By Linda Jones
The Harris Block, now housing the Famous Bonanza Casino, is a beautiful and typical Victorian business “block.” The recessed entrances sheltered customers from the elements and the large windows displayed the merchant’s wares to advantage.
The building was built in 1875, soon after the Great Fire on May 12, 1874, destroyed nearly all the commercial buildings in the Territory’s second-largest city. Through the decades, a variety of businesses occupied the Harris Block: the New York Store, a mercantile clothing business, a boarding house and a popular restaurant during the high-flying tourist days of the late 1900s.
Nancy and Ross Grimes opened the Famous Bonanza gift shop in 1959. The Bonanza was one of the most popular shops in town, partially due to the carved old miner, Pete, who was a natural for tourist’s photos. When those tourists flocked to Central City in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, the gift shop merchants in the town were able to eke out a living in the four-month tourist season, but when the ski areas began competing for summer tourism, the town’s economy began spinning down.
A look back at the old Harris Block building in Central City, which now houses the Famous Bonanza Casino. Photo courtesy of Ann Dodson
Searching for additional lures to attract tourists the town’s businessmen decided to follow the lead of Deadwood, S.D. In November 1990, Amendment 4 passed and casino gambling began on October 1, 1991. The Grimes, already a two-generation business team, began renovating the old building.
Restoring the threatened old structures in the business district was the prime reason for the amendment. Nearly every building on Main Street tilted because its walls no longer all connected and their foundations were crumbling, if they even had foundations. The rear of the Harris Block building was detached from the sidewalls, and the façade had been changed and painted and repainted over the years until it was unrecognizable. The Grimes family spent a year carefully restoring the vintage structure and adding Victorian details, such as rich carpeting, Tiffany glass, bronze statues, antiques and architectural features. The casino opened in January 1992.
The Grimes family has been valued partners of Central City’s for more than 50 years and three generations now work on Main Street in the family casinos. Ross and Nancy are still involved, as are their children and spouses: Ann and Ed Dodson, Reed and Kathy Grimes, Sue and Brad Hentschel. The third-generation is represented by Leah Carrington and Jeff Hentschel.
Family is important to this family, and “family” includes their customers. No wonder the Famous Bonanza was recently voted most friendly casino.
