New owner plans revival of historic Lamy saloon
Winslow Arts Trust is also renovating La Castañeda in Las Vegas
Not only is Allan Affeldt renovating the historic La Castañeda hotel in Las Vegas, N.M., but also he’s now taken charge of efforts to revitalize the beleaguered Lamy Railroad and History Museum, which includes the beloved Legal Tender Saloon.
“Like the Castañeda, it’s one of those really iconic buildings. It has one of the most beautiful bars in the state,” he said of the oaken bar at the Legal Tender, which was brought over from Germany in 1884.
Despite the name Legal Tender, no money exchanged hands in the deal.
Last month, the nonprofit group that operated the museum and bar/restaurant dissolved, and turned over its assets to the Winslow Arts Trust, which Affeldt formed with his artist wife, Tina Mion, in 2010 originally to promote the history and culture of Winslow, Ariz. The couple renovated Winslow’s La Posada Hotel, another historically significant hotel along the old Santa Fe Railroad route and Route 66.
Sam Latkin, who served as treasurer of the nonprofit that ran the Lamy Railroad and History Museum, said it was a struggle for the small organization to keep the restaurant and bar open regular hours. Turning operations over to the trust made sense, he said.
“This was simpler,” he said. “If we had sold it, we would have had to divide up the money. This way, we transferred our assets to another nonprofit.”
Affeldt said proceeds generated through the Winslow Arts Trust go to charities.
He said he’d like to reopen the Legal Tender as soon as possible.
“The building is in reasonably good shape,” he said, adding that everything at the bar/restaurant is functional. “Right now, there’s so much excitement and enthusiasm for it, the sooner we open the better.”
Affeldt said the key is finding the right people to run the food and beverage operation, a process that has already started.
The Legal Tender building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was constructed in 1881, first operating as a general store, according to a website produced by the railroad and history museum. It became the Legal Tender after undergoing remodeling in the 1970s.