Green Garage — 1917

Green Garage — 1917. . , During his six-plus decades as a Lake City resident from the mid-1890s through the late 1940s, Missouri native William Francis “Billy” Green (1866-1950) was a versatile businessman and public official who also happened to be an inveterate tinkerer. , Green's life-long fascination with mechanics was at least partially responsible for this landmark brick garage building which was built in 1917 and 1918 to house two automobiles, complete with a stand-up grease pit excavated into the floor. Pioneer Lake City brickmasons Joseph A. Hunt, Sr., and his brother, William P. Hunt, were employed to construct the ground floor portion of the garage in 1917 and the following year Billy Green and his 7-year old son, David, began adding an upstairs for an office and further tinkering purposes. , Noting progress on the second floor addition in 1918, the SILVER WORLD newspaper noted, “when completed, it is now plain that it will be a decided improvement to the perspective of Fourth Street.” , Billy Green's automotive interests, like the man, were highly eclectic. His first auto which he housed in this garage was an innovative Metz, the engine of which turned a large metal disc. Friction between the metal disc and a fiber-covered wheel caused the car to move forward , top speed 20 miles per hour on level ground. David Green recalled years later that the auto “really shined” when propelled downhill. , Other automobiles housed in the garage at later times were a Willys Knight, Willys, and Hupmobile. , As president of the Gold Quartz Mining and Milling Co., the owner of valuable mining properties on Gold Hill on the upper Lake Fork Valley, Billy Green also dabbled in mineral assaying and set up a laboratory as part of the garage's upstairs office. , Billy Green's introduction to Colorado came in 1884 when, as a youth, he moved to Ouray, Colorado, to work on construction of the Beaumont Hotel and assist as a cook on one of Otto Mears' road-building gangs. His career as a fireman, and later engineer, with Denver and Rio Grande Railroad began in Gunnison in 1886, continued in 1894 when he was transferred to Lake City, and concluded in 1901 when he became owner of several local power generating plants. , Green married Capitol City, Colorado, native Mary G. Donnell in Denver in December 1906 and, following a multi-month honeymoon to New Orleans and Puerto Rico, returned to Lake City and bought this property in 1907. , In addition to owning Hinsdale Electric Light and Power Co. at Crooke Falls, Billy Green tirelessly worked to reduce Hinsdale County's bonded debt during his multiple terms as County Treasurer from 1918 to 1934. , Mary Green and her daughter, Alice, continued to live in the adjoining house after Billy's death in 1950. After Mrs. Green's death, the house and garage were sold to Jim and Dot Main in 1973. As a reflection of changing economics, the former garage was modified for use as a gift shop, the Slumgullion Gift Gallery, a use which continues today. Billy Green's original garage vision was expanded in 1983 when the Mains extended the rear portion of the brick garage to the north.