Lincoln Park in Denver in Denver County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
The Buckhorn Exchange
Established 1893
— Denver’s Oldest Restaurant —
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, October 13, 2008
1. The Buckhorn Exchange Marker
Inscription.
The Buckhorn Exchange. Established 1893. In November 1893, Henry H. “Shorty Scout” Zietz opened a saloon in this building, which was built about 1886 by Neef Brothers Brewery. Known as the Rio Grande Exchange, the saloon catered to the railroaders working across Osage Street at the Burnham Yards of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. Zietz later changed the name to the Buckhorn Lodge and then to the Buckhorn Exchange. Legend has it that “Shorty Scout” had been at various times a frontiersman, a crack shot who rode as a scout with Col. William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, a hunting guide for President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, and a worked in Leadville mines owned by U.S. Senator Horace W. Tabor.
Shorty ran the Buckhorn until his death in 1949, when his son Henry Jr., also an avid big-game hunter acquired ownership. For three generations the Zietz family collected the hundreds of taxidermied [sic] trophies, antique firearms, Native American artifacts, photographs, and western memorabilia displayed in the restaurant today.
In 1978 the Buckhorn was sold to a group of Denverites, headed by Roi Davis. They carefully renovated and restored this important piece of Colorado history. The Buckhorn retains its original interior, including the 1857 white-oak bar, from the Zietz family tavern in Essen, Germany. On the back bar is displayed Colorado Liquor License #1. This small 19th century saloon has become world-famous for its steak and game dinners, museum-quality artifacts, and celebrity patrons including many American presidents and British royalty. The Buckhorn Exchange is on the National Register or Historic Places, and was designated a Denver landmark on August 28, 1972.
This plaque was installed to mark the centennial.
In November 1893, Henry H. “Shorty Scout” Zietz opened a saloon in this building, which was built about 1886 by Neef Brothers Brewery. Known as the Rio Grande Exchange, the saloon catered to the railroaders working across Osage Street at the Burnham Yards of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. Zietz later changed the name to the Buckhorn Lodge and then to the Buckhorn Exchange. Legend has it that “Shorty Scout” had been at various times a frontiersman, a crack shot who rode as a scout with Col. William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, a hunting guide for President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, and a worked in Leadville mines owned by U.S. Senator Horace W. Tabor.
Shorty ran the Buckhorn until his death in 1949, when his son Henry Jr., also an avid big-game hunter acquired ownership. For three generations the Zietz family collected the hundreds of taxidermied [sic] trophies, antique firearms, Native American artifacts, photographs, and western memorabilia displayed in the restaurant today.
In 1978 the Buckhorn was sold to a group of Denverites, headed by Roi Davis. They carefully renovated and restored this important piece of Colorado history. The Buckhorn retains its original interior, including the 1857 white-oak bar, from the Zietz family tavern in Essen, Germany. On the back bar is displayed
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Colorado Liquor License #1. This small 19th century saloon has become world-famous for its steak and game dinners, museum-quality artifacts, and celebrity patrons including many American presidents and British royalty. The Buckhorn Exchange is on the National Register or Historic Places, and was designated a Denver landmark on August 28, 1972.
This plaque was installed to mark the centennial.
Erected 1993.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Notable Buildings. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1893.
Location. 39° 43.931′ N, 105° 0.31′ W. Marker is in Denver, Colorado, in Denver County. It is in Lincoln Park. Marker is at the intersection of Osage Street and West 10th Avenue on Osage Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1000 Osage Street, Denver CO 80211, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, October 13, 2008
3. The Buckhorn Exchange Marker
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, October 13, 2008
4. The Interior of the Buckhorn Exchange
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 17, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,155 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on January 17, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 2. submitted on May 25, 2022, by Janet Schexnayder of Slidell, Louisiana. 3, 4. submitted on January 17, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
