Linden Hotel
201 Linden Street, 250 Walnut Street
The Linden Hotel, with flowers in front and bikers pedaling past, has become an iconic building representing some of Fort Collins finest features (especially when the City makes it to yet another “Best place to live” list). Photo by Meg Dunn.
Abner Loomis House
Poudre Valley Bank Block: 1882
Linden Hotel: 1898
“Notice. The undersigned have associated themselves together under the firm home of Stover, Sheldon & Co. for the purpose of continuing the business of the Poudre Valley bank in Fort Collins, Colorado, which as hereto fore been carried on by Stover & Sheldon. W. C. Stover is president and C. H. Sheldon cashier of the new firm. The business of the bank will continue as though no change had occurred. The new firm will extend to its customers all accommodations consistent with good banking. W. C. Stover Chas. H. Sheldon Abner Loomis Chas. B. Andrews.” (Fort Collins Courier, August 10, 1882)
“POUDRE VALLEY BANK
“One of Fort Collins’ Permanent Institutions, of Which She is Justly Proud.
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“Its Rise, Progress, Phenomenal Success, and Present Excellent Standing.
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“Out of the Old House into the New–A Description of Their Fine Quarters
“[From Thursday’s Daily.]
“Mechanics under the skillful direction of Messrs. Alexander Brothers, of Denver, are to-day busily engaged in placing the counters, desks, guards and railing in the new rooms of the Poudre Valley bank, in the Loomis & Andrews block, corner of Linden and Walnut streets. The work came from Denver last evening, all finished and ready to put in place, and is indeed very neat and artistic in design and execution.
“The main business room of the bank is twenty feet wide, thirty-six feet six inches long, and fifteen feet high. It fronts south on Walnut street and east on Linden, and is reached by two wide entrances placed between the beveled angles of the walls of the building, at the south-east corner. Immediately back of the banking rooms is the bank parlor, eleven by fifteen feet in dimensions, and a brick fire-proof vault, nine by fifteen, both the same height–fifteen feet. The banking room and parlor are lighted by four large plate glass windows–four in the former and one in the latter. As will be seen by the accompanying diagram , the banking room is separated into corridor, business office and cashier’s private office. Doorways open from the corridor and business office into the parlor; also, from the business office into the vault. The parlor has also an outside entrance, opening on to Walnut street. The interior finish of these rooms is in good taste, and when fully completed and furnished will make elegant quarters for this popular institution — the Poudre Valley bank. The counter and railing, separating corridor and business office, are made of the best quality of cherry lumber, highly finished and put together in the best possible manner. The design is appropriate in conception and rich in detail, comprising a broad, level counter, finished underneath, on the outside, in panel work above a decorated base and separated by handsomely formed and well proportioned pilasters supporting a neatly moulded entablature. The counter is three feet eight inches in height, and is surmounted by a handsome rail ing three feet five inches in height. The railing; is supported by turned columns with richly carved capitals and moulded bases. In the railing arc set six lights of large double thick ground plate glass, each 22 by 48. The receiving and paying tellers windows are each 22 by 22, to which are hung neat brass wickets.
[See diagram at right.]
“The accompanying diagram shows the floor plan of the counter and railing and the form find dimensions of the corridor, business office and cashier’s private offices; also the position of the openings in the railing including entrance to cashier s office and the teller’s windows. A beautiful brass wicket is set in the open panel of the door leading from the corridor to the cashier’s office to facilitate conversation with parties in the corridor;. Underneath the counter, on the inside, is arranged a tier of fourteen drawers and below them still, five or six cupboards. A high railing partition separates the cashier’s office from the main business office and a doorway connects the two. Back of the business office is the fire proof safe vault built of brick with an arched ceiling of the same material. The floor consists of one large eight inch flagging stone covering the entire space of the room. Within the vault has just been placed a Hall’s time lock burglar proof, steel chest, weighing nearly four thousand pounds, which cost, laid down here, $1,400. Every precaution has been taken, regardless of expense, to provide fire and burglar proof means for preserving valuables, and it would seem as if these efforts were successful.
“These banking rooms with their appointments and furnishings are about as complete in every particular us the genius of man can make them. They possess an admirable location, and present an attractive appearance inside and out, and as for safety and convenience it is hard to conceive how they could be improved upon. The designs of these rooms and their appointments were made by Wm. Quayle, Esq., of Denver. The counters and railing were made by Messrs. Alexander Bros., also of that city. These gentlemen expect to get everything into place and the rooms ready for occupancy by to-morrow noon. The bank’s effects will then be moved out of the old house into the new and the Poudre Valley bank will on Saturday morning open for business in its elegant new quarters.
“RETROSPECTIVE.
On the ninth day of November, 1878, the Poudre Valley bank first threw its banners to the breeze, by opening up for business in the front part of the west lower room of the Wilson block, Jefferson street. Its proprietors then were Hon. W. C. Stover and Charles H. Sheldon, who each put $3,000 into the capital stock, making a total cash capital of $6,000. The appointments of their banking office were of the simplest kind, consisting of one or two common chairs, a pine table and a small, borrowed safe. But they possessed plenty of courage, excellent credit, and the entire confidence of all classes. The small one-story building, on Linden street, now occupied by the bank, was built for them and completed so far as to enable them to take possession the the first of January following. The Poudre valley bank became a very prosperous institution from the start, and before the second year of its existence closed, the capital stock was increased to $25,000. About the first of August of the present year the capital stock was increased to $50,000, and a half interest sold to Abner Loomis and Charles B. Andrews. The Poudre Valley Banking company was then organized by the election of W. C. Stover president, and Charles H. Sheldon cashier, with the entire capital stock paid up. Shortly after this, the erection of the block in which the bank’s handsome new quarters are situated was commenced, and vigorously pushed to completion.”
(“Poudre Valley Bank,” Fort Collins Courier, February 1, 1883, page1.)
Clipping from Fort Collins Courier, February 1, 1883.
Other businesses in the building:
J . T . Budrow, Fire insurance Agency. (Fort Collins Courier, June 1, 1882) The insurance seemed to operate as a subsidiary of the bank. Either that or Budrow did both insurance and ran the bank.
H. W. Owen, jr., and A. M. Crafts surveying firm. (Fort Collins Courier, March 8, 1883)
T. M. Akers had an insurance company in an office in the building. (Fort Collins Courier, May 17, 1883) C. C. Emigh and G. W. Emigh took over Akers business the following year. They dealt with both insurance and real estate. (Fort Collins Courier, January 17, 1884)
Dr. E. C. Clark, dentist, had an office over the bank. (Fort Collins Courier, July 3, 1884)
Henry F. Williams, attorney at law, had an office in the building. (Fort Collins Courier, April 16, 1885)
“Miss Florence Aley, Teacher of Piano, Late of the Boston Conservatory of Music. Rooms at Linden Hotel (Poudre Valley Bank block).” (Fort Collins Courier, October 6, 1898)
“FOR OSTEOPATHIC TREATMENT go to the Burton I Institute of Osteopathy, Denver, or to the Branch Office , in charge of Charlotte M. Burton, D. O. in Linden Hotel.” (The Weekly Courier, March 14, 1901) Run by Charlotte M Burton. (The Weekly Courier, February 28, 1901) [Female osteopath!]
“EMMA J. KEEN, M. D., Physician and Surgeon. Office Linden Hotel.” (The Weekly Courier, January 17, 1901) [Female physician and surgeon!]
Dr. Harlan, the painless dentist. (The Weekly Courier, June 25, 1902)
MONEY LOANED FROM $500 TO $10,000. For full and complete information, call on MORTON & FOSTER, General Agents, Rooms 9 & 10, Linden Hotel, – Fort Collins, Colo. (The Weekly Courier, December 24, 1902)
“Mr. James Davison, late of Loveland will on Tuesday succeed Mrs. Willard and Miss Helen Tenney as proprietor of the Linden hotel.” (The Weekly Courier, September 17, 1902)
“Jas. Davison of the Linden hotel, has leased the hall formerly occupied by the Masons, and will have it partitioned into rooms for the accommodation of guests.” (The Weekly Courier, December 31, 1902) This would provide a total of 30 rooms for the hotel. (The Weekly Courier, January 7, 1903)
“James Davidson, proprietor of the Linden hotel, has secured a lease on the rooms soon to be vacated by the Arcade cafe and will have them remodeled for use as an office and sample rooms. This will be of great benefit to Mr. Davidson, as the lack of a ground floor office has been the only drawback to his otherwise elegantly appointed hostelry.” (The Weekly Courier, January 13, 1904)
“Linden Hotel improvements. The Linden hotel opened its new office room on the ground floor, fronting Walnut street, Wednesday morning. This office is now one of the largest and most attractive in Northern Colorado. It has been newly papered, painted and furnished with solid oak tables, desks, comfortable chairs, cloak room, mirror, etc. A broad and ornamental stairway leads to the dining room, ladies’ parlor, and other rooms above. A large sample room has been conveniently arranged on the first floor. The Linden can now meet every demand of the traveling public. The new office is well lighted day and nights, and is an exceedingly pleasant waiting room, as is also the ladies’ parlor on the second floor, while the thirty bed rooms, half of them new, with their elegant furnishings, all combine to place this hotel in the front rank of Colorado hostleries.” (The Weekly Courier, March 2, 1904)
“Among the changes and improvements in store for the Linden hotel that are intended to add to the conveniences of the house is a freight elevator which will be put in next week. It will occupy a portion of the space now occupied by the stairway leading from the Linden street entrance and will be a great convenience, especially in lifting trunks to the sample room on the second floor.” (The Weekly Courier, November 23, 1904)
Ad from Loveland Reporter, Volume 22, Number 26, October 31, 1901.
Ad from The Rocky Mountain Collegian – CSU Fort Collins, Volume XII, Number 11, March 2, 1903.
The Weekly Courier, May 20, 1903.
“Guy Loomis is having a steam heating plant put in the Poudre Valley bank block, which includes the bank, post office and Linden hotel The contract was let Monday to Larson & Moore and work is to begin today. Mr. Beals has decided to install an electric bell system throughout the Linden hotel, refurnish most of the rooms, so as to have everything new and up-to-date in connection with the hotel.” (The Weekly Courier, October 11, 1905)
“Guy Loomis, trustee, changes and improvements, Poudre Valley bank block and Linden hotel; $4,000.” (The Weekly Courier, December 27, 1905)
“The Elk decorations in the Linden hotel are attractive. A canopy of purple and white shades the clerk’s desk, which is very artistic. The outside of the hostelry is also prettily decorated.” (The Weekly Courier, July 25, 1906)
“THE LINDEN HOTEL TO BE REMODELED MANY CHANCES TO TAKE PLACE IN MERCANTILE HOUSES SOON.
“Poudre Valley Bank to Move , Likewise Scotts Drug Store and The Fort Collins Furniture Store. It will not be very long until a number of important changes will be made in the mercantile establishments of the city, the plans having been practically completed. The Linden hotel will be remodeled and enlarged. The Poudre Valley National bank will vacate its present quarters and occupy the room now occupied by Scott’s pharmacy. The drug store will be moved to the Scott building now occupied by the Fort Collins Furniture store. The latter establishment will move into quarters not yet decided upon. For many months there has been talk of such a move but at all times there was issued a general denial that such a move was even contemplated. With the remodeling of the State Mercantile building it was intimated that the move would be made at once but no reliable statement made. Now, however, it is announced on excellent authority that the move will come within a very short time. Many weeks will be required to fit up the various business places for the changes but the plans are being completed. The bank has been located in its present quarters for thirty years and more . It will take up new quarters where Scott s pharmacy is now established. The banking room will be thrown into the Linden hotel. This will give the hostelry much needed room for the continued increasing business and permit the management to give much better service than present quarters permit. The hotel will present an appearance which former patrons will hardly recognize.” (The Weekly Courier, September 3, 1915)
Dining room shut down for repairs and remodel. (The Weekly Courier, May 5, 1916)
“Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Nightingale, who recently sold the Linden hotel, expect to leave next week for Arkansas where they will reside.” (The Weekly Courier, February 9, 1917)
“The corner— Walnut and Laporte—where now stands the old Poudre Valley Bank building or Linden Hotel, in which is a soft drink parlor contained the residence and home of the late Abner Loomis. It was a very comfortable frame house surrounded by trees and a garden spot which was envied by many.” (The Fort Collins Express, May 20, 1923) [He appears to have confused Laporte and Linden.]
N. and R. Bar opearted out of the building in 1970. (Fort Collins Coloradoan, February 22, 1970)
The Linden Hotel was designated as a historical landmark by the Landmark Preservation Commission. The building was owned by the local VFW Post. The veterans bought the building from Warren Miller for $75,000. (Fort Collins Coloradoan, July 10, 1973) It apparently didn’t go to City Council for official designation until mid-1974.
David Finklea, 23, was shot to death in the hallway of the Linden Hotel. (Fort Collins Coloradoan, May 17, 1978)
Large scale renovation of the building took place in 1994. The back wall was in such disrepair that it fell away from the building.
Nature’s Own moves into the first floor of the Linden Hotel building in November 1994. (Fort Collins Coloradoan, November 12, 1994)
In March of 2022, a condo unit on the second floor of the Linden Hotel sold for $2,050,000 for 2672 square feet of luxury living. The owners live in California, according to the County Assessor’s website.
Images from IRES MLS, through ColoProperty.com.
