Trinidad, Colorado - A Historic Building Survey
Red Mill Building
Map location #1.
It is, perhaps, ironic that this first building in our series is undoubtedly the least effectively researched of all our 55 buildings included in this booklet. Neither the records nor numerous discussions with individuals who had information concerning this building were of much help in authenticating the sparse information (and misinformation) we had concerning the "Red Mill". Even the legal description of the land involved seems obscure as it involves many parcels of land with owners and part-owners. The lots were involved in the original town site, however, so the records begin in 1877 with Charles Thacker, Pascal Gerardi, Jose A. Salazar and Jacob W. Winkfield as the initial owners in some part of the property in question.
The existing structure surely went up in the first decade of the 1900's but the two most probable dates vary from 1901 to 1910. Though the city directories of that period do not substantiate it, the current owner has information that the "Red Mill" was an original name for the business and it presumably opened as a bar, gambling hall and house of prostitution and operated as such for many years. The handsome back-bar was recently imported from the Del Agua Bar in the coal camp of Del Agua.
Both pictures were taken in July, 1970. The first one is a view of the town from Simpson's Rest.
Legal Description: East part of Lots 1-7; Lot 8; Block 110 OTS.
Figure 4 Fisher's Peak
Figure 5 Red Mill Building