A Brief History of Hotchkiss
Hotchkiss developed as a commercial center for the North Fork Valley’s farms, ranches and nearby mining communities. Enos T. Hotchkiss commissioned the prominent Hotchkiss Block in 1896, and a grand opening ball celebrated its completion on February 17, 1897. Local clay supplied bricks made by his nephews Al and Carl Hotchkiss. The building combined a hotel with shops, including a post office and general mercantile, and offered traveling salesmen space to display their goods. The town incorporated on March 19, 1900. Its historic hotel records the trading connections among Hotchkiss, Paonia, Somerset, Delta and Crawford.
Historical Sources
National Register of Historic Places: Hotchkiss Hotel significance