Four stories capped with a corner tower made the St. Clair Hotel the tallest building in Salida when it opened for business June 6, 1890, and there are still none that equal or exceed it. The building, located on the northeast corner of First and E Streets, was 75-by-90 feet, included 68 sleeping rooms (many with their own bathrooms) and had a balcony on two sides. There was a fine dining room. Construction cost $45,000, in addition to $8,000 in oak furnishings. A grand ball with music by the Salida Concert Band was held to open what was then Salida’s finest hotel. As an aid to patrons who wanted rides to various points in town, there was 24-hour omnibus (hack) service. The St. Clair was too far from the railroad depot to be successful and succeeding owners renamed it the Hotel Denton and the Rainbow. It was torn down in the early 1970’s.
Alice Chinn Collection.
