Saguache, Colorado West Side of Main Street - Dallas Block
The Saguache Hotel had it’s grand opening in 1912.
As I understand it a number of local investors financed the construction,
then it became the property of Horace Means. Horace’s brother, R.
J. Means was the proprietor in the early 30’s when I was a boy.
Originally there were 12 rooms and a dining room.
In
1922, 10 more rooms with added with the construction of the addition on
the north side of the building. Three meals a day were served.
Most of the rooms were rented by the month in my time several school teachers,
Sheriff “Slim” Paul, Oscar Marold, who ran the drug store, and several
other locals lived at the Hotel for many years. Mrs. Frank Means
was one of the owners of the Hotel in the late 30’s. Several other
people have owned the Hotel down through the years. In the 40’s,
a bar was added and Ella Cooper served smorgasbord dinners. After
that, several other owners kept the Hotel open, but as the population of
our town declined from about 1200 to about 600 and the business hasn’t
been profitable.
In
1987, Tom and Marilyn Ross were the owners of the Saguache Hotel.
A PBS film, “Land of Little Rain” was filmed in our area. This film,
starring Helen Hunt, depicted what happened when the Owens Valley of California
was devastated when it lost its water to Los Angeles. The Saguache
Hotel suddenly became the “Independence Hotel and Saloon”. During
the filming the sidewalks were covered with boardwalks, dirt was brought
in to cover the paved streets and all of the power lines were taken down.
What appeared on film was a small town pioneer hotel. In the empty
lot south of the Hotel are the remains of the boardwalk and hitching posts
used in the film. The Hotel has been closed for several years now.
In
1922, 10 more rooms with added with the construction of the addition on
the north side of the building. Three meals a day were served.
Most of the rooms were rented by the month in my time several school teachers,
Sheriff “Slim” Paul, Oscar Marold, who ran the drug store, and several
other locals lived at the Hotel for many years. Mrs. Frank Means
was one of the owners of the Hotel in the late 30’s. Several other
people have owned the Hotel down through the years. In the 40’s,
a bar was added and Ella Cooper served smorgasbord dinners. After
that, several other owners kept the Hotel open, but as the population of
our town declined from about 1200 to about 600 and the business hasn’t
been profitable.
In
1987, Tom and Marilyn Ross were the owners of the Saguache Hotel.
A PBS film, “Land of Little Rain” was filmed in our area. This film,
starring Helen Hunt, depicted what happened when the Owens Valley of California
was devastated when it lost its water to Los Angeles. The Saguache
Hotel suddenly became the “Independence Hotel and Saloon”. During
the filming the sidewalks were covered with boardwalks, dirt was brought
in to cover the paved streets and all of the power lines were taken down.
What appeared on film was a small town pioneer hotel. In the empty
lot south of the Hotel are the remains of the boardwalk and hitching posts
used in the film. The Hotel has been closed for several years now.
