Mclaughlin Building

06/16/2026

"Supporting Pueblo artists by giving them 100% of every sale while building a permanent downtown art community."

COMING SOON! PUEBLO

06/15/2026

Why do people stare up in the tree looking at this horse?

06/14/2026

06/14/2026

There’s a mural in Pueblo that tells a story many people drive past without realizing its meaning.
It features the McLaughlin Building, a landmark that has stood through generations of change, but one of the most fascinating parts of the mural is the horse known as Lucky.
Lucky wasn’t a real horse. It was a large papier-mâché figure built around the ribs of a massive beer barrel and displayed by a local saddle shop on Union Avenue. It earned its name after surviving a fire, but its greatest journey came during the Great Flood of 1921.
When the Arkansas River overflowed, Lucky was swept miles downstream before eventually being found in Avondale stuck up in a tree a farmer found it—a remarkable symbol of the power of the flood and the resilience of Pueblo’s history.
Today, the mural preserves that memory, reminding us that history isn’t just found in books. It lives in the stories, landmarks, and legends that continue to shape our community.

06/13/2026

There’s just something different about Union Avenue after the sun goes down.
The lights, the history, the energy, and the stories hidden inside these old brick buildings remind you why downtown Pueblo is so special. Every block has a past, and the future is looking brighter than ever.

06/13/2026

THE GREAT FLOOD OF 1921
AMAZING DOCUMENTARY

In early June of 1921, Pueblo experienced a devastating flood that ...

06/08/2026

McLaughlin Building in downtown Pueblo, it's the kind of place that naturally inspires stories. Built in 1891 and once home to a hotel, saloons, restaurants, barbershop, and shoe store, thousands of people passed through its halls over more than a century. It even survived the devastating 1921 Pueblo Flood, when mud buried the original garden level of the building.
Colorado Preservation, Inc. +1
Some of the crazy stories and local legends people have shared over the years include:
👻 Footsteps on the upper floors when no one else is inside.
🚪 Doors opening or closing on their own, especially after dark.
❄️ Sudden cold spots that seem to move from room to room.
👤 Workers claiming to have seen shadow figures in hallways before they disappear.
🎩 Stories of a man dressed in old-fashioned clothing watching from a window and then vanishing.
🎶 Some say they can hear faint music or conversations as if the old hotel and saloons are still alive late at night.
🕰️ Others believe the building still carries the energy of the 1921 flood, imagining the lives that were forever changed during that tragedy.
It's important to note that these are local stories and folklore, not verified historical facts. The documented history of the building focuses on its role as a bustling commercial center and hotel in the late 1800s and its survival through Pueblo's changing history. �
Colorado Preservation, Inc. +1
For many people, the biggest mystery isn't ghosts—it's imagining the thousands of travelers, bartenders, merchants, and families who walked those halls over the last 135 years. That history alone gives the McLaughlin Building an unforgettable atmosphere.

06/06/2026

Bringing History Back to Life.
In the first photo you can see a gentleman resting in front of The McLaughlin Building during clean up of the great flood of 1921. In the 8th picture you can see them pulling up a dead cow after the flood with The McLaughlin also pictured to the right. .
These incredible photos date back to 1891, now restored in color to give a new perspective on the past. Some of these images capture the aftermath of the Great Flood of 1921, a defining moment in our community's history.
Seeing these scenes in color makes it feel like you're stepping back in time, reminding us of the resilience, architecture, and stories that shaped Pueblo into what it is today.
History isn't just something we read about—it's something we preserve and pass on to the next generation.

06/04/2026

🌊 Day 3 of the Great Pueblo Flood, June 4, 1921 🌊

As midnight arrived, Pueblo found itself in the grip of a catastrophe unlike anything the city had ever experienced. What had begun as a severe storm had transformed into a disaster that would forever alter the course of Pueblo's history.

At 12:00 a.m., the Arkansas River reached its crest at an astonishing 24.65 feet. More than three square miles of the city lay underwater as floodwaters surged through neighborhoods, businesses, and transportation hubs. Water stood 9.5 feet deep at Union Depot and reached an incredible 14.4 feet at 1st Street and Santa Fe Avenue. Streets that only hours before were bustling with activity had become raging rivers. 🌊🏛️

The devastation continued to worsen in the early morning hours. At 3:30 a.m., a powerful cloudburst dropped nearly two inches of rain over El Paso County. The resulting surge raced down the Fountain River and slammed into North Pueblo with tremendous force. Highways and railroad lines were swept away, while the East 4th Street and 8th Street bridges were destroyed, further isolating parts of the city and complicating rescue efforts. 🌧️🌉

By 4:00 a.m., floodwaters still dominated Pueblo. While the Arkansas River had fallen to 18.1 feet, many areas remained under as much as five feet of water. Fires continued to burn in some sections of the city, creating an eerie scene of flames rising above the flood. Massive piles of debris clogged Union Avenue and South Main Street, cutting off access to many areas and making rescue operations nearly impossible. As dawn approached, Puebloans faced the overwhelming task of surviving one of the deadliest natural disasters in Colorado history. 💔🚒

06/04/2026

Not perfect but cool video