THE GOLD COIN SALOON -- CENTRAL CITY TREASURE

by Pam North

The advent of gambling in the early 1990s brought sweeping changes to
Gilpin County.  While gaming, allowed only in the historic commercial
areas of Central City and Black Hawk, brought money in to restore the 
deteriorating old buildings, some of their authenticity was sacrificed in 
their transformation into casinos.  Central City fared better than Black 
Hawk in keeping its overall historic ambience, but precious few stayed close 
to their original state.

The Grimes family, whose members were part of the pre-gaming days of
Central City when they owned and operated the Famous Bonanza as a gift
store (before its change into a casino), have a deep appreciation for Central
City's unique historic significance.  They took possession of the Gold Coin 
bar and adjacent Lady Luck Casino on August 11, 2000, reopening it on the 
following December 7th as Easy Street.  Much of that nearly four-month 
interval was spent on a detailed restoration of the Gold Coin saloon, as well 
as bringing an elegant Victorian atmosphere to the Easy Street portion.

The Gold Coin has been around a long time.  Bart Parteli came to Central City 
in 1897 from Tyrol, Austria, and he leased the newly-constructed building 
(now known as the Parteli Block) at 120 Main Street with a partner, Gus 
Bensel, from 1897 to 1906.  In October of 1906, Parteli bought out his 
partner and purchased the structure, mortgaging all his fixtures in order 
to finance the transaction.  He operated the Gold Coin saloon until his death 
in 1922, and his wife continued to run the business (changing it to a general 
store during Prohibition) until 1943.  One of their daughters, Emma Parteli 
Pierce, has provided accurate confirmation on what was original to the 
building and business.

The Gold Coin restoration was a laborious project.  The top of the massive 
back bar, which rises to about twenty inches shy of the ceiling, was covered 
in a five-inch layer of ancient dust, under which was unearthed two old 
forty-eight star flags on wooden sticks.  The long bar was carefully cleaned, 
with all the carving detail meticulously cotton-swabbed.  The wood was so dry 
that it soaked up an estimated fifteen gallons of furniture polish, according 
to Reed Grimes.  The sconces on either side of the back bar, previously judged 
to be pot metal due to their blackened appearance, responded admirably to 
vigorous polishing by proving to be solid brass.  The floor was refurbished, 
with every plank hand-sanded so that the result would look authentic, and a 
few unsalvageable tongue-and-groove boards were replaced.  The several 
applied coats of polyurethane varnish were matched to an area (beneath the 
player piano) that seemed closest to the original appearance of the floor, 
and the old trap door to the cellar was left intact.  The vintage framed 
photographs were removed from the walls, and the glass was cleaned on both 
sides (a layer of nicotine residue had to be scraped off) before they were
returned to their previous positions.

All of the money on the ceiling was taken down temporarily, and then
replaced after the ceiling was cleaned.  The Gold Coin has had a long-standing
grand tradition of bar patrons pitching dollar bills at the ceiling so they 
stick there.  This is accomplished by pushing the point of a thumbtack through 
George Washington's nose, folding the bill lengthwise in thirds over the head 
of the thumbtack to secure it, then folding the bill again in thirds crosswise.
This monetary package is then placed on the fingertips, aimed upwards and
hurled just so, with the palm of the hand remaining parallel to the ceiling.
When the maneuver is successfully executed, the dollar bill sticks to the
ceiling, and the donor is allowed to enter his or her name in a guestbook. An 
annual party is held each fall; the accumulated money is taken down from the 
ceiling and used to buy liquor for the event.  All those who have signed the 
guestbook are invited, and the party lasts until the purchased liquor supply 
is gone.

The Grimes family has a photograph of the Gold Coin taken in 1912, and they 
are quite proud of the fact that the old saloon still looks much the same as 
it did back in those days.  Many of the items original to the saloon and 
evident in the picture still remain:  a large, wooden Viking ship, hand-carved
over a century ago, the bar mirror, cigar case, liquor case, partition safe 
and stove are among these.  An old oil lantern (now converted to electricity) 
still occupies its position, although the back of its globe was broken 
sometime in the past, and Reed Grimes is searching for a replacement that is 
similar.  An original old hitching post also still exists just outside the 
door.

A few items, including a small 1920s slot machine and a cigar vending machine, 
had been removed by the Gold Coin's previous owners, much to the consternation 
of those well-acquainted with the saloon.  Intervention by the Colorado and 
Gilpin County historical societies helped to restore these.  The Gold Coin is 
a Victorian landmark with a historic designation, and there are criminal and 
civil penalties that can be enforced in the event of removal of protected 
features and items, even including the loss of the gaming zoning of the 
property.

One has only to look at Black Hawk's forlorn Lace House to realize how
easily the gambling industry can compromise  a century-plus of history.
Individuals who revere that history, and who work to preserve it, deserve
recognition for their efforts.  Thanks to the Grimes family, and many of their
 employees, a Central City jewel will continue to sparkle.