Grand Opening in 1893

A Hotel of Distinction

Glenwood Springs, CO… In 1893, Hotel Colorado arrived on the scene during a thrilling time in the history of America’s West.  With its European fashioned spa, the resort surfaced onto a land of prosperity; to serve the wealthy, to house the ailing, to offer a playground to society’s elite. 

The Ute Indians were the first to discover the bubbling mineral springs along what was known as the Grand River (later named the Colorado River) using them for therapeutic purposes, calling them Yampah, meaning “big medicine”.  White settlers came upon the scene in the mid-1880s and staked claim to the hot springs hoping to harness their healing powers. 

Silver mining brought many prospectors to the west and the boom was on.  One wealthy silver magnate and railroad mogul was Walter Devereux who was quite enamored with Glenwood Springs.  Devereux’s vision was to build a world-class spa resort.  In 1887, he purchased 10 acres which included the undeveloped hot springs for $125,000 and began building his dream.  Devereux methodically put water and lighting systems in place, making Glenwood Springs the first city of its size in the United States to utilize electricity.  Within a year, the hot thermal springs were contained in an enormous swimming pool and an elegant red sandstone bath house, designed by Austrian architect Theodore von Rosenberg, was erected.  Natural mineral water flowed at rate of three-million gallons per day at a temperature of 126°F, exceeding any other hot springs in the world in size and temperature.   

To accommodate the growing number of elite visitors, a grand hotel was also in the making.  New York architects, Boring, Tilton & Mellon designed the grand hotel after the sixteenth century Italian Renaissance Villa de Medici Castle.  Construction began in August 1892 and in less than a year the Hotel Colorado celebrated its grand opening on June 10, 1893.  At an extravagant cost of $850,000, Devereux spared no expense in the creation of the "Grand Dame of the Rockies".  Two elaborate six-story towers served as the focal point of the U-shaped hotel.  Constructed with local Peachblow sandstone, the structure mirrored the beauty of the surrounding red canyons.   

Formal Victorian gardens surrounded the complex with an elevated footbridge leading to the hot springs pool.  Perhaps the most distinguishing feature was the illuminated Florentine Fountain in the courtyard which sprayed 185 feet into the air, making it the highest in the world.  The interior was beautifully appointed flanked with massive fireplaces and a grand ballroom.  Two grand stairways joined together for the ascent to the second floor.

Guests marveled at the 25-foot waterfall and pool in the interior court.  Indoor plumbing, electrical lights, and hydraulic elevators were among the luxuries of the day.  Internationally trained chefs prepared the finest cuisine of wild game and fresh produce grown on-site.  There were 207 guest rooms, warmed with ornate fireplaces or steam heat.  Front desk staff and chambermaids were recruited from London and Boston to give a more cosmopolitan flair.  A separate building in the rear housed servants.  The Hotel Colorado gained notoriety immediately and attracted wealthy guests from all over the world.

In 1942, World War II brought change to the country.  Due to the need for recuperation and rehabilitation facilities, the Hotel Colorado and Hot Springs Pool were converted to a modern U.S. Naval Convalescent Hospital.  To transform the exquisitely furnished, fifty-year old Hotel into a sanitary medical facility, the valued furnishings and carpets were removed, extraordinary finishes stripped bare.  The hospital treated patients until April of 1946.

For over 112, the Hotel Colorado has strived to maintain its historical significance.  Over the years ownership has changed hands, but each has preserved the original integrity of the hotel.  On May 26, 1977 the National Park Service listed Hotel Colorado on the National Register of Historic Places.  A large hand-stitched quilt hangs in the hotel’s entryway designed and constructed to commemorate the Hotel Colorado Centennial celebration in 1993.  Each of the eight artists created sections of the quilt depicting images of historical significance to the Hotel Colorado, Glenwood Springs and surrounding area.  Squares depict Mt. Sopris, Teddy Roosevelt, a steam engine train, the Ute Indians, the Hot Springs pool, the teddy bear, Glenwood Canyon, and the Colorado River.

For a more in-depth historical perspective of the Hotel Colorado, read “Hotel Colorado: Fountains of Enchantment” by Janet Koelling available for purchase in Legends gift shop and online at www.hotelcolorado.com.