Real estate appraisal card. 119 F Street, part of lots 10-13, block 22 in Salida, Colorado.
Sanborn maps indicate that this building was erected between 1890 and 1893. The 1893 map shows that the building was divided into two storefronts: 119 held a jewelry store and 121 held a meat and grocery store. The 1903 city directory indicates that the building was known as the Whitehurst Block. Whitehurst & Abright was a grocery firm during the 1890s in Salida. By 1903, the firm had become J.D. Whitehurst, Wholesale and Retail Grocer, operating out of 148 F street.
Dayton J. Kramer, jeweler, optician, and Denver & Rio Grande watch inspector, had the jewelry business here in 199 F in 1900 when the Salida Semi-Weekly Mail referred to the business as the 'Leading Jeweler in Salida.' The firm had been founded in 1882 by William Carpenter (and may have been the original jewelry store in the building) and expanded rapidly. In 1894, D.J. Kramer assumed the management of the business and purchased it about 1900. 'The store is the leading one of its kind in Chaffee County, the furniture being of solid oak. The room is handsomely lighted and contains one of the best burglar proof safes in the state. The stock is an exceptionally complete one. Fine loose and mounted diamonds are one of the specialties of the house.' Other specialties included gold and silver jewelry, cut glass, musical instruments, optical goods, and Mexican art leather goods.
By 1905, the entire building was occupied by the Bateman Hardware Company. George F. Bateman and his son, Fred, moved to Salida from Pueblo and opened a small tin shop in 1880. The business expanded, adding a hardware department, and became G.F. Bateman & Son. In 1889, the Salida News noted they were: 'the Leading Hardware Firm in Salida.'
In 1894, Walter Bateman joined the firm and the name was changed to Bateman Hardware Company. The business continued to prosper despite the fact that it was burned out twice. The firm received a major contract to replace the city's water mains and extensions and in June 1900, the Salida Semi-Weekly News reported that 'the Bateman Hardware Company does the largest trade in mining supplies in this part of the state, as well as big business in shelf and heavy hardware, stoves, ranges, etc. They are Chaffee County's headquarters for fishing tackle and bicycles -- in fact, the leading firm of its kinds in the Arkansas Valley.'
In 1927, John C. Patterson and his son, William, purchased the business and changed the name to Patterson Hardware. Patterson supplied the local mines and one of the 35,000 items he carried was dynamite.
History Colorado's Architectural Inventory Forms have more information and are available at the Salida Library.
