Como DEpot & Hotel History
By David Tomkins
The Pacific Hotel (above) was an was an impressive structure. However it was destroyed by a fire in 1896 and later replaced in 1897 by the hotel that still stands today
When the Denver South Park & Pacific Railroad arrived in Como, it was a tented city and there is mention that a Mr. Gilman and his partners were here and were operating an Eating House.
In 1880 the first Hotel was built, called the Gilman Hotel. It was located at the north end of the existing Como Hotel , presumably owned by the Railroad but operated by Gilman. There are a few mentions of Gilman, presumably the same one, operating other Eating Houses. There was also a Gilman who was a Conductor for the Railroad but its not known if they were the same person or related or just coincidental.
The Hotel opened for business on New Year's Eve 1880 and was the center of Como social life. At this time there may have been 100 people living in the immediate area.
Seemingly coinciding with the construction of the Roundhouse and the laying of track over Boreas, the Hotel was significantly extended probably 3 times.
The Current Structure
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Como Hotel in 2022
In 1885 the Pacific Hotel Company took over the establishment and spent that summer undertaking significant changes and improvements. There is mention of some demolition as part of this works and the Fairplay Flume Newspaper suggests that the works were significant and took longer than was expected. The completed Hotel had 42 Bedrooms and could seat 100.
About this time we believe the Depot was separated and moved south about 15ft.
The Pacific Hotel Company operated the Hotel until about 1895 when it was leased to private operators. Then in November 1896 the Hotel caught fire and was a total loss, there is a suggestion the fire started in the laundry.
The following summer the current Hotel was built on part of the foundations of the old Hotel and there is mention of bricks being salvaged from the ruins of the old Hotel to be used in the new construction.
By 1956 the Como Hotel had become a "Summer House" for the Smith Family and the depot next door was used as a shorage shed.
Photo from www.WesternRailImages.com
It is not believed that the Railroad operated the Hotel, the Railroad was in financial difficulties so it is assume they must have really needed a Hotel here to incur the expense.
In about 1914 Patrick and Delia Gibbony leased the Hotel and moved there family down to Como. Patrick was the Wrecking Boss for the Colorado & Southern Ry. and they had previously operated a Boarding House in Como but had out grown it. Patrick died in 1930 and the family moved out shortly afterwards.
In the late 1930's the Hotel was occupied by a Mr. Cooley who was gold dredging the nearby Tarryall Creek He used the north side of the hotel for his offices and had some employees boarding in the south side.
In 1946, Cooley had finished the gold dredging and moved his equipment and family to Walsenburg, Colorado. I understand from his daughter they would still come up to Como once a year.
In 1954 the property was sold to the Smiths who used it as a summer house. Mr. Smith was a co-owner of the Shirley Savoy Hotel in Denver and apparently chose Como as it was outside his calculation of the fall out zone, if there was a nuclear explosion in Denver.
By the 1970's the Hotel building was little used and in 1978 it and the Depot were separated from the rest of the Railroad property and sold to the Hodges who reopened the Restaurant and rented rooms. The Hodges sold up and retired in 2008.
In 2008 very few people believed the Como Depot would survive. However, those “few” people would take on the project of saving and restoring the old train station and in 2015 it was officially completed and dedicated before a large group of people as seen below.
First mention of the Depot is in June of 1879 when the DSP&P Railroad arrived. The first photograph showing the depot was taken 4 years later. We know the Depot was extended twice, once to the north so it connected to the Gilman Hotel and then to the east to form the "L" shape. By 1883 it was its current shape but located 15 ft. or so further to the north. The building does not match any standard design, unlike the Como Dispatchers Office or the nearby Jefferson Depot. The only possible comparable Depot is the original Depot in Webster. There are a few end on photographs of the Webster Depot and it was reported as being the same size and could have been constructed by the same contractor. The Webster Depot burned down in 1902.
It is presumed that the Como Depot was extended due to Como becoming a Division Point with the construction of the Roundhouse and High Line to Breckenridge in 1881. About 1910 the wooden shingle roof was replaced with a metal roof and the platform was taken up. Later in the 1920's the Depot was repainted in the Dark Red/Dark Green Burlington colour scheme.
The Como Depot in 2022 with volunteers conducting track work in front of it.
Photo by Clinton Webb
There is mention that the Post Office occupied part of the Depot in the 1930's. There are many photos of the outside of the depot during the Railroad era but none of the inside. Obvious over 60 years the building was changed internally many times, some have logical explanations others just raise questions.
Cooley who bought the Buildings from the Railroad c 1938 used the Depot as a Garage and after that it was used for storage and basically left to rot.
It is believed that major damage to the depot was caused through the change in drainage when presumably Cooley put in the driveway to the Hotel. By 2008 the west side foundations had rotted out, much of the roof was missing and the building was in danger of collapse.
Restoration work between 2008 and 2015 returned the Depot to its 1885-1910 appearance.
The interior of the Como Depot in 2022 looking east towards the Front Range.
Photo by Clinton Webb
Today, the Como Depot is home to a museum operated by the Denver South Park & Pacific Historical Society. Tracks are being rebuilt in Como and each summer the old 1879 depot sees once again the arrival of steam locomotive #4 at its passenger platform.
If you would like to help support the Como Project, please consider a donation to the current fund drive. From all of us here at the South Park Rail Society, thank you.