South 4th St. - Victor, CO - Colorado Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Panel reads:

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
People of the Baptist faith were the first to organize a church in Victor - and that ministry still serves the community. In the fall of 1893, the Reverend Francis W. Ryder arrived from Rhode Island and aided the Woods family and other residents of the camp, raised money sufficient to build a small church which was erected on the lot where the shaft house for the Gold Coin Mine was eventually located. Services were held in it for the first time in January of 1894. Before completion of this small church, services were held in the office of the Woods Investment Company on North 4th Street, which later became the Sideboard Saloon.

When Father Edward Downey was sent to organize people of the Catholic faith in the Gold Camp, the Baptists shared the use of their church until other arrangements could be made. The first small Baptist Church was eventually moved to a site on Victor Avenue in 1898 and it burned in the big fire of 1899.

The beautiful brick Baptist Church at the corner of fourth and Portland Avenue was built on property donated by the Woods family. Church members sold bricks for a $1 each to raise money for the construction. A mortgage burning celebration was held in 1902. The facade of the Romanesque Revival structure has two-story brick bell tower with double entry doors at the base and a pyramidal roof topped by finials. The large round-arched window is center split into three gothic bays and opens into the sanctuary. A specially made large hand-pump bellows organ was built into the church and is still in use. In the early days a curtain was erected so the congregation would not be distracted by a local pumping up and down on a lever to force air into the bellows.

SALOON TURNED SCIENCE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
The majestic, much photographed building stood across the street from the Masonic Temple until November of the year 2000 when it was condemned and destroyed at the direction of the Victor City Council.

The building was originally constructed as the Bunte Brothers' Saloon in 1900 and a bowling alley was later added to the rear of the building. The architect for the building was Matthew Lockwood McBird, who also designed the Teller County Jail Sheriff's Office in Cripple Creek, and the Els Lodges in Victor and Cripple Creek.

The facade with the Greek Revival pediment and classical columns was added around 1910 when the building was converted to the Christian Science Church.

In later years, photos of the building appeared in the opening credits to a television show called the Outer Limits.

BUSINESSES
South 4th was once a major retail and business district. Other building located on South 4th St. at one time included a livery stable, a mining and hardware company, a restaurant, barber shop, two saloons as well as boarding houses and insurance offices.

The Christian Science Church was also the album cover for Bon Jovi: This House is not For Sale

Group or Groups Responsible for Placement: The Gold Belt Tour County or City: Victor, CO (Teller County) Check here for Web link(s) for additional information: [Web Link] Date Dedicated: Not listed

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