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This hotel was located on the main street in the middle of town. The owner and proprietor of the hotel, Galen Hodges, had acquired the block on which the hotel stood; and on this block he also owned a private home, a mercantile store, and a drug store. Slave quarters were located in the back of the block. Mr. Hodges was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on September 18, 1812. He then moved to Georgia and on to Florida. In New Orleans he took passage on the Amelia Chase in March 1837 and landed in Matagorda on April 9, 1837. Mr. Hodges enlisted in the army on April 12, 1837, for twelve months in Captain Weih's Company in Colonel Wigginton's Regiment. When he was discharged, he received a large land grant. Following this, Mr. Hodges was appointed Collector of Customs by President Sam Houston. Mr. Hodges was married to Amelia McKinstry in 1845 at Matagorda after he settled there. Mr. and Mrs. Hodges bought their private home from a Mr. McCamley in 1852 and set up residence on this block while operating the Colorado House and other businesses. During the Civil War, Mr. Hodges' losses were heavy, but he did retain his real estate. The Colorado House was built in the middle 1800s of cypress. The lumber was brought to Matagorda from the East as ballast in ships. The hardware of the hotel was of copper and brass and square-headed nails were used in the hotel's construction. The hotel had about twenty rooms, fourteen of which were guest rooms upstairs. The furniture was made of mahogany, walnut and cherry, much of which is rare today. The dining chairs were Chippendale Chairs and did not have a nail or screw, but were put together with wooden pegs. Every room of the hotel had its own private dressing room. Downstairs were two great rooms that were divided and could be joined together by folding the doors back. At times this great hotel was filled to capacity and Mr. and Mrs. Hodges often had to take their personal friends into their own home. Everything in the Colorado House was of the best and the silver was no exception. The pattern was beautiful and was marked Colorado House on the handle. The hotel also used beautiful candlesticks to hold the many candles in the hotel. Many famous and important people visited the Colorado House, including General Andrew Jackson who arrived Sunday, May 3, 1857, after the death of his attendant. Many Confederate veterans also visited the Colorado House after the Civil War years. A. B. "Shanghai" Pierce visited the hotel often. Many large plantation owners brought their families as well as slaves to attend to their needs. The guests brought their own transportation and also traveled to Matagorda by stagecoach which arrived and departed from the hotel. Mail carriers who rode from Austin to Galveston made overnight stops at the Colorado House. Many sailors from the schooners that shipped cotton to and from Matagorda spent the night at the hotel while their ships were in port. Many of these sailors came from the northern states of New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Some came from California and Missouri. The plantation owners came from the Deep South states such as North and South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia. Some of the guests came from the foreign countries of England, Germany, Ireland, France and The Netherlands. The fact that Matagorda shipped out cotton brought business to the town. The rates the guests paid for a room in the 1880s were very different from today's rates. Each meal cost fifty cents and rooms were rented at one dollar a night. If washing was done at the hotel, it cost from twenty-five cents to one dollar depending on the size of the wash. To shoe a horse, the charge was one dollar and to feed the horse, fifty cents. Four of the registers of the Colorado House are in the possession of Hodges family descendants. The registers show the many different names and signatures of the guests. In some of the registers, the horses names were even entered The people of Matagorda and the hotel guests enjoyed entertainment throughout the year at the hotel. Many balls were given at Christmas time and the two large downstairs rooms were thrown together to make a large dancing floor. At the end of the great room was a large fireplace over which hung a large mahogany-framed mirror. At Christmas, "Merry Christmas" was written across the mirror. The Colorado House was also the scene of many soirees which were evening parties. The stationery of the Colorado House was also of superior quality. The artist, Helmuth Holst, that drew the illustration visited Matagorda and then returned to Europe where he drew the scenes of Matagorda from memory. He sent the illustration back to Mr. Hodges and Hodges decided to use it as stationery despite the fact that that the artist misspelled the name of the hotel on the drawing. The artist understood the name to be Colonado House instead of Colorado House. The Colorado House no longer remains, but the memory of the magnificent hotel still remains in the minds of those who were able to see the hotel in their early days. Sources include: Three interviews with Mrs. A. H. Wadsworth, January 6,1972, February 18, 1972 and February 21, 1972 Hodges Family of New England by Almon D. Hodges, Jr.
Original lithograph of the 1850s used for the
stationery |
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Richard Reney, New Orleans James Harper, Caney Benj. Seaborn, Jr., Caney Maj. G. J. Bowie, Caney Mrs. Handly and daughter, Wharton County J. E. Hooper, Wharton County Geo. Cheesman, Payton's Creek Wm. Elliott, Colorado [River near present day Bay City] Moses Vandorn, Liveoak Creek Miss Lydia Vandorn and sister, Live Oak Creek P. C. Evans, Caney C. A. Hill, Caney Mrs. Dr. Sewson, Caney A. W. Thompson, Caney Col. J. L. Thorp and servant, Caney J. W. Granger, Caney Capt. Fish, Schooner Mystic, New York Mrs. Sheppard, Caney Miss Narcissa Pledger, Caney S. W. Hardeman, Caney Wm. B. Turner, Mobile
Mrs. Goldsmith, Wharton County |
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The Matagorda Gazette, July 11, 1860--The 4th gave an impetus to things about town, which was quite pleasant and refreshing. Our people wore unusually smiling faces, and gave early evidences that they were mindful of the glorious day, by throwing their country's ensign to the breeze, and marching to the martial step of exhilarating music through streets. Some of the little boys were "gotten up for the occasion," being dressed in quite unique costumes, and trained to perform some wonderful gyrations of the features and body. The little fellows showed that the spark of patriotism had already been kindled in their young bosoms, and that they gloried in imitating the examples of their forefathers. Having no artillery, the loudest possible noise was made with pistols, crackers, &c., which was kept up pretty much all day. In the evening, the boys were joined by several old citizens, and a grand parade was had, after which the crowd adjourned to make ready for the ball and theatre. We understand that the theatricals passed off with great éclat; songs appropriate to the occasion were sang; together with the usual interesting performances. But the greatest event of the day was the ball given at the Colorado House. By ten o'clock a large number of "fair women and brave men," were on the floor, and the brilliantly lighted rooms reflected a scene of joy and conviviality worthy of the "longago" reputation of the place. Among the ladies we noticed an unusual number of strange faces, but like our own townsladies, they were beautiful and moved in the mazy whirl like zephyrs o'er the rosy bowers of elysian fields. The men were attentive and gallant, and no effort was spared on their part to make the hours fly pleasantly. About 1 o'clock the happy throng repaired to the spacious dining room of "mine host," where everything to regale and refresh the company was spread out upon a table that extended the entire length of the building, and seemed to smile under its load of good fence.
Reprinted in the 100th Anniversary Edition of the
Matagorda County Tribune, August 23, 1945 |
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Copyright 2007 -
Present by Carol Sue Gibbs |
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| This page was created Apr. 20, 2007 |
This page was updated Apr. 22, 2007 |