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Don Bates Insurance Company has owned the pictured building since before the 1976 Revitalization effort. In the early 1900s it was the location of a large horse stable for Colorado City, next to an Undertaker Parlor. There was a bad fire in 1907, killing many horses. The firey Scottish Preacher Duncan Lamont, who led the fight agains the Saloons on the south side of Colorado Avenue from his Baptist Church a block away, ran out in the street during the fire and exclaimed 'Praise the Lord our prayers are answered - the Saloons are burning!' The firemen turned a fire hose on him in the freezing January weather. And the minister was carried back to his 1st Baptist church - now the Historical Center - caked in ice. The apocryphal story written in dime novels of the era claimed 'The Good Reverend left town.' No, he succeeded to get Colorado City to vote dry in 1913, outlived his wife by 5 years, was a Postmaster, and Colorado State Legislator. He is buried in Fairview Cemetary.
Don Bates who served on the board of the Old Colorado City Development Company which financed many of the new businesses after 1976, improved his own building in the 1980s. He has, in the front window, an original large Colorado City Hall pigeonhole Desk. He owns the only known, restored and running Jarett Truck, which he drives in Colorado City Parades. The Jarret truck was only built in Colorado City in the 1920s, three blocks away. It was part of the 'industrial' Colorado City.
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