Victor
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Current photos. For historic photos, go here.
The exterior of the WFM union hall in Victor, Colorado.
The building is quite large; it has been used as a restaurant and as a school in recent years.
Victor and Cripple Creek are built on uneven ground.
The building is fenced and locked up. In its current condition, there are some significant hazards inside.
The northern side wall is comprised of uneven brick that was part of another building. The walls are 16 inches thick.
This is the view from just inside the front door.
A sign greets those who enter.
A hint of the interesting architecture that needs to be restored.
We were in the building just after a thunderstorm. Water was entering the building in several places.
One view of the water damage...
The massive upstairs gymnasium from school days hints at possibilities for the structure; the square cuts through the floor need to be repaired. Note the doorway to the left of the windows; we'll peek out that door in another photo, below.
Closeup of the stage, showing some damage.
Temporary beams hold the roof. Here the water damage is quite visible.
Temporary patches to the floor are inadequate as rain water pours in. There is an area below the gymnasium that we didn't visit because of the water damage.
Some ceiling repairs are needed, as well as roof and structural repairs.
Temporary beams hold up the roof.
The building has a steam heating system.
Yes, there is a skylight in the middle of the building.
A peek into one of the offices.
This part of the building also has water damage.
Note the thickness of the brick walls, visible in this window view.
A view of the ceiling, where water has carried away the plaster.
The elegant beauty of this brickwork has withstood more than a century of thunderstorms, rain and snow, not to mention machine gun bullets.
The roof outline and chimney from the building to the north are still visible.
A retaining wall on the north side of the property, near the back.
A loading area on the north side. We didn't see what was behind this door (on the lower level) because of the structural situation. The stairway at left in this photo goes up to the gymnasium.
The stairway at left in this photo goes up to the gymnasium.
Peeking out the door. A former assayer's office is to the right. In 1904, Colorado National Guard snipers manned the rooftops of nearby buildings and poured rifle fire into the WFM hall.
This is the storefront of the building next door, recently restored. Look at this fine restoration work, and then imagine the massive splendor of the WFM hall when we're finished...