7th Street Shops - Romley: An Historical Overview - Post 33

 

The ghost town of Romley was still in good shape in the mid 20th Century - Poole Collection

On the gently sloped plateau below the railroad, trees were cleared and framed dwellings were constructed. The town was named James H. Morley after the Mary Murphy Mining Company's president. There would be a school and a teachery and perhaps a third boarding house and there was probably some type of commissary. But, there isn't any indication of a church or saloons nor was there any formal law enforcement other than perhaps the mining company itself. It was a company town and as near as can be determined it was started in 1883 by the MMMC;.

Romley, about 1900. Note the tailing ponds in the mid ground - Poole Col.

Early in 1885, perhaps confident that an actual municipality had been establishment at the MMMC works, Robert Coleman applied for a post office on behalf of Morley. Coleman engaged Gus Helmer (who was once again the Postmaster at St. Elmo) as sponsor for this second attempt. An Application ("Location Paper") was issued to Coleman by Malcolm Hay, First Assistant to the Postmaster General, on 29 April. Robert J. Coleman was named as the Postmaster and it was Coleman who completed the form that was returned to Hay on 18 May. The document was sealed on 23 May, 1885 and with a Post Office, the town was recognized as an established municipality.

Large depot at Hancock 1885 - Poole Col.

Coleman identified the location on the Application as Morley. However, that name was rejected by the U.S.D.P.O. Morley would not be Morley. Instead,on the document, "Mor"ley  was partially struck out and the first three letters were transposed into "Rom"; thus Romley would be the name. The reason for this would have been that there was already a P.O. named Morley somewhere in the United States. Whether the town agreed with this change would not have mattered much; to this day, Mile Post 155.6 on the old Colorado & Southern Railroad grade is the location known as Romley. 

First 16'x42' Depot moved to Romley from Hancock 1887- Poole Col.

The railroad handled the mail traffic to and from Romley but in 1885 they had not yet installed a depot at that location. By 1882 the Ogden Eating House was built at MP 155.6 within the railroad right of way but, there is never any indication that Ogden actually belonged to the railroad. Whatever the arrangement, almost certainly there would have been an agreement between the railroad and Ogden that probably included limited depot duties. Whether Ogden survived to 1885 is not known.

The Post Office was established upon the approval of the application and when the actual structure was built it was conveniently located feet below the depot. This was also at M.P. 155.6  In terms of the mail service, Coleman ran his charge out of the mining office until the structure was built. Coleman was an employee of the mining company. 

Romley in the Summer of 1983 after the Forrest Dervice had knocked down the renaming buildings - Poole Photo