The Old Dillon Inn has closed its doors...for good. Apparently, after 140 years in business the ODI, as it's affectionately known by the locals, is history.
The ODI has always had a place in Summit County history. Sometime in the 1800's the town of Dillon was established. They chose the spot where three rivers, the Blue, the Snake and Ten Mile, came together and built a trading post and a few other buildings. Over time the town grew and continued to survive until the Denver Water Board determined they needed water storage in the high country. The plans for the dam were put together and in 1961 the plan was put into action.
Many buildings from the old town of Dillon were moved to neighboring Silverthorne, the ODI was one of those buildings. The remaining buildings were left where they stood and still remain at the bottom of the reservoir today and a new town of Dillon emerged on the shores of Lake Dillon.
Rumor has it the site of the Old Dillon Inn is to become a Sonic Drive In. I hope that is not the case. I find myself thinking I can have one of those great ice cream treats from the new Sonic in Silverthorne whenever I see one of their commercials. I don't need any of those ice cream treats and I hate to see more and more chain stores of any sort expanding into this unique mountain community. Before too long we won't be able to tell which town we are in because they are all the same.
Read the Summit Daily's article about the closing of the Old Dillon Inn.
Old Town Dillon photo courtesy of Denver Water
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I also had heard rumors of Sonic, so perhaps it is true! Too bad, as the last thing we need is another fast food place.
Hey! Call your mayor. Call your congressman. Get some women together, and turn it into a town museum. Now that's a project.
Women can do ANYTHING!
Hi Meredith...progress can be sad, huh? Have you ever gone back to somewhere you used to love years ago...only to find it was completely torn down? That's sad. I try to remember it will ALL be gone someday, so it doesn't matter anyway. Take lots of photos!
Good post. Sad story. It's to bad the amount of history that has to be remembered through photographs when it could be still being enjoyed. Not everything old needs to be torn down and rebuilt.
Joanne - Maybe that Sonic thing is more than just a rumor. We'll probably find out the intentions soon.
Patsy - I bet you're an inspiration to those around you! Actually, it might be relatively easy to save the ODI as a historic building. We have several of those around town. hmmm....
Lania - Nothing ever stays the same. That's the one constant in life, it's always changing. Sometimes it's for the best, othertimes not so much.
Jason - It's always sad to see the things we love become history as the world moves forward. We just need to determine which ones are worth saving. Sometimes that is hard to see until it is too late.
Thanks for your comments!