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All the United States Colorado South Platte Hotel
AO Edited

South Platte Hotel

A once-thriving hotel from the Old West now sits abandoned, under the threat of demolition.

Conifer, Colorado

Added By
Nick Stackhouse
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The South Platte Hotel on a hot July day.   stacknls / Atlas Obscura User
The South Platte Hotel on a hot July day.   stacknls / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
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About

The abandoned South Platte Hotel hauntingly stands along the confluence of the South Platte River and North Fork of the South Platte River. It was originally built in 1887 by Charles and Millie Walbrecht as a comforting place of refuge for stagecoach riders and railroad travelers, as well as for recreational fishermen. While the original construction was destroyed by arson in 1912, the once-thriving hotel was rebuilt in 1913.

As for the incident in 1912, it involved and angry stage driver who believed the Walbrechts were responsible for persuading his wife to leave him. This led him to open fire in the hotel—wounding George and Millie, and an unlucky tourist, in the process—and then burn it to the ground. He was found several days later in LaJunta, Colorado, where he had committed suicide in a wheat field after being wounded by law officers. The hotel was soon replaced by the building you see today.

Owned by Denver Water since 1987, and now sitting under the looming threat of demolition, the abandoned hotel continues to daunt the minds of recreational river runners who wonder what may have once happened there.

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Old West Abandoned

Know Before You Go

The best time to visit is a full-moon summer night. Intersection of CR-96 and South Platte River. From Denver, take 285 west until you see S. Foxton road off to your left. This road is easy to miss and you may have to double back. After following this scenic drive for about 10 minutes, you will come to a fork. Take a left at the fork onto CR-96. Follow CR-96 for another 10 minutes winding along the beautiful South Platte river until you see the hotel standing beside the river on your right. If you’ve crossed the bridge, you’ve gone too far.

Community Contributors

Added By

stacknls

Edited By

davidekitchen

  • davidekitchen

Published

January 7, 2025

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Sources
  • https://denvergazette.com/news/fate-of-abandoned-south-platte-hotel-at-the-crossroads-of-history-and-water-rights-is/article_cd509076-24e8-11ef-915e-5f57f0b61d07.html
  • https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SFC19120804.2.126
South Platte Hotel
17094 W Platte River Rd
Conifer, Colorado, 80433
United States
39.40806, -105.174571
Get Directions

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