cm. (8 x 10 in.). Condition: Glass plate retouched by photographer.”

Picture 4 below, is DPL photo MCC-1218. “Title: Office Hotel Hartsel. Summary: Interior view of Hot Springs Hotel, Hartsel, Colorado reached via Colorado Midland Railway; office area with desk, heating stove, wicker basket for trash, rocking chairs, wall telephone, spittoon, stairway. Date: (between 1907 and 1910). Creator: Louis Charles McClure 1867-1957. Medium: 1 photoprint; 19 x 24 cm. (7 1/2 x 9 1/2 in.) 1 photonegative: glass; 21 x 26 cm. (8 x 10 in.) Condition: Glass plate retouched by photographer.”

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Picture 4.

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flynn Wrote:
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> Four additional photos from the Denver Public
> Library digital photo website.

I believe those interior shots show that lighting was not electric.

This is further supported by the lack of electric power lines in the exterior shot.

The "gasoliers" are suspended from the ceiling by a pipe, rather than a chain. There are two cords hanging down from a lever near the top of each pipe, presumably attached to the gas cock - pull one to turn on the gas, one to close.

To light them one used a wand with a hook at the top end to catch onto a ring on the end of the cord used to pull the cock to "on", then inserted the wand into the globe and twisted a knob at the bottom of the wand to strike a flint at the top, thus igniting the gas. Extinguish by simply using the same wand to pull the "off" cord.

The double globe table lamp in MCC-1220 appears to be kerosene.

If memory is working right it was those gasoilers that started the fire in the first Hotel. It was rebuilt to nearly the same specifications and design as the first hotel. The dining room looks nearly identical to the one I recall eating in. Would love to see some information on the history of the hotel as the Hot Springs there and the Hotel was a major attraction for riders on the midland. Where is Bill McKenzie or Mel McFarland when you need them? Not sure if either is a member on this site.

Last I saw the depot in Hartsel it was sitting empty which would explain why it was not on that list. The Jefferson depot is also not on that list and it has been nicely restored and still sits on the old ROW.