The plaque reads:
The New Sheridan Hotel figures prominently in the life and times of early Telluride. In 1903, William Jennings Bryan, while running for President, gave his 'Cross of Gold' speech in front of the hotel. The building withstood the fire of 1906, the flood of 1914, and was host and "watering hole" to miners, rail roaders, cowboys, locals, travelers, the famous, and the infamous of the day.
The New Sheridan Hotel, was constructed in 1897 as a two-story building, and the third story was added in 1899. The cherry and mahogany bar and back-bar were imported from Austria in 1897. THe original Sheridan Hotel (constructed 1881) was located on the adjacent lot at the corner of Colorado Avenue and Oak Street (thus the name New Sheridan Hotel for this structure). Both structures were standing until the fire of 1906 which destroyed the original Sheridan Hotel. The reconstruction of the Sheridan Hotel was completed in 1994 and recalls the architecture of the original buildings.
William Jenning Bryan's speech may be found at (
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"Opened in 1891 just four years after Telluride was founded, the New Sheridan Hotel has been welcoming guests for over 100 years.
Like the town itself, the hotel was built in the distinguished Victorian style with the riches from gold and silver strikes in the surrounding San Juan Mountains. The original Sheridan Hotel was a three-story wooden structure built directly east of the courthouse. Three years later, in 1894, the original building was destroyed by fire. The present brick building was erected next door to the burnt lot, and reopened as the New Sheridan Hotel in 1895. A detailed renovation in 1995 reinstated this historic treasure to its former glory and added the renowned New Sheridan Chop House and additional rooms.
The New Sheridan Hotel was recently accepted as a member of the National Trust for Historic Hotels of America, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C. The National Trust, founded in 1949, is America’s leader in the historic preservation movement with the mission of protecting the irreplaceable. The New Sheridan Hotel's commitment to historic preservation is recognized among 185 hotel members in 44 states, Canada, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The New Sheridan Hotel is dedicated to faithfully maintaining the historic integrity, architecture and ambience of the hotel." (
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