In this ongoing series, we feature a piece from our Museum Director, Billie DeLancey, originally published in The Johnstown Breeze on March 28, 2024. Enjoy this look back, and keep an eye on the paper for the newest stories shaping our community.
Although the sign reads Hotel Johnstown, it was commonly known as the “Johnstown Hotel.” Built in 1902 by Montravel (Monte) Tucker on the corner of Rutherford Avenue and Charlotte Street, it was one of the first structures built in Harvey Parish’s new town.
It was originally named the Horner Hotel. At some point early on a one-story west wing was added to the hotel’s footprint and the name was changed to the Johnstown Hotel. In 1908, the cost for room and board was $5 per week.
Conveniently located across the street and “kitty-corner” to the east was the Fairbairn & Parish Hardware & Lumber Co. (now Senior Center), also built in 1902. These complimentary enterprises were perhaps strategically planned by Parish and Tucker. After all, a person could travel to Johnstown and have a handy place to stay while checking out Parish’s lots and blocks in this freshly plated town named after his youngest son, John. The lumber company stocked the materials to build a house or a store-front building in short order.
The hotel also accommodated local meetings and had several owners and managers over the years. In 1924 an unfortunate patron, Otto Anderson, of the Imperial Tea and Coffee Company of Longmont, was found dead in bed at the hotel. The coroner determined the cause was heart related. Anderson was 36 years old.
Eventually, the hotel was sold and converted into apartments. It was destroyed by fire in the wee hours of the morning on February 12, 1957. Approximately 20 firemen responded to the call at 12:45 a.m. and six firehoses were aimed at the blaze. Chet Hays was the fire chief. The firemen brought the blaze under control in about an hour.
The hotel was owned by Arthur Simpson of Severance at the time of the fire. Occupants were Mrs. Marcella Atencio, her two children, and brother Ed Trujillo, who lived in the west wing. The family was able to get out, and their belongings were unharmed except for water damage to their clothing. The rest of the building was a near total loss. All of the interior was well charred and the roof caved in. The cause of the fire remained unknown, but it is believed to have been caused by a faulty drop cord in an unoccupied part of the building.
The building was demolished and the brick duplex now in the former hotel’s location was built in 1960.