Gold Dust Block

Gold Dust Block. 130-132 South Union Avenue. , Edward Home owned this property in 1879. In 1881, Daniel Kelly sold the property to C. A. Dimmick for $7,500. A year later, Dimmick sold the property to Andrew McGovern for $8,000. , In 1889, the Sanborn Insurance Maps listed four businesses in the area that is now the Gold Dust Building. The corner building, 132 South Union Avenue was the Crawford Block and housed the first YMCA offices with rooms on the second floor. A saloon occupied 130 South Union Avenue. On D Street, there was a restaurant run by John Petell and another building. These buildings were demolished, so the Gold Dust Block could be built. The architect was P. P. Mills, and the owner was Andrew McGovern. , The McMahon and Collier Undertakers and Embalmers, Pueblo's first funeral and embalming business, was the building's most prominent business. Owned by James F. McMahon and J. E. Collier, who had been educated in New York City, the firm represented a major change in American funeral practices. Formerly, the deceased was taken to the cemetery from the family home. One of the services provided was the use of an ornate funeral wagon with a fancy livery and handsome horses. The United Undertaking Company succeeded McMahon and Collier. , In the 1880's, when a distinguished person died many businesses would close for burial rites. It was customary for a band to play dirges at the head of the cortege. Black horses pulled black hearses for adults. White horses pulled white hearses for children. One of Pueblo's largest funeral processions was for Robert Krague, Pueblo's first Fire Chief, who died after being thrown out of his buggy. The funeral procession was nearly two miles in length. The parade began with the assistant fire chief followed by the firemen, a platoon of police, the firemen's band, fraternal lodges, and state representatives from other fire departments and city officials. , This project funded by a grant from the Colorado Historical Society State Historical Fund, Historic Pueblo Business Center Association, Security Title Guaranty Co., Kathie White, Mary Orf, John Demas, Friends and The Farley Foundation