Grand Junction in Mesa County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Bannister Furniture

c. 1890

Photographed By Mark Hilton, July 7, 2018

1. Bannister Furniture Marker

Inscription. William H. Bannister came from Molina, Colorado in the 1890s and in 1897, bought an established furniture store and funeral parlor from M.O. Whitehead. At the time, many furniture stores sold caskets and had an undertaker on staff.

W.H. Bannister's two sons, Earl and Olney (Ollie), and a daughter, Pearl Silcox, and and her husband, James, joined the business and the store became Bannister Brothers and Silcox. The store, minus the undertaking business, became Bannister Furniture and after 102 years, closed in 1999.

Ollie Bannister became a Colorado state senator and helped pass legislature that changed the name of the Grand River to the Colorado River and helped establish Grand Junction State College in 1925.

Erected by Colorado Historical Society. (Marker Number 10.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1897.

Location. 39° 4.047′ N, 108° 33.912′ W. Marker is in Grand Junction, Colorado, in Mesa County. Marker is on Main Street west of South 5th Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 436 Main Street, Grand Junction CO 81501, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

marker. Grand Junction News Established (a few steps from this marker); Mesa Drug/City Market (within shouting distance of this marker); Sampliner’s Dry Goods (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Fair Building (about 300 feet away); Benge’s Shoe Store (about 300 feet away); Majestic/Mesa Theater (about 400 feet away); St. Regis Hotel (about 500 feet away); Whitman School (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grand Junction.

Regarding Bannister Furniture. William Bannister opened a furniture store/undertaking business here in 1897. Ignoring the two small original city burial grounds on the north side of town, Bannister established a small cemetery just for his customers on Orchard Mesa. The City eventually bought out and enlarged that cemetery. The undertaking business died out, but the furniture store was continuously operated by various family members until 2002.

It was not unusual for small pioneer western towns to have one businessman who owned a saw mill, sold raw lumber and/or made furniture and caskets out of the lumber.

Former Bannister’s Furniture store, marker is on far right of building, left of street sign. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, July 7, 2018

2. Former Bannister’s Furniture store, marker is on far right of building, left of street sign.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 12, 2018. It was originally submitted on July 12, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 477 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 12, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.