Historical Survey Report 1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

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contributed to the slow start in house construction. However, activity began to pick up during the 1890's, as approximately twelve new mines were opened in the vicinity. Correspondingly, four new additions were platted during the decade. The town could boast of its own reservoir, ('95), first town hall, ('99), volunteer fire department, ('95), and electricity, ('99). By 1896, the population had reached 1,500. Like so many mining towns, Louisville was pulled in the opposing directions of trying to appear stable and respectable on the one hand, while supporting the miner's demands for less "refined" entertainment on the other. In 1882, an impressive two story frame school house was constructed at Jefferson and Spruce. Although not the first school in town, the new building symbolized the spirit of permanence and optimism for its future generations which characterized the town in that year of its in- corporation. The building was razed in 1963, however an adjacent red brick former grade school built in 1903, (now used as the community building), is slated for restoration. A Catholic church, (1884-1944), Methodist church, ('91, still standing), and Baptist church, ('01, still standing), reflected the fact of religious and ethnic diversity in the town'e early history, as well as the impression they expressed of community stability and respectability. However, as the 19091 promotional pamphlet added almost apologetically, "Louisville being almost exclusively a coal mining town, the public sentiment favors saloons." In fact, saloons were an important feature of Louisville's street-scape from the beginning, and at least thirteen were in operation along the three blocks of Front Street in 1908. They served as the natural lo- cation for miners to relax and perhaps air their grievances on the way home from the mines. The profitability of the saloons was clearly recognized by the town fathers, and an auditor's re- port from 1895 listed $4,000 brought in from saloon licenses, (the largest single source of town income at that time). Although they were restricted by ordinance to Front Street, a motion to close the saloons on Sundays was voted down in 1906. It took the emergency situation of the 1910 strike to close the saloons in 1914. Four quite different examples of early saloons exist,