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Historic Colorado Dining: The Morrison Inn
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Most Coloradans know the town of Morrison as the little town between Bandimere Speedway and the southern entrances to Red Rocks Amphitheater, but that sleepy, little town has a lot of history of its own including The Morrison Inn.
Founded in 1874, the town is named for George Morrison, a Scottish stonecutter who, like many immigrants, came to America seeking opportunity, fortune and fame. He formed the Morrison Stone, Lime and Townsite Company shortly after learning that a planned railroad from Denver to South Park would come through the region. The railroad never went further than Morrison as The Panic of 1872 and successive years of crop failure slowed development. The railroad to Morrison, completed in 1874, ran until flooded out in 1925, but the more practical route through Platte Canyon developed at the same time became the preferred route. Morrison survived as a stage route and mail center for the region.
George’s son, Tom, owned and operated the Turkey Creek Toll Road near the present day location of the Fort Restaurant and became the first mayor of Morrison when it incorporated in 1906. He made his fortune in the gold fields of Cripple Creek in the early 1900’s but not mining gold. He ran a morgue. He took his money back to Morrison and began raising cattle.
Tom’s son, Pete, began working at the age of 14 driving the stage between Evergreen and Morrison. Later, he became a Silent Movie Star working in over 200 movies from 1910 to 1927. He is credited with teaching Marion Morrison, (no relation), how to ride. Marion Morrison adopted the screen name “John Wayne” and became a Hollywood icon.
Modern Morrison still shows its pioneer heritage through surviving homes and storefronts, including the Morrison Inn. The Morrison Inn is located in shops that once belonged to The Pike and Perry Mercantile Company, Henry F. Wolf’s Pool Hall, Tobacco and Barber Shop, and Pete Christenson’s Shop. Inside, much of the original woodwork and brickwork is still visible. A trip to Morrison and to the Morrison Inn is a historical adventure in itself.
The Morrison Inn serves Mexican food and boasts about their World Class Margaritas. They are pretty good. The house margarita is the “Juan’s Margarita” and it is neither sweet nor bitter. It has a good balance of flavors, but it is not the best margarita I ever tasted. As for the food, I enjoyed their version of chips and salsa. The sauce had a nice texture for dipping and was spicy enough for most tastes. It had a good flavor.
As for the food, it was just mediocre, but part of that may be due to our vegetarianism. For example, the “Macho” burrito I sampled probably would be more macho if I could sample their spicy green chili, but I cannot since it is made with pork. I had to go with the vegetarian sauce and it was ladled on too lightly for my tastes. We also tried the Fajita Soft Tacos that they served up vegetarian for us, and they were nice. The food was good, but just not great. The service, on the other hand, was outstanding.
I marveled at our server just watching her work. I could not read the name on her tag, and I neglected to ask, but this woman was a dynamo. I do not know how she kept such enthusiasm for her work, but she treated every table equally and watched after each as if she were tending flowers in her garden. When we needed more salsa, we did not need to ask. She was right there with a new bowl. When our drinks were empty, she was right there ready to refill. She never kept us waiting long for anything. She is an asset to that restaurant and I hope she is paid well. Of course, you know we left her a nice tip.
The Morrison Inn provided an enjoyable experience that rates an “A”. My love of history may bias my opinion, but I think most who try this establishment will be pleased. With so much Colorado History in the region from Red Rocks, to the Hog Backs, to Bandimere and the Dinosaur Tracks, a trip to Morrison gives a nice “taste” of Colorado and Colorado history. A stop at the Morrison Inn just makes it taste a little bit better. Founder George Morrison would be proud.
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For more info:
The Morrison Inn
301 Bear Creek Avenue
Morrison, CO 80465
303-697-6650
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