The history of the Appleby Motel begins in the 1920s after Ed Wild purchased the land west of Idlewild bridge that would later become the motel grounds. One of Ed Wild’s first constructions was a stone cabin that still stands on lot 20 today.1Drake Home Demonstration Club, “History of the Big Thompson Canyon” 1939. p9-11 For a time this cabin would be his primary residence and ranch headquarters, but eventually he would sell this home moving into a log cabin next door. In 1931 he built a small pedestrian footbridge to connect his residence to the other side of the river.2The Estes Park Trail, 3 Apr. 1931. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. His plan was to build a roadside store that had easy access to his cabin.3The Estes Park Trail, 3 Apr. 1931. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
Berthoud Dale Briefs
There have been two bridges constructed over the Big Thompson river this winter, one at the small dam near the Cotner College ranch to give a nearer entrance to the Fred Neville ranch, also at the Nugget Springs ranch where Messrs. Bean and Palmer have made a dude ranch out of the Jackson place at Montrose. A foot bridge is under construction at Ed Wild’s place at Harding Heights about 10 miles east of Estes village. Mr. Wild expects to erect a store on the highway across the river from his ranch to which the bridge will lead.4The Estes Park Trail, 3 Apr. 1931. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
The Estes Park Trail – April 3, 1931
In 1933 a fire occurred on the property “caused by a defective flue” that resulted in Ed Wild’s cabin being burned down.5The Estes Park Trail, 17 Mar. 1933. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. Despite this Ed would live in the area until 1946 before selling to Hubert “Bert” Arthur Appleby.6Fort Collins Coloradan, 13 Sep. 1946. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
Buys Canyon Place
H. A. Appleby has purchased the Ed Wild property in the Big Thompson canyon and will make a resort there, with 30 cottages, store and other buildings.7Fort Collins Coloradan, 13 Sep. 1946. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
Fort Collins Coloradan – September 13, 1946
Appleby’s first construction was a ten room motel on the hillside next to the stone cabin. A fountain was put in the motel’s courtyard along with a swing set and other recreational equipment. Like Ed Wild, Appleby wanted to utilize the area across the river next to the highway. The first building built here was a restaurant called “Appleby’s Cafe.”
Appleby’s Motel and Cafe. The motel is located on the left side of the river and the cafe on the right. Ed Wild’s bridge at center.
Over the course of several years Appleby built a convenience store, gasoline station, and a separate washroom facility for the restaurant. A half dozen stone benches and street lamps were also put in along the riverfront.
The gasoline station advertising fishing tackle, cameras, film, and Sinclair H-C gasoline. The stone benches and lampposts are also visible on the motel side of the riverfront, c. 1940s.
Constructing these buildings and improvements was a large undertaking, and some of the workers opted to live on the property, which included the family of contractor Harold Hudson.
Dorothy Hudson, daughter of contractor Harold Hudson, sitting in front of the Appleby Motel fountain with the Dauth’s dog Taffy (left) and Appleby’s bulldog Jody (right). Jody the bulldog was locally famous after Appleby had gold canines implanted into her jaw. The newly constructed “Appleby Cafe” is in the background, c. 1940s.
The Appleby Motel c. 1949 as depicted on a postcard. Ed Wild’s stone cottage is located at left, the motel is located on the right, Appleby’s Cafe located bottom left, and washroom facilities bottom right.
During the summertime, Appleby had a small roadside attraction setup between the cafe and gasoline station. It included pine trees sourced from the hillside and stuffed bears owned by an individual named “Ross.”
Ross’s Bear Show in front of Appleby’s cafe, July 6th, 1948. “Cupcake”, the bulldog, sits on the right bear.
Grandaughters of Hubert Appleby with the Dauth’s donkey, Fluffy, in front of Ross’s bear attraction c. 1948. Jody Appleby (left), Claudine Appleby (Middle) Donna Appleby (right).
Ross’s stuffed bears in front of Appleby’s cafe July 26th 1948. Granddaughters of Hubert Appleby, Jody Appleby (left), Donna Appleby (right). Granddaughter of George Dauth, Leslie Dauth (center).
Appleby would run the motel until February 1949 when it was sold to Boyd Jones.
Appleby Motel Bought by Boyd Jones, Former Pilger, Neb., Resident
New owners of the extensive Appleby Motel setup in the Big Thompson Canyon are Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Jones, formerly of Pilger. Neb. They purchased the store, cafe and cottage operation from H. A. Appleby, who has owned it for several years and who developed it to its present size. Mr. Jones operated a locker plant and market business in Pilger. The couple have three sons: Donald, 16; Leland, 12, and Larry, 10.8The Estes Park Trail, 18 Feb. 1949. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
The Estes Park Trail – February 18, 1949
Christmas card from the Boyd Jones family c. 1950.
Boyd Jones would own the Appleby Motel and Cafe for about three years until selling to Ben Fedderson in 1952.
Appleby Motel Sold to Ben Feddersons, Iowa
The Appleby Motel in Big Thompson Canyon has been sold by Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Jones to Mr. and Mrs. Ben Fedderson of Wyoming, lowa, it was announced this week. The new owners took possession March 1. The Jones’ have not announced their future plans.9The Estes Park Trail, 7 Mar. 1952. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
The Estes Park Trail – March 7, 1952
The Feddersons initially balanced managing the motel while running a gasoline station in downtown Loveland, but sold the station in April 1953 in favor of devoting their full time to the motel.10The Estes Park Trail, 10 Apr. 1953. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
August, 1952. Leon Fedderson (right), son of Ben Fedderson, sitting with grandchildren of George Dauth, Leslie Dauth (left) and Jerry Dauth (middle). Photo from Leon Fedderson.
John “Johnny” Fedderson, youngest son of Ben Fedderson, showing off the daily catch in front of Appleby Cafe c. 1952. Johnny was known to outfish the pros staying at the Motel, equipped with no more than a tree branch rod, twine line, and safety pin hook. Photo from Leon Fedderson.
The Feddersons would own Appleby Motel for about five years before selling to Chris Johnson in 1957.11The Estes Park Trail, 25 Oct. 1957. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. They would keep ownership of the buildings across the river renaming the restaurant to the “Covered Wagon Restaurant” and converting the gasoline station into a souvenir shop.
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Feddersen have sold their Appleby Motel to Chris Johnson of Greeley. Involved in the transaction was the trade of the Johnson ranch and the Feddersen’s motel and home in the Canyon. The Johnsons will take posession of their newly acquired property the first of the year. The Feddersen’s Covered Wagon Restaurant was not included in the transaction.12The Estes Park Trail, 25 Oct. 1957. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
The Estes Park Trail – October 25, 1957
Chris Johnson would own the motel for only a few months before selling to Glen and Helen Floyd. The Floyds purchased the souvenir shop from the Feddersens and used the shop as the motel office.
Welcomed to the Canyon this week is Mr. Glen Floyd who has purchased the Appleby Motel from Chris Johnson and the Curio Shop from Ben Feddersen. The purchaser of the 10 unit Canyon Motel is an experienced motel man, having managed a motel at Ogalalla, Neb., for 10 years. For the last year he has had employment in Denver where Mrs. Floyd and their three children are living now but will come to the Canyon as soon as schools in Denver are closed for summer vacation. The Floyd’s two sons are David, 13 years of age, John 9 and the daughter, Rosanne is 10. Mr. Floyd is a native of Sullivan, Ill., and Mrs. Floyd is from Grainton. Nebraska.13The Estes Park Trail, 30 May. 1958. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
The Estes Park Trail – May 30, 1958
Advertisement for Appleby Motel shortly after being purchased by Glen and Helen Floyed, March 25, 1960.14The Estes Park Trail, 25 Mar. 1960. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
Glen and Helen would begin leasing the Covered Wagon Restaurant in 1963 and manage its operation for the next few years. Inspired by the vista of Palisade Mountain north of Idlewild, the Floyds would rename the Appleby Motel to the “Palisade Motel” in the late 1960s.
The Appleby Motel after it was renamed to the The Palisade Motel by Glen and Helen Floyd c. 1970.
- Drake Home Demonstration Club, “History of the Big Thompson Canyon” 1939. p9-11
- The Estes Park Trail, 3 Apr. 1931. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
- The Estes Park Trail, 17 Mar. 1933. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
- Fort Collins Coloradan, 13 Sep. 1946. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
- The Estes Park Trail, 18 Feb. 1949. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
- The Estes Park Trail, 7 Mar. 1952. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
- The Estes Park Trail, 10 Apr. 1953. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
- The Estes Park Trail, 25 Oct. 1957. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
- The Estes Park Trail, 30 May. 1958. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
- The Estes Park Trail, 25 Mar. 1960. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.