On the North east corner of Main
and Convent Streets in Trinidad sits one of the only buildings
in the town that was built as a bar and has been one ever
since--except for the days of prohibition when it was
turned into a candy shop.
The building at 137 West Main in
Trinidad was erected in 1911. Called "The Palace"
it originally housed a saloon on the ground floor while
the second floor held a posh restaurant and gambling hall.
The saloon was so elegant that it featured a marble terrazzo
floor with a Greek key marble border and mahogany wainscoting.
The original backer which was hand
carved and shipped in from Germany is still in place.
Ironically, it was constructed
on land originally belonging to Peter Munnecom the priest
of the first Catholic Church in Trinidad who more than
enjoyed a good poker game. Notice the proximity of the
establishment to Holy Trinity Catholic Church less than
a block away.
While one source suggests a man
named J.A. Bell owned the land at the time the building
was constructed, another says John Aiello, a local banker,
purchased the land in order to build a saloon for his
brother Charles.
Legend has it that hatchet wielding
Prohibition crusader Carrie Nation once went to the Palace
during a visit to Trinidad and gave a stern lecture on
the evils of drink. When firmly and politely asked to
leave she did so without incident.
Nation's visit to the Palace is
probably a bit exaggerated, however. Local newspapers
did document her visiting Trinidad in 1906, but that was
five years before the Palace was built.
Sources:
Trinidad Historic Building
Survey by Willard Louden
"A Walk Through
the History of Trinidad" written by Jerry Stokes
on behalf of the Trinidad Historical Society. 1986.
Trinidad, Colorado.