Turf Exchange

Turf Exchange. 221 South Union Avenue. , In November 1880, William Moore and James N. Carlile sold half interest in this lot to George W. Crites for $1. Then, in May 1881, George sold it to Lewis C. Railey, A. B. Patton and D. F. Urmy for $1,200. In June 1881, Lewis Railey, Sr. sold the lot to Nancy E. Orman for $2,800. , Single men, who worked in the smelters, railroads, and steel works, heavily occupied early South Pueblo. A business devoted to drinking, the saloon was a relatively new male gathering place and became the workingman's social club. Saloons replaced taverns when Midwestern States passed laws in the 1830s and 1840s allowing for the licensing of barrooms without transient facilities. , Along Union Avenue, saloons, dancehalls, variety theaters and gambling rooms were famous for their riotous character. One of the most notorious saloons was the Turf Exchange. It was open 24 hours a day and had about 50 employees. In 1889, the building housed a saloon and restaurant with gambling in the rear. The second floor housed "keno" rooms and later prostitutes. At one time, the gambling room had six Faro banks, four Roulette wheels, one Hieronymus bowl, four tables for Hazard and Craps, two for Stud Poker, two for Draw Poker, one for Vingt et Un and one for High Suit. All forms of gambling were available including cards, slot machines, roulette and policy shops. The bar or restaurant featured a lunch counter. , The official records have disappeared but folklore claims that Doc Holliday gambled at the Turf Exchange and was arrested for disorderly conduct. In 1882, City Council outlawed gambling in Pueblo; but the law was not enforced. , In 1895, Pueblo's government created a saloon district that limited where saloons could be built. Naturally, it included all of the downtown area. Men could drink and gamble 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In 1903, over 100 women appeared before City Council with a petition bearing the signatures of 1,500 women. The women wanted the licenses for saloons on Union Avenue to be limited to one each block. At that time, the Pueblo City Directory listed 161 saloons for a population of 41,747 (one saloon for every 259 citizens). , In 1989, Mark Yaeger and John Wilbar purchased the building and completed the existing renovations. , 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