Stanley Steamer

What better thing can you do on a nice warm winter day than to go to Estes Park? So bright and early we were off. Instead of doing our usual there, walking up one side of the street and down the other sticking our heads into this shop and that shop, we decided to park at the other end. We visited a little Christmas shop, then drove up the hill to look around at the residential area close to town. That took us past the Stanley Hotel.

The Stanley Hotel is a large white building that looks a lot like a mansion. We wanted to see what it looked like inside. We were impressed with the lobby, the gift shop, and the old car that was on display.... the original "Stanley Steamer." Now, I always thought that Stanley Steamer was a carpet cleaning company. But I think that is Stanley Steemer.

In 1897 F. O. Stanley and his twin brother started manufacturing steam driven cars in Maine. In 1898 F. O. (Ferninan Oscar) moved to Estes Park Colorado for health reasons. He brought his original Stanley Steamer to Colorado in 1903, and it sits in the lobby of the Stanley Hotel which he had built and opened in 1909.

Mr. Stanley also helped to shape the tourism of Estes Park. He built the road to Lyons over which he brought visitors to Estes Park in His Stanley Steamer. This marked the first time in history that visitors were brought to a resort in an automobile instead of a train. (Now we try to get people out of the automobiles and on to trains).

Some pretty famous people have also stayed there over the years: Stephen King, whose novel, "The Shining" is based on the Stanley Hotel. Also: John Philip Sousa, Theadore Roosevelt, Jim Carrey, Molly Brown, Wayne newton, Bob Dylan, Tony Bennett, Johnny Cash, Billy Graham, and others. Most stayed in room 217, which we were told is no nicer than any of the other rooms, but is definitely more famous.

And the Stanley Hotel also has a coffee shop where you can get a fine cinnamon roll and a...., and a.....Starbucks. Which, of course makes the whole trip worth while.