James Garvin

Garvin one of the first, if not the very first, doctors in Colorado Territory, used that cabin for his doctor’s office, a drug store, base for doctoring in the mining camps, and his living quarters.

 Dr Garvin Portrait 1880s                                     His great, great, great grandchildren 2008

The solidly built 20 by 30 foot cabin, was made from Douglas Fir and Ponderosa Pine cut and hauled from the Broadmoor Mesa area. It had a fine commercial building false front, a front door with two flanking windows, and a side door. The cabin was built right into the hillside that came down toward Colorado Avenue.

Nine members of the newly elected Colorado Territorial ‘Council’ – or Senate – caucused in the Garvin’s Cabin during their time in 1862 while Colorado City was designated the Capitol. That gave rise to the claim that log cabin was the ‘first’ Colorado Capital. Its claim is as good any other.

Garvin went back home to Illinois in 1866. We heard nothing more about him until his great granddaughter contacted us after seeing our History Center web site, and filled in what he did later. She provided us a good portrait of him that now hangs in the cabin.” Garvin’s great, great grandchildren saw the cabin for the first time in 2008.