Real estate appraisal card. 138 W. 1st Street, lot 19, block 5, in Salida, Colorado.
First Story. The building was constructed between 1888 and 1890 as the west portion of the Union Block. A billiard parlor occupied the storefront during the 1890 to 1898 period. In 1904 and 1909 a second hand goods store was located here. City directories for 1903-04 through 1909 show a second hand store run by Ambrose Ramsey in this location. He carried a full line of new and second-hand furniture, household furnishings, hardware, tinware, crockery, and jewelry. Mrs. Lola Ramsey was the proprietor of furnished rooms on the second floor according to 1903-04 and 1905-06 city directories. Mr. Ramsey built the imposing Palace Hotel on Lower F Street; it was completed in 1909 and he was shown as its proprietor. The 1914 Sanborn fire insurance map shows a billiard parlor here. An unspecified store was shown here on 1929 and 1945 Sanborn maps. In 1961, Magnum Sporting Goods occupied this storefront; Irvin F. Oberle was the owner.
Second Story. The second story of the Union Block was originally used for lodging, according to 1890 and 1893 Sanborn fire insurance maps. The 1898 map labeled it as the Union Hotel, as did the 1903-4 and 1905-05 city directories. Both directories list Mr. and Mrs. T.N.B. Snyder as the operators of the hotel. An advertisement in the directory indicated that the establishment had twenty-four rooms, a large parlor with fire and books, and daily papers, hot and cold water. and electric lights. At that time beds went for 25 cents a night, and rooms from 35 to 75 cents. In August 1906, the Salida Mail described the Snyders' Union House Rooms: "Their rooms are light, cheery, clean and airy, and the place throughout bears a homelike appearance that meets the hearty approval of all their patrons."
In 1909, the Union House furnished rooms were managed by Mabel Button. The 1911-12 city directory listed this as the Union Rooming House, Sylvester Pollock, proprietor. The pattern continued into the 1920s, with furnished rooms maintained by Mrs. Gertrude Van Camp (1922-23) and Mrs. O.C. Holly (1927-28).
By the time of the 1951 city directory, it appears that the second floor had been divided into two separate lodging facilities. The eastern section was known as the Linza Hotel, operated by Mrs. Delia Linza. This section of the building was included in the western portion was the Denver Rooms, owned by Ralph Spina.
History Colorado's Architectural Inventory Forms have more information and are available at the Salida Library.
