The West Block

Site of trolley crash and historic businesses

As the story goes, the pranksters had taken grease and applied it to the trolley tracks heading north down the steep hill at the corner of Main and Animas streets in Trinidad.

With the trolley headed down the hill, the driver tried to hit the brakes, but the car kept barreling down the road.

It jumped the tracks and smashed straight into the corner of the West Block building in Trinidad.

The West block originally housed the Trinidad Post Office and was also the original site of the Aultman Photographic Studios. The storefronts have been occupied by a mortuary as well as a large furniture store.

The original deed to the property at the corner of Main and Animas belonged to John R. Skelley. His widow sold the property to Elbridge Sopris in May 1887, and Sopris relinquished the property to Edward West some time previous to 1889.

West was a prominent early citizen of Trinidad who was very active in business. He built many other buildings in Trinidad--the most notable of which are probably the West Theater on Main street and his personal residence on the corner of Willow and Colorado.

Sources:

Trinidad Historic Building Survey by Willard Louden