Opulence, along with the luxuries of civilization had arrived in Crested Butte! At the official opening of The Elk Mountain House, 150 well-dressed guests were treated to a formal dinner and grand ball. Being connected to a stand pipe, water would be forced up to the attic and into connections to hoses on all floors, quickly flooding each floor. This was also an ingenious sprinkler system! If there was a fire, the pump, was reported to have the power to throw water all over the building. The hot and cold water was supplied from the force pump in the kitchen. No mention is made of wardrobes, but most travelers occupying these rooms would have a large trunk! Three bathtubs and water closets were located on the second floor. The bedrooms were carpeted and furnished in solid walnut each containing a bedstead, washing-stand, small table, rocking chair, folding chair, ordinary chair. These rooms were handsomely furnished with walnut furniture of the Eastlake style, thick Brussels carpet of light colors with a contrasting blue border in modern patterns, and window draperies of raw silk. The spacious interior contained: a large lobby with office dining room kitchen with a large copper boiler to heat the water, a Van patent range, carving tables and steam heater, shiny tin and copper vessels, a pantry and storage a bar, gambling and pool room forty-two bedrooms well-appointed sitting rooms, and a grand parlor with an exquisite chandelier was connected to the ladies reception room. Needless to say, the rooms could be quite chilly on bitterly cold days! Front desk employees tended this stove and the numerous parlor stoves on the upper floors. On the ground floor, centrally located in the main lobby, an immense stove heated the floors above. A connected, multi-storied outhouse at the back of the building serviced the upper floors. The Elk Mountain House, #332 Elk Avenue, corner of Elk and Fourth Street, is this very building, now occupied by Donita’s Cantina! It was a wood frame structure that stood three and a half stories high, with dormers on the top floor, a balcony and a raised wooden walkway to protect visitors from the dirt street. Businessmen, salesmen, hunters, wealthy visitors and young singles would stay for weeks, months, even years! They needed somewhere to live while they built their houses. Most materials and furnishings were hauled to town by wagons and jack (mule) trains! This was an amazing feat considering the Denver and Rio Grande narrow-gauge railroad between Crested Butte and Gunnison was finished one month before, bringing many more people. The first class luxury hotel took a year and a half to complete. Local businessmen, under the direction of Howard Smith and the Crested Butte Town Site Company, built The Elk Mountain House for the sum of $40,000. There were not enough accommodations for them to stay. Many people were arriving in town by whatever means available. Area visitors and pioneers either rode horses or mules, drove wagons, took the stage, or walked! The entire distance was a dusty, rocky trail over uneven ground to and from Gunnison City. Another one followed the East River to the junction with Taylor River and the confluence of the Gunnison River, now the location of Almont. A toll road connected Crested Butte to Irwin mining camp. These provided a wealth of commercial opportunities and jobs. Fifty businesses, including the Crested Butte Water Company, a smelter, three sawmills, freight haulers, a stagecoach line, several hotels and a boarding house were in operation. At that time, there were about 400 people in residence. MasonĬrested Butte, Colorado was incorporated on July 3 rd, 1880.
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