Roads Building II, South side, Gunnison Avenue, Saint Elmo (historical), Chaffee County, CO

Significance: One of two commercial buildings surviving from secondary business district of 1880's on Gunnison Avenue. The applied moldings and careful remodeling of facade to create pediment show the refinements possible with arrival of carpenters and builders, pattern books, and outside building materials in St. Elmo. Roads represents the speculative builder in the mining camp purchasing central lots and erecting imposing commercial buildings for rental. The remodeling of c. 1918-1920 illustrates the shift of commerce from Gunnison and 1st Street to Main Street during the final boom of St. Elmo.
Survey number: HABS CO-161
Building/structure dates: ca. 1885- ca. 1890 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: after 1900 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: ca. 1918- ca. 1920 Subsequent Work