Real estate appraisal card. 128 W. 1st Street, lot 22, block 5, in Salida, Colorado.
This building was erected between 1888 and 1890, according to Sanborn fire insurance maps. The Sanborn maps for 1890 through 1929 show the building divided into two narrow storefronts, with the east one numbered 126 W. 1st and the west one 128.
A saloon was located in the east storefront (number 126) in 1890. The storefront was vacant in 1893 and 1898. An assay office was located here according to 1904 through 1914 maps. Louis C. DuBois (1903-04), Stanley B. Weld (1905-06 and 1911-12), W.L Philbin (1909), and Ernest K. Giffen (1922-23) had their offices in this space. Mr. Philbin came to Salida in 1905 as an assayer for the smelter and later opened his own assay office. He later ran a retail shoe business, and, in 1927, operated the Rainbow Hotel. An unspecified store was housed here in 1929.
The west storefront held a restaurant in 1890 and 1893. The space was vacant in 1898. A barber shop was located here in 1904 through 1914. Barbers at this location included: Nathan R. Samuels (1903-04), Nicholas P. Warren (1905-06), Chris Mason (1909), and Mason and Son (Chris C. and FrankL.). In 1922-23, Hugh D. McKelvey had his jewelry store here. An unidentified store was in this storefront in 1929.
The 1945 Sanborn map shows a restaurant occupying the entire space of the building. The 1951 and 1961 city directories list Leo Cafe at this address. Emil Leo was shown as the owner in 1951 and Mrs. Flora Leo in 1961.
History Colorado's Architectural Inventory Forms have more information and are available at the Salida Library.
