Victor Hotel facts for kids
| Victor Hotel | |
Quick facts for kids  |
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| Hotel facts and statistics | |
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| Location | Victor, Colorado |
| Address | |
| Opening date | 1900, 1992 |
| Closing date | 1960s, (open) |
| Owner | Victor Hotel Limited Liability Company |
| No. of rooms | 20 |
| No. of floors | 4 |
| Footnotes | |
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Victor Hotel
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 Location in Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4th Street and Victor Avenue, Victor, Colorado |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1899 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000929 |
| Added to NRHP | April 10, 1980 |
The Victor Hotel is a famous historic hotel located in the old mining town of Victor, Colorado, in the United States. This four-story building was made of brick in 1899-1900. It was built by the town's founders, two brothers named Frank and Harry Woods. Today, the Victor Hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site.
Contents
The Hotel's Story
The Gold Mine Underneath
Frank and Harry Woods owned the land where the hotel now stands. In 1894, they started digging to build something. But then, they found something amazing: a lot of rich gold ore! They stopped building and instead opened the Gold Coin Mine.
A big fire in August 1899 destroyed most of Victor's business area. The first wooden Hotel Victor, which was across the street, burned down. The Gold Coin Mine's building at the current hotel spot also burned.
The tunnels of the Gold Coin Mine ran right under Victor's main street. A huge amount of gold, about $6 million, was taken from this mine. People even said that one part of the mine went directly under a bank!
Building the Victor Bank
After the fire, the Woods brothers built a new, strong building. It was called the Victor Bank building and finished on December 24, 1899. This four-story building was a great example of buildings from that time. It had an Italianate style with big windows and fancy decorations. It was the largest building in Victor.
When it first opened, the building held the Woods brothers' bank, the First National Bank of Victor. It also had rooms for people to stay and offices for businesses. But the Woods brothers had some money problems. Their bank closed in 1903, and they sold the building. Later, another bank, the Citizen's Bank of Victor, opened there. Many people thought it was the most modern building in the area.
Lots of different businesses were in the building over the years. These included the Western Union Telegraph Company and the Colorado Telephone Company. Important people like Dr. H.G. Thomas, whose son Lowell Thomas became a famous writer, also had offices there.
Changes Over Time
Later, a man named A.E. Carlton bought the building. He ran the City Bank there. By 1906, a hospital was on the fourth floor. During a very cold winter, it also helped care for people who had passed away. Offices stayed on the second and third floors. In 1908, you could find a jewelry store and a grocery store in the building.
The City Bank closed during the Great Depression. In the 1930s, a photography studio and a café were on the first floor. In the 1950s and 1960s, there was a soda fountain, a gift shop, and another restaurant. But by the 1960s, all the businesses closed. The building was empty and started to fall apart for about 20 years.
A New Beginning
In October 1991, a company called Victor Hotel Limited Liability Company bought the property. Marjoe D. Bandimere helped lead the repairs. The goal was to keep the building's historic look but add modern comforts. They saved many old parts, like the unique "bird cage elevator," the bank vault, and the original wooden details. The old steam heaters were even updated with new controls. The big renovation finished in August 1992.
Today, the Victor Hotel welcomes visitors. It offers modern things like private bathrooms, wireless internet, phones, and cable TV. The "bird cage elevator" is still working! It's the oldest operating elevator in Colorado. There is also a restaurant in the hotel's lobby.
Hotel Legends
For a while, the hotel was a place where miners could live. One miner named Eddy stayed in room 301. One day, he wanted to use the elevator. He pushed the button, and the elevator doors opened. But the elevator car wasn't there! Eddy didn't realize this and stepped into the empty shaft, falling to his death.
Some people say Eddy's ghost still visits the hotel. Because of these stories, many ghost hunters ask to stay in room 301 when they visit.
