Ghost Architecture of Salida

: Ohio & Colorado Smelting and Refining Company (Salida, Colo.); Wet mortar, a trowel and unfinished brick-work in the foreground show the last stage of construction November 14, 1917. Southwest of the new stack is the old stack continuing to spew smoke over the valley. It was torn down a short time after the new smokestack was completed. The view from 365 feet up gives a good idea of the layout of D&RG and company rails. This image is from the Salida Centennial Photo Collection.

: Red Cross Hospital (Salida, Colo.); The Red Cross Hospital on the northeast corner of 3rd and G Streets. This building no longer has a second floor. This image is from the Bob Rush Photo Collection.

: Salida Lumber Company (Salida, Colo.); The Salida Lumber Company was located at 200 G Street in Salida, Colorado. This image is from the Bob Rush Photo Collection.

: St. Clair Hotel (Salida, Colo.); Four stories capped with a corner tower made the St. Clair Hotel the tallest building in Salida when it opened for business June 6, 1890, and there are still none that equal or exceed it. The building, located on the northeast corner of First and E Streets, was 75-by-90 feet, included 68 sleeping rooms (many with their own bathrooms) and had a balcony on two sides. There was a fine dining room. Construction cost $45,000, in addition to $8,000 in oak furnishings. A grand ball with music by the Salida Concert Band was held to open what was then Salida’s finest hotel. As an aid to patrons who wanted rides to various points in town, there was 24-hour omnibus (hack) service. The St. Clair was too far from the railroad depot to be successful and by 1908 succeeding owners renamed it the Hotel Denton. It was torn down in the early 1970’s, when it was known as the Rainbow. This image is from the Salida Centennial Photo Collection.

: The Hanks House (Salida, Colo.); In 1888, Albert Edmund Hanks erected what was described as "a commodious two-story eight room frame residence" on this site at a cost of $1,500. Mr. Hanks, born in 1847 in Connecticut, married Mary E. Harvey, a childhood friend. The couple had seven children. The family moved to Colorado due to a decline in Albert's health, and after spending much of two years "in camp," they settled in Salida in 1885. Here Mr. Hanks engaged in a lumber business located at the northeast corner of E. First and D streets, and served as secretary of the school board. Albert E. Hanks died in 1898. Mary E. Hanks died at this address in 1940, two days short of her 92nd birthday. Miss Helen Hanks was one of her surviving children. The first Hanks house was demolished after 1945, based on Sanborn maps and the current size and footprint of the house. An old Assessor's appraisal card indicates that Helen Hanks was a previous owner of the current house and was listed here in the city directory of 1965. She was a life-long resident of Salida, born in 1889 and graduated from Salida High School in 1907. Helen was employed by Henry R. Hay of the Hay Studio. After Hay's death, Helen owned and operated the studio. Helen Hanks passed away in 1973. History Colorado's Architectural Inventory Forms have more information and are available at the Salida Library. This image is from the Salida Centennial Photo Collection.

: Vaughn's (Salida, Colo.); Vaughn's Feed Store was located at 126 G Street in Salida, Colorado. This image is from the Bob Rush Photo Collection.

: W.S. Edwards Wholesale Liquor (Salida, Colo.); This is 309 W. 1st Street. W.S. Edwards Wholesale Liquor was later a Coca-Cola bottling company. This image is from the Bob Rush Photo Collection.

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