55 N. 4th Street
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Built in 1898, this long rectangular building is characteristic of the Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movement, Commercial Style with a simple symmetrical façade and large storefront. This building housed Jim Sheridan’s Saloon, purportedly with a brothel upstairs. The building was subsequently purchased by the Badgetts, a family of Italian immigrants, and run as a tavern until Prohibition, after which it was then converted into a meat market and grocery store.
Images
View west towards 55 N. 4th Street
Circa 1983
Circa 1990
Bread Oven in south sideyard
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Christian N. A. Hahn and his wife Ellen were the owners of the property at the time the building was built. This was confirmed by the note in the subsequent sale to James Sheridan in 1899, which included a reference to the improvements on the site. The Hahns were residents of New Castle, Colorado where he was known as the “oldest settler.” He was an agent for the Colorado Land and Improvement Company and was the fire insurance agent of the city as indicated by an advertisement in the Rifle newspaper in 1893. He was appointed postmaster in New Castle in 1893 and apparently also owned the Albany Hotel and Bar in New Castle.
James Sheridan was also from New Castle and apparently ran a saloon in that town, known as Sheridan’s Place. Sheridan sold the north half of the property to James Badgett (b. 1861 in Italy) in 1920, including improvements with “two pool tables, complete with balls and cues, bar furniture, fixtures and the other belongings in the building” (from the warranty deed recorded in book 123, page 427). In 1921, Sheridan sold the remainder of the property to Badgett. James Badgett ran the Badgett Grocery in this building. Rumor has it that the building also served as a brothel, likely during Sheridan’s time. Badgett’s wife Madelena (Maddalin) apparently inherited the property when Badgett died, and she died herself in 1983. Clara Vedic owned the property in 1989, at which time she sold it to Lynn G. and Gale S. Bryant. The Bryants sold the property to TWD Corporation in 2000. Morningwood, LLC, the current owner, acquired the property around 2003.
Sources
Town of Carbondale Downtown Survey Project, 2006, Reid Architect's Inc., Manuscript on file, History Colorado, Denver, Colorado
Carbondalegov.org
Carbondale Historical Society
Garfield County, Colorado, Assessor's Records
Town of Carbondale
Garfield County, Colorado, Assessor's Records
Garfield County, Colorado, Assessor's Records
Town of Colorado