64 and 66 N. 3rd Street

Originally known as the Mt. Sopris Hotel, this is a two-story front gabled wood building in the Late Victorian architectural style; a large addition is referred to in 1901 newspaper article. A two-story gable form appears adjacent to the main gable form in an 1890 photograph of the town center, and the 1912 Sanborn Fire Insurance map shows the main two-story volume and a series of three one story additions on the south side -- some parts of which appear to remain, although the footprint is slightly different.

From 2010 Carbondale Historical Society Walking Tour: “Built before 1900 and first used as a stagecoach stop, this building became Carbondale’s first hotel. The official population of Carbondale at that time was less than 200, but the town nevertheless boasted a grocery and dry goods store, a jewelry store and watch repair, lodging, a fruit and produce store, a general store, restaurants, a millinery, a livery stable and several saloons.”

This property was sold to Jennie Beslin by the Carbondale Town and Land Company in April of 1888. Shortly thereafter the property was split into north and south halves. Jennie and Frank Beslin borrowed money on each half, from different people. They continued to hold the north half of the property (96 N 3rd) although they moved back to Salt Lake City in 1890. They were noted as residents of that city on the original purchase deed. The south half of the property, where this building sits, showed several promissory notes and lien sales to several people over a period of 10 years. The Beslins apparently lost the property to the creditors during this period. Several of the creditors were well-known residents, such as C. H. Leonard, John E. Chancy, W. B. Devereux, Channing Sweet and Lucia Pickwell. In 1898, H. P. Williams purchased it from Channing Sweet and then Mr. Williams sold it to F. W. Lindauer (b. 1867 in Indiana) in 1899. In 1911, Lindauer sold the property to William G. and Nettie F. Bolton. William and Nettie were both listed as residents of Pitkin County in the 1910 census, and he was a brakeman on the railway. He was born in Massachusetts in 1865 and she in Michigan in 1869. In the 1920 census they were listed as residents of Carbondale, and he was listed as a hotel proprietor. The Boltons hold the property until the 1920 sale to Q. F. Clagett. This building was considered Carbondale’s first hotel and was listed on the 1912 Sanborn map as the Mt. Sopris Hotel.

Frank Beslin was the editor of the Advance and was primarily associated with the adjacent property (96 N. 3rd Street, 5GF.3794). Lindauer appeared to have been a resident of Parachute, Colorado and operated a farm machinery store and plant nursery with his brother Pete. A small note in the Glenwood Post indicated he was building an addition to his hotel in Carbondale in December of 1901. He appeared in the census of 1900 and was listed as a hotel keeper; his wife’s name was not legible. The Boltons continued to operate the building as a hotel until the sale in 1920. The building reportedly also served as a stage stop before the arrival of the railroad. The train depot was just down the street to the northwest and many downtown businesses were located to the southeast when this building was constructed.

Town of Carbondale Downtown Survey Project, 2006, Reid Architects, Inc., Manuscript on file, History Colorado, Denver, Colorado.

Carbondalegov.org

Carbondale Historical Society

Coloradohistoricnewspapers.org

1912 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map