Labor Temple - 455-459 North Front Street

The first building at this location was a little rock home. In 1878 a mine cave-in occurred directly under the house. All that saved the family was the carpet securely tacked around the edges. It supported them until friends reached through the doorway and helped them to safety.

In 1889 the wooden Edgar Opera House was on this lot. It burned down five years later and was replaced with this stone building. The United Mine Workers of America purchased the building and mounted a stone “Labor Temple 1914” sign on the roof above the corner door. Douglas Preston, the first criminal attorney of Wyoming, had his office upstairs. Among his early cases was the defense of Butch Cassidy.

Prize fights, bartenders’ and firemen’s balls, traveling vaudeville troupes and plays were held in the Union Opera House. The seats could be slid under the stage and around the walls for dances. Later, the Grand Movie Theater was here, and as many as four different movies were shown in one week. Each Saturday, children paid the ten-cent admission to watch continuing serial movies that lasted for weeks.

Cross J Street and continue walking along North Front.

Calamity Jane worked in the variety show and beer garden of old “Uncle George Harris” on North Front Street. She lived in a dugout on M Street and announced her appearances in town by emptying both six shooters while “shouting verbal oaths well tarnished.” Even though she stirred things up when she visited Rock Springs in the 1880’s and early 1890’s, no one remembered her doing any unjust harm. She was described as being her own worst enemy.