Poncha Springs in Chaffee County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)

The Jackson Hotel

June 16, 2010

1. The Jackson Hotel Marker

Inscription. The Jackson Hotel was built in 1878 by Henry A. Jackson who left his home in Kentucky looking for a place where his family could escape the turmoil of post-Civil War reconstruction. A former Memphis steamboat captain, Jackson found himself high and dry in the Rocky Mountains. Settling in Poncha Springs, which he called his "Garden of Eden," Jackson decided to open a hotel that would house his family as well as provide a living.

This roadhouse was a very welcome site for many weary travelers as they crossed the Rockies by stagecoach and horseback. Such guests have included, Frank and Jesse James, President Ulysses S Grant, William (Billy the Kid) Bonney, Susan B. Anthony, Alexander Graham Bell, Rudyard Kipling, and Horace and Baby Doe Tabor.

The Jackson Hotel has lived an incredible history. A testament to the legendary heros of the American West, its stories, passed down from generation to generation, keep the spirit of this grand hotel alive.

Erected 2002 by Al Packer Chapter 100 E Clampus Vitus.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements

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& Settlers. In addition, it is included in the E Clampus Vitus, and the Jesse James series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is June 22, 1878.

Location. 38° 30.754′ N, 106° 4.621′ W. Marker is in Poncha Springs, Colorado, in Chaffee County. It is on U.S. 285, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6340 HWY 285, Poncha Springs CO 81242, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Colorado’s Arkansas River Valley,

in the Colorado High Rockies and on the Continental Divide.

It is also in the American Mountain West.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Crossing Paths (approx. 0.6 miles away); Meeting Midpoint (approx. 0.6 miles away); Crossroads Town (approx. 0.6 miles away); Crossroads of the Rockies (approx. 0.6 miles away); Poncha Springs Country (approx. 0.6 miles away); Cities in the Wilderness (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Roof of the Rockies

The Jackson Hotel Marker Wide View image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Leslie Eudy, May 1, 2026

2. The Jackson Hotel Marker Wide View

(approx. 0.6 miles away); A Valley Landmark (approx. 4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Poncha Springs.

The Jackson Hotel image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Leslie Eudy, May 1, 2026

3. The Jackson Hotel

Credits. This page was last revised on July 10, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 28, 2017, by Frank Gunshow Sanchez of Hollister, California. This page has been viewed 2,430 times since then and 110 times this year. Last updated on May 3, 2018, by Frank Gunshow Sanchez of Hollister, California. Photos: 1. submitted on June 28, 2017. 2, 3. submitted on June 18, 2026, by Leslie Eudy of Golden, Colorado. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. A wide shot of the marker and its surroundings. • Can you help?