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You really are drinking on top of a historic underground tunnel.
A Little History Under Your Feet
El Rancho has been part of Durango’s story for more than a century, and some of its strangest history is hidden below street level.
Want to Go down there?
Small groups • Ages 13+ • Historic photos & stories • EMF detectors available
MORE HISTORY. MORE GHOSTS. MORE DURANGO.
A FIGHT BENEATH EL RANCHO
On October 7, 1915, future heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey fought Andy Malloy in an exhibition bout at the Gem Theater across the street. No knockouts were allowed.
This photograph shows Dempsey and Malloy around that same time fighting in the basement beneath what was then the Central Hotel, today’s El Rancho Tavern.
Basements and backrooms like this also hosted secret cash-only prize fights known as “smokers.” Hidden from public view and the law, they were considerably rougher than the sanctioned exhibition across the street.
And judging by the photo, Malloy was having a particularly bad night.