Spring in Glenwood Springs is a time of new beginnings, but if you know where to look the past lingers on inviting visitors to explore beneath the surface.
As the snow melts, spring is perfect for wandering through Glenwood Springs and discovering its fascinating past. Beneath its active mountain town exterior lies a rough and rowdy history riddled with ghosts, legends, lore, and more than a few unanswered questions.
Hotel Colorado: A Haunted Landmark
Since opening in 1893, the Hotel Colorado has hosted presidents (Teddy Roosevelt & Howard Taft), outlaws (Al Capone), celebrities (Unsinkable Margaret “Molly” Brown), and even a few ghosts who refuse to check out. However, its haunted history only adds to its intriguing charm.
One of the most persistent tales hails from when the hotel operated as a Naval convalescent hospital during World War II. A nurse, rumored to be romantically involved with two Navy sailors, was allegedly murdered in a jealous rage. Some believe her spirit remains, making ghostly appearances on occasion. Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, the stories make for an enthralling visit to this historic landmark.
Red Mountain: A Lost Ski Area & a Tragic Tale
Once home to a small, local ski area from the 1940s to ‘60s, Red Mountain is now a hiking and mountain biking destination. Due to insufficient snowfall, the ski operation shut down. Today, hikers and bikers can still spot the abandoned lift towers left behind.
Long before ski lifts though, Red Mountain was the site of a mysterious death. William Grandstaff, a Black frontiersman met his end on the mountain in the early 1900s. Having lived a hard-working life as a prospector and cattle rancher in Moab, Utah, Grandstaff relocated with his wife to a lone cabin on Red Mountain. After her death, he lived a solitary life. Found dead in his cabin, the circumstances of his departure from this life remain shrouded in mystery. As a result, Grandstaff has been launched into the realm of “local legend.” Though we’ll never know what happened, he is forever memorialized by the rugged mountain biking trail that bears his name.
Train Depot Neighborhood: Tracks of Ill Repute
Glenwood’s historic train depot, built in 1904, welcomed countless travelers, including several U.S. presidents. With personal railcars offering luxurious travel amenities, dignitaries arrived in style. However, the depot was in the worst neighborhood in town. Seventh Street was once the epicenter of Glenwood’s bustling red-light district and likely a shocking surprise for arriving dignitaries!
Over the decades, Seventh Street transformed from a place of ill repute into one of the most inviting and delicious streets in town. Today, as you sip a craft beer or enjoy a steak dinner on the site where Wild West debauchery once reigned unchecked, give yourself a gold star for good behavior and order another round or indulge in some decadent dessert!
Cardiff Coal Coking Ovens: Abandoned Industrial Ruins
On the roadside near Glenwood Springs’ airport, abandoned coke ovens recall Glenwood’s coal-mining past. These beehive-shaped brick structures were used to process coal into coke, a fuel source for steel production.
Many of the unknown souls who shoveled coal into the ovens are likely buried in Glenwood’s Linwood Cemetery, the final resting place of the town’s earliest settlers. On spring and summer evenings, the glow from the setting sun can make the ovens appear as if they’re still burning—if only in the imagination.
Doc Holliday: He Keeps Us Guessing
To no avail, gunslinger and gambler Doc Holliday spent his last days in Glenwood Springs seeking relief from tuberculosis in the town’s mineral waters. He died of the disease in 1887, but his final resting place remains a mystery. While a memorial to the famed card sharp stands in Linwood Cemetery, his precise burial spot is unknown.
It seems Doc’s bets didn’t pay off—at the end of his life, he died a pauper and was interred in an unmarked grave in the cemetery’s Potter’s Field. While visitors pay homage at his memorial marker, the true resting place of this Wild West legend remains a mystery.
Secrets Hiding in Plain Sight
Glenwood Springs is a town steeped in mystery and history just waiting to be discovered. Whether you’re drawn to ghostly encounters, forgotten tales, or just a deeper connection to the past, there’s more than meets the eye in Glenwood Springs. Plan your visit today!
