The Brick Yards of Steamboat Springs

The Brick Yards of Steamboat Springs In the pioneer days before the arrival of the railroad in 1908, Steamboat Springs went through a progression of building materials from logs to sawed lumber to stone to brick. Each step required more money and more skilled labor, but the resulting buildings were more durable and handsome, and gave the town a sense of permanency. The first buildings constructed in Steamboat Springs were the two log cabins James H. Crawford started in 1874. The smaller cabin had a crude stone chimney, with the rocks just piled on top of each other. The larger cabin had a simple stovepipe. With the arrival of Horace Suttle and his sawmill in 1873, the town progressed to framed structures. Crawford's third house, constructed in late 1886, was a cottage built with lumber from the sawmill. He wanted to also upgrade to a real brick chimney, and so hired George Hangs to make bricks for him. The Pilot reported: Mr. Crawford expects to begin making brick about the 15th inst. George Hangs of Denver will superintend. 1 The brick kiln has been fired and in a week the first brick burned in Routt county will be ready for use. 2 Crawford frame cottage built at the end of 1886. Its chimney used the first bricks made in Routt county. This house still exists at 1238 Crawford Avenue 1 The Pilot, July 11, 1906, page 2 in the 20 Years Ago column. 2 The Pilot, September 9, 1903 page 2 in the 17 Years Ago column. 1

The next use of brick for chimneys in Steamboat appears to be in 1888 when the town experienced its first building boom. Four buildings, each with a connection to Crawford, were built with brick chimneys in that year: 1. Lulie Crawford's claim cabin on the east slope of Emerald Mountain; she was James Crawford's daughter. 2. J. D. Adams' house across the street from the Crawford cabin; this house still exists at 134 12th Street. 3. Office of the Steamboat Springs Company, of which Crawford was the manager. 4. Second bath house at the town hot springs, also built by the Steamboat Springs Company. We do not know if the bricks for these chimneys were surplus bricks from the 1886 work, or, more likely, if there was a second firing of the kiln in 1888. Lulie Crawford's claim cabin J.D. Adams' house Steamboat Springs Company office Steamboat Springs Company bath house 2

By 1891 the Steamboat Springs Company entered into a contract with Charles A. Heff and Benjamin F. Thissell to make more bricks. The contract refers to the kiln about one mile below Steamboat Springs, as if it is a kiln that has been previously used, so we can assume that it is the same kiln George Hahns originally used. Heff and Thissell are a bit of a mystery since their names do not appear in any Colorado newspapers or census. As there is no mention in the newspapers about these bricks, there is a possibility that the endeavor failed (although very few newspapers from the 1890s exist). 3 This article of agreement made this 9th day of July A.D. 1991 between Charles A. Heff and Benjamin F. Thissell of Steamboat Springs Routt County Colorado, parties of the first part and the Steamboat Springs Company of the same place party of the second part. Witnesseth: That the said parties of the first part agree and hereby bind themselves to make, burn and furnish to the said party of the second part at the kiln about one mile below Steamboat Springs one hundred thousand good merchantable brick, one third of which shall be a good quality of burnt(?) brick of fairly uniform color - said brick to be made and delivered on or before the fifteenth day of September 1891. In consideration of the above agreement made by the said parties of the first part and upon the delivery of the brick as above specified the said party of the second part hereby agree to pay for said brick at the rate of ten dollars per thousand thirty per cent of said payment to be made in lots in the town of Steamboat Springs at the Company's regulation prices therefor the balance to be paid in cash or its equivalent. It is hereby further agreed that the said parties of the first part shall have the free use of such ground belonging to the Company as may be necessary for the making of said brick, said ground to be selected at a point on the north side of the Bear river and about one mile below the Town of Steamboat Springs. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 9th day of July A.D. 1891. Benj. F. Thissell Chas A. Heff J. P. Maxwell Pres Steamboat Springs Company 3 James H. Crawford's 1889 Copy Book, ed. James Logan Crawford, page 65 3

The next use of bricks in Steamboat was for a renovation William Dunfield made to his house on Oak St. in 1896. He added a layer of bricks to the outside of the house as veneer, the first non-chimney use of bricks in Steamboat. We do not know where he got his bricks. He ran a mercantile store which obtained its wares from Denver, so he could have shipped in a small supply of bricks for himself. The next mention in the newspapers of brick making was an effort by James Hangs to make bricks on the island : "Jas. Hangs contemplates the establishing of a brick kiln on the island below town in the spring."4 "Jas. Hangs is doing considerable work on the island preparing his brick kiln for operation."5 It is unclear whether this was the same location as was used in 1886 and 1891. Only two business buildings were built in 1899, neither of which used brick: a wooden addition on Dunfield's store, and a stone building for the Hugus company. The following year, in 1900, the Hugus company brought in two men from Rifle, where they had another store, to open up a kiln on Soda Creek: Mullin and Babcock of Rifle have located their brick kiln on the north side of Soda creek at the intersection of Pine and 9th street, they having found in the bank there a clay which is suited to their purpose and which they say will make a splended quality of brick. 6 The bricks were used to build a warehouse for the company on Lincoln Avenue adjacent to the Hugus Company store made from stone. This became the first brick building in Steamboat and the building still stands and is used by the VFW. In 1901 Hugus built a brick store in Rifle to replace their wooden store there. The brickyard on Soda creek was bought by Ed Smith and converted to a lumber yard.7 4 5 6 7 The Pilot, December 28, 1898, page 4 The Pilot, July 26, 1899, page 4 The Pilot, June 13, 1900 page 1 The Pilot, August 14, 1901 page 1 4

1902 Steamboat Springs Brick Company Trogler brick yard Demand for a high quantity of bricks grew as the new century arrived. A column in the Pilot in 1901 indicated that the Methodist church wanted to build their new building of pressed brick, but they needed over 200,000 bricks and had to settle for wood. In 1902 the Routt County Sentinel stated that the town was far too advanced to be without brick, and they proposed the city prohibit any new buildings on Lincoln Avenue that were not made from stone or brick. John Geil must have heard the clamor, because he started the Steamboat Springs Brick Company, with W. L. St. Clair the superintendent, and opened up a brickyard on land leased from Minnie Hangs, the widow of John Hangs, situated a few hundred feet east of the Yampa River and north of Fish Creek. St. Clair, along with Kitzmiller and Keefe, both of Denver, brought machinery from Denver to make pressed bricks, rather than the previous burnt bricks. By June 27, 1902, eight men were working at the brickyard, including Aaron Smith (Minnie Hang's father). Within a month they were turning out 10,000 bricks per day. These bricks caused a surge in brick buildings in 1903: the two-story Hugus building at 928 Lincoln; the Franz building at 830 Lincoln; the Milner home at 1051 Crawford Ave.; and the Schaller home at 1006 Crawford Ave. The brickyard lay idle in 1904, but under the new ownership of Aaron Smith, with Henry Trogler (George Hangs' step-daughter's husband) running the yard, it produced enough brick in 1905 to make the 1st National Bank and the F. M. Light building; and in 1906 the Wither building (burned in 1961), the Carver Light Co. building, and the Laundry building. Henry Trogler continued to run the yard at least through 1915, when they made a quarter million bricks. Notable brick buildings constructed during these later years included the Maxwell building, the Milner building, the new school on Pine St. in 1911, and the Schaefermeyer building in 1915. The brick yard had competition in 1914 when two buildings, the Creamery and the Barnum building, were built using brick shipped in on the railroad from Denver. The yard shut down after the 1915 season, and never re-opened. 5

Early brick buildings in Steamboat Springs The following buildings include all known buildings in Steamboat Springs built with brick prior to 1916 (some used a combination of bricks and stone). Unless otherwise indicated, the bricks used were made locally at the Trogler brick yard and the building is still standing (although in some cases the original brick can no longer be seen): 1896 Dunfield residence "veneered" (Oak St) (torn down 1949) (origin of bricks unknown) 1901 Hugus #2 (924 Lincoln) (Soda creek brickyard) 1903 Hugus #3 (928 Lincoln) 1903 Franz building (830 Lincoln) 1903 Milner residence (1051 Crawford Ave) 1903 Schaller residence (1006 Crawford Ave) 1905 1st National Bank (803 Lincoln) 1905 F. M. Light store (830 Lincoln) 1906 A & G Wither store (Lincoln & 6th) (burned 1961) 1906 Carver Power station (124 10th St) 1906 Laundry building (127 11th St) 1908 Franz building addition (830 Lincoln) 1908 Maxwell building (842 Lincoln) 1908 Frazier building (500 block Lincoln) (torn down 1921) 1909 Depot (1001 13th St) 1909 Schaffnit building (818 Lincoln) 1909 Stukey Bros (833 Lincoln Ave) (burned 1970) 1909 Jones block (next to Stukey Bros) (burned 1970) 1909 Pilot #3 (1009 Lincoln) 1910 Milner bank (903 Lincoln) 1911 Steamboat Springs School (Pine St) (torn down 1967) 1911 Northwestern Loan building (827 Lincoln) 1913 Laundry addition (127 11th St) 1914 Creamery (824 Lincoln) (Denver brick) 1914 Progressive Bakery (738 Lincoln) 1914 Williamson building (734 Lincoln) (Denver brick) 1915 Orpheum Theater (828 Lincoln) 1915 Schaefermeyer building (811 Lincoln) 6

North side of Lincoln Ave: Maxwell 1908, F.M. Light 1905, Franz 1903, Orpheum Theater 1915, Creamery 1914, Baer 1891, Schaffnit 1909, Furlong 1920, & Jones 1919. All but the Baer building were made of brick and still exist. The 2 Hugus buildings built in 1901 and 1903 Milner and Schaller residences built in 1903 1st National Bank built in 1905 Carver Power station built in 1906 7

Laundry built in 1906 and 1913 Depot built in 1909 Pilot built in 1909 Milner bank built in 1910 School built in 1911 Progressive Bakery & Williamson building, both built in 1914 Northwestern Loan built in 1911 Schaefermeyer built in 1915 8

8 Aaron Smith and Minnie E. Hangs leased to Steamboat Springs Brick Company the following land in Sec 20: "Beginning at the point of intersection of county road and the Kennedy North line of SE ¼ of NE 1/4 of Section 20 Township 6N Range 84W 6th Principal Meridian thence North 380 feet thence West 285 feet thence South 380 feet thence East 285 feet to the place of beginning to be used as a brick yard and appurtenances thereto. The lease ran for 2 years with an option for 2 additional years. Rent was 25 cents for 1000 bricks made, with an advance payment of $50 for the first 200,000 bricks made. The leasers provided water and clay. 8 County Deeds Book 38 Page 240, February 23, 1903. 9

The Men Behind the Bricks Over the 30 years that bricks were made in Steamboat, one extended family provided most of the brickmakers: the Geil-HangsSmith-Trogler family. The Geil family immigrated from Germany in 1842, and the 1850 U.S. census showed them living in Chillicothe, Ohio. The oldest daughter, Christina Geil, married Melchior Hangs and had four sons: George, John, James, and Francis. The father died shortly after the Civil War, and the family moved to Denver. Christina's older brother John Geil also came to Colorado, where he lived in Golden. Uncle John Geil John was a brick maker, and two of his nephews, John and James, worked with him as brick molders. John followed his nephews to Steamboat in 1887, and was probably the experienced voice behind the brick making in Steamboat.. He never married, and was called Uncle John by the newspapers. He was the chairman of the Populist party convention in 1898, but in 1902 was on the Democratic county committee, representing the Sidney precinct. For the most part he lived quietly on his ranch until he died in 1908 from pneumonia after a stretch of poor health. George Hangs, the oldest brother, first came to Routt County by 1879 when he and Denny Gaff drove some cattle into the county and camped near Cedar mountain northwest of Craig. The following spring Ellis Clark helped him drive the cattle over the Gore range, through Middle park, over Rollins pass and into Denver. He came back to Steamboat in 1886 and made the first bricks in Routt county for James H. Crawford. George located at Encampment, Wyoming, where he lived off and on until he died in 1908. Around 1892 he married Mrs. Martha Ellen Glenn Stearns, who had two daughters from her previous marriage: Estella and Abbie Stearns. Abbie Stearns married David Henry Trogler in 1893. 10

John Hangs married Minnie E. Smith in Denver and had three children. He located on a homestead southeast of Steamboat, between Fish Creek and Spring Creek. In 1891 his uncle John Geil deeded him more land, just north of Fish Creek and east of the Yampa River, which John had bought from homesteader James Connell. John deeded this land to his wife in 1896. Two years later, he was living on the Milner ranch with his brother James. James returned on January 27 after visiting his family in Steamboat and discovered that John had blown his brains out with a shot gun. Jim, John, and George Hangs The paper only alluded that family troubles probably led John to this final act. Minnie continued to live in Steamboat with her three children, on her ranch at the mouth of Fish Creek. She added ditches and fences to the Connell land and paid all taxes. However in 1900 the Land Office at Glenwood Springs incorrectly declared this tract to be vacant land, whereupon her brother-in-law George Hangs, while Minnie was visiting her parents in Utah, filed a homestead claim for the land. When Minnie discovered later what George had done, she hired Judge Walbridge to fight for her land. The case ended up in the General Land Office in Washington, where they voided George Hangs' homestead entry No. 1019 and reinstated James Connell's entry No. 480, clearing the title for Minnie. Minnie's parents came to Steamboat to live with her for a while. Her father, Aaron Smith, worked for the Steamboat Springs Brick Company for a couple of years, and took over ownership of the brickyard in 1904. He then became involved with the Steamboat flour mill and in 1909 bought the flour mill in Craig. 11

James M. Hangs worked as a fireman on the Denver & Rio Grande railway when he turned 18. At 21 he became a brick mason, and made some of the bricks that are now in the Tabor Opera house in Denver. He married Rosa Baatz in 1883 in Denver. When they came to Steamboat, James homesteaded four miles northwest of town to the northeast of Deer Mountain. One year made bricks on the island north of Steamboat. His mother lived with him and died on his ranch. His five children all attended the Steamboat schools. David Henry Trogler was born in Ohio, but moved to Iowa as a child. He came to Colorado in 1878 where he worked in the brick making business first in Denver and then Leadville. He married Abbie Stearns, the step-daughter of George Hangs, in 1893; they had two children. In 1901 he moved to Steamboat Springs, where he lived the rest of his life. His 40-acre ranch was on the divide between Fish Creek and Burgess Creek. After operating the brick works in Steamboat for 14 years, he worked in some local coal mines. He worked six years as the caretaker of the county court house before dying in 1938. 12