Facts from Colorado City’s Notorious Past, circa 1909


Dave Hughes

So just where were the famous Saloons on the South Side of Colorado Avenue in Colorado City, while all such establishments were banned in nearby Colorado Springs! The exact location depends on what year you are looking at, and whether you can catch the Saloons that changed names and proprietors as often as the roll of the dice upstairs above the saloons where all the illegal gambling was.

But here is a snapshot I have researched from records of the two most notorious blocks – South Side only - in the years 1909-1910. I have normalized the addresses to today’s 2500 and 2600 blocks as well as the fact that for a number of years - until after the 1917 Annexation of Colorado City to Colorado Springs, the even numbers were on the south, and the odd numbers on the north. Up to 1916, Colorado Springs addresses went up to what is now 20th Street. That was the city Limits of Colorado City, which started at 1st street at 21st street today. So by subtracting 20 from all current addresses past 20th street, one gets the original address of Colorado City. But the City of Colorado Springs made all addresses past 20th to be odd on the South side, even on the North side - to match the Colorado Springs arrangement up to 20th. So one not only has to subtract 20 from todays address, one has to convert even and odd numbered addresses to get the right lot/building from pre-1917 Colorado City addresses. That really confuses descendents of Colorado City pioneers trying, from addresses they have in old letters or family records, to current addresses.

Colorado City Directories in 1909 branded 21 places of business in a block and a half as “Saloons.”That was the peak year.

Notice how many places had addresses of 1/2. Colorado City was the only town that had – and still have – businesses in spaces 5-8 feet wide, extending back to the alley. Some of them today are the famous ‘Horse Alleys’ of Colorado City, especially in the 2400 block of West Colorado. Others were just addresses of stairs going to the 2d Floor rental or gambling rooms.

I have not included the barber or grocer or ‘Rooms’ in the 2500 block where you-know-what went on. (most brothels were in the 2700 block and onward on West Cucharras.

Yet the listed population of Colorado City in 1909 was only 221 Residents!!!


Today’s 2500 Block, South Side

The Hoffman, saloon N. B. Hanes, prop., 2501 Colorado Ave.

Hotel Hoffman, 2501 ½ Colorado Ave (stairway onto to gambling and rooms upstairs)

Sallee & McCall, saloon, 2509 Colorado Ave.

Julius & Thompson, saloon, 2511 Colorado Ave.

Hiawatha Bar, 2511 West Colorado

Perrine, A., saloon, 2513 Colorado Ave.

Lambert and Montz, saloon, 2515 Colorado Avenue

Shafer, E. G., 2517 Colorado Ave

Arcade Club, J. I. Lacy, saloon., 2519 Colorado Ave

Lacey, James I., saloon, 2519 Colorado Ave.

Rowan, John, cigars, 2519 1/2 Colorado ave.

Our Way, restaurant, 2521 Colorado Ave.

Hooper and Zobel, saloon, 521 1/2 Colorado Ave.

Rohwer, Henry, saloon, 2521 1/2 Colorado Ave

Foersteman, A, saloon 2523 1/2 Colorado Ave

Risser, Lewis F., saloon, 2525 Colorado Ave.

Abbey & Nickell, saloon, 2525 1/2 Colorado Ave

Rumsey & Worley, saloon, 2527 1/2 Colorado Ave.

Stumb & Day saloon, 2529 Colorado Ave.

Kelly, P. A., saloon, 2531 Colorado Ave.

Martin, Robert, saloon, 2533 Colorado Ave.

 

The 2600 Block South Side

 

DeMoss, H. L. Restaurant, 2601 Colorado Ave.

Lambert, Jesse E., saloon, 2605 Colorado Ave.

Geising & Perlala, saloon, 2607 Colorado Ave

Kentucky Family Liquor House, 2607 ½ Colorado Ave

Schmidt, Jacob, saloon, 2611 Colorado Ave.

Stein, L., saloon, 2619 Colorado Ave.


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