Cobweb Express

One Fine Hotel
by Mel McFarland

The Santa Fe railroad in the 1880s had purchased land west of town and were talking of building a major facility here. At one point, there was even talk of a straight line east to Kansas.

The Santa Fe’s primary plan was to take business away from the Denver and Rio Grande and the Denver and New Orleans, which had been running south through ere from Denver to Pueblo. They passed east of the center of town. The little D&RG station was only three blocks from downtown, and closer than the D&NO which only had a small station southeast of the town.

When the Santa Fe was built they were west of town. Just north of the station a fine hotel was announced. In the summer of 1887, a fine modern frame building was finished. It was finely furnished in the latest fashion. It had a broad veranda facing the mountains. One could also get a fine view to the south. It was the The Brunswick Hotel. The large rooms offered the traveler either businessman or tourist- very superior accommodations. It was on the north east corner from the school, at Race and Missouri. The old Rock Barn on Missouri was used as a stable for the guests staying at the hotel. The bright white, tow story building was under the proprietorship of Mrs. E.M. Harris, and offered 50 cent hot baths to any town resident. Over the years, the hotel had a couple different names, The Mitchell House was the name after Brunswick. It is now best known as the Link Hotel.

When the hotel was sold there was talk of a new, bigger building, but the Link Hotel’s appearance changed little over the years. In the 1950s a fire burned it to the ground. There is little to see of the hotel except for a low curb on that corner.

I have read of other attempts at hotels in Fountain, and I suspect there were several with just a couple rooms in the very early days.

The automobile changed the traveler’s choice to motels, and there are still signs of some of our motels from over the years.

CONTACT THE WRITER • MCMIDLAND@YAHOO.COM

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