And the West is History: ‘The Famous’ advertising photo – ca. 1897

The Famous Stores Co. was a Durango clothing and dry goods store owned by B.L. Rachofsky. Opened in 1892, it operated until 1924. It was located in the 800 block of Main Avenue, where the Main Mall is today. The woman on the right in this Gonner advertising photo is Marie Burch. She married August Klahn at St. Columba Catholic Church in 1897. Klahn came to Durango as a young boy in 1880. His mother and stepfather, F.A. Schluter, started Schluter Floral, a Durango floral company that operated until 2006. – Ed Horvat for Animas Museum, edhorvat@animasmuseum (Catalog Number: 23.54.170 from the La Plata County Historical Society Photo Collections)