Hotel Colorado
Encyclopedia
Hotel Colorado is an 1893 Italianate structure in Glenwood Springs, Colorado
, USA, and one of the oldest hotels in Colorado.
. Local materials used include cream-colored Roman brick
and Peach Blow Sandstone; imported items included 12,000 yards of carpet and 2,000 rose bushes. The Hotel Colorado opened on June 10, 1893 to a program including a fireworks display, an orchestra in the ballroom, and dining at midnight for the 300 couples in attendance.
The hotel quickly became a popular summer retreat, earning the nickname of "the little White House of the West" after extended visits by Presidents Theodore Roosevelt
and William Howard Taft
. The teddy bear
is alleged to have been invented during President Roosevelt's 1905 visit when the hotel's maids presented him with a stuffed bear pieced together with scraps of fine material.
On September 16, 1925, live music and speech was broadcast by way of telephone from the hotel's ballroom to Denver radio station KOA
.
In 1942, the hotel was leased to the United States Navy for use as a hospital. The U.S. Naval Convalescent Hospital was commissioned on July 5, 1943 and served over 6,500 patients by the end of 1945. The hospital was decommissioned in 1946.
In 2003, a time capsule was buried in the courtyard. It is scheduled to be opened in 2043.
The National Trust's Historic Hotels of America added the Hotel Colorado to its list in April 2007.
, his wife and several production crew members stayed at the Hotel Colorado during the filming of The Great K & A Train Robbery in summer 1926.
In addition to the visits by Presidents Roosevelt and Taft, former President Herbert Hoover
addressed a luncheon at the hotel on August 2, 1939.
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
The City of Glenwood Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Garfield County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimated that the city population was 8,564 in 2005...
, USA, and one of the oldest hotels in Colorado.
History
Established by silver magnate and banker Walter Devereux, construction began in 1891 at a cost of $350,000. Edward Lippincott Tilton designed the building as a replica of the Villa de MediciVilla Medici
The Villa Medici is a mannerist villa and an architectural complex with a garden contiguous with the larger Borghese gardens, on the Pincian Hill next to Trinità dei Monti in Rome, Italy. The Villa Medici, founded by Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and now property of the French...
. Local materials used include cream-colored Roman brick
Roman brick
Roman brick can refer either to a type of brick originating in Ancient Rome and spread by the Romans to the lands they conquered; or to a modern type of brick, inspired by the ancient prototypes...
and Peach Blow Sandstone; imported items included 12,000 yards of carpet and 2,000 rose bushes. The Hotel Colorado opened on June 10, 1893 to a program including a fireworks display, an orchestra in the ballroom, and dining at midnight for the 300 couples in attendance.
The hotel quickly became a popular summer retreat, earning the nickname of "the little White House of the West" after extended visits by Presidents Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
and William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
. The teddy bear
Teddy bear
The teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft, white cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal in many countries, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items...
is alleged to have been invented during President Roosevelt's 1905 visit when the hotel's maids presented him with a stuffed bear pieced together with scraps of fine material.
On September 16, 1925, live music and speech was broadcast by way of telephone from the hotel's ballroom to Denver radio station KOA
KOA (AM)
KOA is a clear channel, news/talk radio station serving the Denver-Boulder and Colorado Springs, Colorado markets. It is owned by Clear Channel Communications and is nicknamed "the Blowtorch of the West" for its 50,000 watt signal.KOA was originally owned by General Electric and began...
.
In 1942, the hotel was leased to the United States Navy for use as a hospital. The U.S. Naval Convalescent Hospital was commissioned on July 5, 1943 and served over 6,500 patients by the end of 1945. The hospital was decommissioned in 1946.
In 2003, a time capsule was buried in the courtyard. It is scheduled to be opened in 2043.
The National Trust's Historic Hotels of America added the Hotel Colorado to its list in April 2007.
Famous visitors
Actor Tom MixTom Mix
Thomas Edwin "Tom" Mix was an American film actor and the star of many early Western movies. He made a reported 336 films between 1910 and 1935, all but nine of which were silent features...
, his wife and several production crew members stayed at the Hotel Colorado during the filming of The Great K & A Train Robbery in summer 1926.
In addition to the visits by Presidents Roosevelt and Taft, former President Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
addressed a luncheon at the hotel on August 2, 1939.
Ghosts
Several ghosts are believed to reside there, notably a young girl in Victorian clothing seen playing with a ball, a female that peers over sleeping male guests, and a male presence on the fifth floor. The two suites in the bell towers are frequently reported to be haunted. The elevator moving on its own without passengers, strange smells and sounds have also been reported by guests and staff. In September 2006, CCPI Paranormal Investigations visited the hotel and recorded two areas of higher electromagnetic energy, one in the corridor in front of room 325 and the other outside room 551.See also
- Swannanoa (mansion)Swannanoa (mansion)Swannanoa is an Italianate villa built in 1912 by millionaire and philanthropist James H. Dooley above Rockfish Gap in northern Nelson County, Virginia, USA...
: Another structure inspired by the Villa Medici.
External links
- Hotel Colorado official website
- Unofficial blog with photos, reviews and video