Home > A Brief History > The Mining Era, Commercial Development, Entrepreneurs: John Simpson Hough
A Brief History of Lake City:
The Mining Era, 1874-1904
Commercial Development: Entrepreneurs
John Simpson Hough
John Simpson Hough (1833-1919) was among the founding businessmen and mining capitalists of Lake City.
He was locally prominent from the mid-1870s until the mid-1880s when financial reversals prompted his relocation to Bent County in southeastern Colorado.
He returned to Lake City on a permanent basis in 1896 and remained here through his death in 1919. A prolific Lake City builder, Hough established the Prowers & Hough mercantile firm in Lake City in 1876 at 301 Silver and in subsequent years was responsible -- either on his own or in partnership with others -- for the Stone Bank Block (1877, 229-231 Silver), Hough Block (1880 and 1882, 300 and 304 Silver), and Avery Store (1880-81, 300 Third Street), as well his personal residence (1877, 500 Gunnison Avenue).
Although closely associated with Lake City business, Hough's early financial backing came from mining. His ownership of the Frank Hough and Palmetto mines on Engineer Pass in the late 1870s and early 1880s coincides with his greatest building activity.
As a life-long Democrat, Hough was a member of the Colorado Constitutional Convention in 1876 and was an unsuccessful candidate against Colorado Governor F.W. Pitkin in 1880.
>>Next: Entrepreneurs: John Calhoun Bell
<<Previous: Enterpreneurs: Henry Finley
A Brief History of Lake City:
The Mining Era, 1874-1904
Commercial Development: Entrepreneurs
John Simpson Hough
John Simpson Hough (1833-1919) was among the founding businessmen and mining capitalists of Lake City.
He was locally prominent from the mid-1870s until the mid-1880s when financial reversals prompted his relocation to Bent County in southeastern Colorado.
He returned to Lake City on a permanent basis in 1896 and remained here through his death in 1919. A prolific Lake City builder, Hough established the Prowers & Hough mercantile firm in Lake City in 1876 at 301 Silver and in subsequent years was responsible -- either on his own or in partnership with others -- for the Stone Bank Block (1877, 229-231 Silver), Hough Block (1880 and 1882, 300 and 304 Silver), and Avery Store (1880-81, 300 Third Street), as well his personal residence (1877, 500 Gunnison Avenue).
Although closely associated with Lake City business, Hough's early financial backing came from mining. His ownership of the Frank Hough and Palmetto mines on Engineer Pass in the late 1870s and early 1880s coincides with his greatest building activity.
As a life-long Democrat, Hough was a member of the Colorado Constitutional Convention in 1876 and was an unsuccessful candidate against Colorado Governor F.W. Pitkin in 1880.
>>Next: Entrepreneurs: John Calhoun Bell
<<Previous: Enterpreneurs: Henry Finley
Town of Lake City, PO Box 544, Lake City, CO 81235. 970-944-2333.
John Hough (1833-1919). Click on image for larger pop-up version.
Hough Residence, 500 Gunnison Avenue built in 1877. Click on image for larger pop-up version.
