The Fort is a historic restaurant in Morrison, Colorado. Construction of the structure started in 1961 and was inspired by Bent's Fort.[1][2]
The Fort | |
 | |
| Location | 19192 CO 8, Morrison, Colorado |
|---|---|
| Architect | William Lumpkins |
| Architectural style | Pueblo Revival Style architecture |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000585 (original) 100005379 (increase) |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | July 14, 2006 |
| Boundary increase | July 27, 2020 |
History
editThe adobe structure was built between 1961 and 1963 for Denver advertising executive Sam Arnold. A replica of Bent's Fort, the structure incorporates over 80,000 handmade adobe bricks and beams hewn with drawknives, foot adzes and hand planes.[3] Originally planned as a living history museum that would also be a home for the Arnold family, the Arnolds pivoted to finishing the first floor as a restaurant to secure Small Business Administration funding to complete the interior of the building.[4]
The 300-seat, Western-themed restaurant opened in the building's first floor on February 1, 1963.[5] Arnold developed menu items based on ingredients available in Colorado at the time of Bent's Fort and promoted frontier cookery with the public television series Frying Pans West. After marrying for the second time, Arnold sold the restaurant in 1973. The restaurant was returned to him in foreclosure in 1986.[6] The restaurant hosted President Bill Clinton’s state dinner for the 23rd G8 summit in 1997.[5][7]
Following the death of his second wife in 1998, Arnold's daughter Holly Arnold Kinney returned to run the restaurant with him until his death in 2006.[5] Kinney also founded the Tesoro Cultural Center, a nonprofit that sponsors an Indian Market and Powwow and other cultural events at the Fort.
Cuisine
editThe Fort's menu features local ingredients and regional game, particularly bison, elk, and quail. Recipes are inspired by a 3,000-volume rare and historic cookbook library amassed by Sam Arnold,[8] with additions made through a semi-annual process that considers new ideas from the restaurant's kitchen staff.[9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Noel, Thomas Jacob (1997). Mile High City : An Illustrated History of Denver. Encinitas, California: Heritage Media Corp. pp. 448–451. ISBN 978-1-886483-10-1. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
- ^ "The Fort Restaurant History's". Archived from the original on November 23, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ Inge, Arline (May 2, 1996). "First, Catch Your Buffalo; History: Sam Arnold can tell you anything you'd want to know about Old West flavors--including that dash of gunpowder". Los Angeles Times. p. 16.
- ^ Davis, Jo (June 28, 2024). "BizBeat: The origins of The Fort Restaurant in Morrison is a modern settler's tale". Jeffco Transcript. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
- ^ a b c Browning, Kristen (February 4, 2013). "The Fort restaurant in Morrison celebrates its 50th anniversary – The Denver Post". Denverpost.com. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ Harden, Mark (October 29, 2000). "Daughter helps Sam Arnold hold down The Fort". Denver Post. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
- ^ Kenworthy, Tom (June 21, 1997). "LETTER FROM DENVER; World's Fare, Rocky Mountain (Oyster) Style". The Washington Post. p. A 16.
- ^ Farney, Teresa (July 1, 2019). "The Fort, a landmark restaurant rich in history". The Gazette. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
- ^ Martin, Molly (January 31, 2023). "Waugh! The Fort Celebrates Sixty Years of Old West Wonder". Westword. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
External links
edit
Media related to The Fort (Morrison, Colorado) at Wikimedia Commons
39°37′44.17″N 105°11′33.09″W / 39.6289361°N 105.1925250°W
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