The Astor House

The Astor House opened in 1867 and stayed in continuous operation as a boarding house until the late 1960s. It offered rooms and hot meals to lawmakers, laborers, miners, students, and families, some of whom stayed for weeks or even months., Over the years, the Astor House claimed several "firsts” in Golden. Longtime owner Ida Goetze installed the first bathtub in town, a novelty that brought in many people willing to pay twenty-five cents to take a hot bath. One Goldenite observed that Ida made more money off the bathtub than from the rest of the hotel., An outpouring of community support saved this building from demolition in the early 1970s and renewed an interest in Golden's local history. Today, the Astor House Museum tells stories from its colorful past., Just down the street (to the left) you'll find the Twelfth Street Historic District, where some of the city's best-preserved historic homes are located. This area was commonly called the Legislative Walk, since many of the residents were prominent in state and local business, politics, and education., [Captions:] , Top right: "The Astor House will be the handsomest, as well as the most substantial hotel built in Colorado." , Golden Transcript, 1867 , Left column: Above: Advertisement from the Golden Transcipt, 1867; Portrait photo: Golden pioneer, Seth Lake, built the Astor House. , Middle right: The Astor House changed names and ownership over the years. Advertisement from the Golden Globe, 1887. , Bottom right: Far right: Ida Goetze bought the Astor House in 1892. Right: Advertisement from the Golden Globe, 1892.