PATHS TO THE

paths to the present | HOTEL DE HARRIS

Robert Harris Windsor’s first and most eccentric hotelier

Windsor’s first hotel, the Hotel de Harris, tells the story of a beloved local fur trapper with an indomitable spirit.

Robert Harris, a hunter and trapper born in Canada in 1829, arrived in Windsor around 1881 to trap muskrats around what is now Windsor Lake. He quickly realized the lake’s potential to become a hunting attraction and built the Hotel de Harris in 1883 at the northwest corner of 5th and Main streets. In 1884, Robert’s wife Sally Ann arrived from Canada with their daughter, Bertha.

The hotel became renowned for Sally Ann’s dinners of roast duck and currant jam. Robert and Sally Ann hosted visitors from across the nation, including Colorado

governor Benjamin Harris Eaton.

Robert also ran a muskrat trapping business, trained hunting dogs and horses, and grew his own species of rose. Additionally, he believed he could predict the weather using muskrat pelts. For years, the Windsor newspaper ran a column of Robert’s weather predictions.

Incredibly, Robert did this all with life-changing foot injuries. Before coming to Windsor, Robert’s feet were severely frostbitten. By 1908, both were amputated, but he continued to hunt, host visitors, and run his fur business.

In December 1912, Windsor’s townspeople, who loved Robert dearly, came together to surprise him with a wheelchair they purchased. When it was presented, the old

LEFT: Yancey’s livestock auction. The Hotel de Harris is the white house in the middle of the photo, partially hidden behind the brick livery building. TOP: Hotel de Harris advertisement, Greeley Tribune, Nov. 16, 1893.

trapper was so overcome with emotion he couldn’t speak.

After Robert passed away in April 1914, businessman Charles Yancey purchased the Hotel de Harris and moved it to another area of town. The building survived until at least the 1940s, when it is mentioned in a local history book.

The Hotel de Harris may still exist today. The hotel is pictured in a photograph of a 1910s livestock auction. If this building looks familiar, please contact Caitlin Heusser at (970) 674-3521.

— Katherine Mercier is the Museum Education Coordinator for the Town of Windsor.

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Snow heightens enjoyment at Magical Forest event WINTER ENCHANTMENT

Jason Venegas, 3, right, helps build a snowman during the Magical Forest event at south Eastman Park.

By Tamara Markard

While the holiday ornaments, lights and tree skirts have long been put away, used Christmas trees in Windsor found a second purpose. The town kicked off its second annual Magical Forest event Feb. 8 at the south side of Eastman Park, 7025 Eastman Park Drive, with around 800 recycled Christmas trees.

“Our community brings in their old Christmas trees and we just let the town play with them,” Lexie Spykstra, recreation coordinator, said. “It gets kids outside playing and having fun.”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Luke Hillabrand, 7, saws a branch from a tree during the Magical Forest event. Bobby Decker, of Fort Collins, swings his daughter Ember Decker, 5, up and into his arms during the Magical Forest. Killian Wagner, 6, smiles as he plays in the pile of recycled Christmas trees during the Magical Forest event at south Eastman Park in Windsor Saturday, Feb. 8. The free event is a free-form invitation to families to transform recycled Christmas trees into structures like forts and more in the park. Wagner’s twin brother, Brendan Wagner, attended the event with their mother and other friends, too. Hazel Paterson, 4, places a branch onto the wall of the tree house she is building with her friends Gabriel, Salem and Novali Mott, not pictured, during the Magical Forest event at south Eastman Park.

Attendees at the event had the opportunity to construct, create and craft anything their imagination desired using a variety of hand tools and supplies like saws, hammers and twine.

“People can come out and build their best ‘she shed,’” Spykstra quipped. “And it’s a great learning opportunity for kids that may have not used these kinds of tools before.”

Fransen Pittman General Contractors along with State Farm Insurance sponsored the event.

The Human Bean donated hot chocolate and coffee to keep attendees’ insides toasty warm throughout the afternoon.

Belinda Nunez brought her two sons, Luke, 7, and Ezequiel, 8, out to the event. The family, who reside in Severance, recently moved to Colorado from California.

“I heard about this on Facebook and I thought it would be fun and good for the boys,” Nunez said. “It’s warm now, so it’s a great way to get the boys outside.”

Creations crafted from the trees will be left up in the park for around two months for kids and parents to enjoy. After that, they will be taken down and the trees will be shredded.

GO PLAY IN THE MAGICAL FOREST

Eastman Park,

7025 Eastman Park Drive Open daylight hours Free For more information on the Magical Forest, contact Windsor Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture at (970) 674-3500.