Written and photos by Mike Robinson-Johnson and shared with his permission
Fawn Hollow Mine, Tipple and unknown building, July 2025
Upon further request here's a more detailed write up on the history of the Legendary Fawn Hollow Tavern and Mine.
The First appearance of the "Fawn Hollow" name was in 1925 making newspaper headlines as a place for a great natural amphitheater hosting an elaborate event "The Awakening" in the same year. The Tavern opened in 1932 as "Fawn Hollow Dance Hall" a place for miners of Brookside, and Fremont County to meet, drink, and dance. The name was later changed to "Fawn Hollow Tavern".
The mine was opened in late 1932 employing 10 men and producing 172 tons of coal to heat the tavern and local homes.
Florian Adamic created Fawn Hollow Coal Company in 1932 with it first appearing in the 1931-1934 edition of the Colorado Annual Reports of the State Inspectors of Coal Mines. He employs 10 men to start mining coal on his property. The mine is short lived lasting until 1939 with very little history in between, and Fawn Hollow Coal Company disappears from State Coal Mine Inspection Report records in 1939 with a production of 515 tons. The mine did produce over 17,000 tons total between 1932-1939. Records are as follows: 1932- 10 men employed 172 tons; 1933- 7 men employed 2807 Tons; 1934- 12 men employed 4090 tons; 1935- 10 men employed 3461 tons; 1936- 11 men employed 3208 tons; 1937-6 men employed 1655 tons; 1938- 4 men employed 1425 tons; and 1939- 4 men employed 515 tons. The lack of history and information leads me to believe the mine was "worked out" and closed in 1939 due to declining production.
The Tavern however, quickly prospers drawing in many different walks of life, from miners, to locals, to soldiers from Ft. Carson who were stationed at the prisons due to the "finest dance floor in Fremont County" and nightly ruckus. Sitting just far enough from Cañon City, and equally as far from Florence Fawn Hollow became one of the roughest bars in Fremont County, gaining the nickname "The Bucket of Blood" due to almost nightly fights. For two decades patrons of the Tavern could start trouble, and disappear before law enforcement could arrive.
In 1952 the rough behavior finally escalated out of hand, as Special Deputy William Calhoun is called to a disturbance. When Deputy Calhoun arrives and confronts the crowd they quickly turn on him, beating him into a semi-conscious state. Over half a dozen men are accused of beating the officer, resulting in 6 arrests, two of which were Soldiers from Ft. Carson.
Public outrage ensues with multiple citizens calling for the closure of the bar. Law enforcement, and even leadership from Ft. Carson starts calling on the county commissioners to close the bar, and 6 petitions are turned in. In November, 1952 an article appears in the Pueblo Chieftain calling for the closing of the bar, with the Florence Police Chief quoted saying "The trouble lies, not in the management but the location. It's far enough from Cañon and Florence that there can be trouble and everyone is gone before officers get there" reconfirming the public worry over it being 'lawless'. The same Pueblo Chieftain article also has the Florence Ministerial Allegiance supporting the closure and is quoted as saying "they urged the closure of Fawn Hollow in light of recent events it is a source of trouble to the community."
Faced with public outcry, law enforcement, Ft. Carson pushing, and even the Pueblo Chieftain writing about it the Fremont County Board of Commissioners has no choice but to deny the 1953 application for a liquor license, ultimately closing the doors on Fawn Hollow. Despite the initial close the owners wouldn't take no for an answer, trying to file again for a license but failed with the County ultimately citing "a lack of running water and adequate modern bathrooms" as the official reason for denial.
Since closing in 1952, the tavern has had just as rough of a life as it once hosted. Fires in 1967, and 1968 destroyed everything except the walls, and vandalism in the 80's and 90's left it covered in spray paint. In 2008 Fremont County 4-H kids and families painted the building, covering the vandalism, and heavy rains in 2012 ultimately collapsed the roof.
Today it sits on Private Lands with no public access, and has the Last Standing Tipple in Fremont County.
(Please Note all photos were taken between the fence and guardrail, or via 280ft in the air via Mini 2 drone, as the property is Private and should be treated as such.)
