Abandoned Historic Hotel is One of Colorado’s Most Endangered
A building that you've quite possibly never heard of, is known by many to be one of the most endangered historic places in the state of Colorado.
Keep scrolling to learn about, and take a virtual tour of Colorado's historic South Platte Hotel.
The History of Colorado's South Platte Hotel
The South Platte Hotel was originally built in 1912 in the community of South Platte, Colorado. This area is located in the mountains southwest of Denver, Colorado essentially where the South Platte River meets W. Platte River Road.
During the early 1900s, this particular area was known as a mining community, a getaway for those who lived in bigger cities, and for some time its biggest industry was railroad tourism.
The original building burned down, but was quickly rebuilt. However, what was known to many as the South Platte Hotel closed down in 1937 when the trains stopped coming through the area.
The building served other purposes between 1937 and 1969 but was abandoned and purchased by the Denver Water Department and has been sitting vacant ever since.
What's Going on with Colorado's South Platte Hotel?
Unfortunately, the Denver Water Department has not exactly been taking care of the building that still bears the name of the South Platte Hotel.
At one time the building was set to fall victim to the Two Forks Dam Project which would have drowned it in roughly 300 feet of water, but the project was abandoned in the 1980s.
Today, the building sits in the same spot, deteriorating, and has been vandalized. However, groups like the Jefferson County Historical Commission and History Jeffco have been working hard to preserve it and, hopefully, restore it one day.