Maurice Woods, Sr. an entrepreneur for 35 years in Cripple Creek passed away February 28 this year, leaving behind a legacy of business and community endeavors and love of the community he adopted.

In 1970, he took his family on a motor home trip to Colorado and after finding the name Cripple Creek on a map, he felt compelled to check it out. They arrived at night and the next morning were greeted by burros looking for treats. Little did they know at the time, but they would eventually make Cripple Creek home.

Woods was born in Los Angeles and grew up in nearby Glendale. After graduating from Glendale Academy, he attended Walla Walla College in Washington. While at Walla Walla, he met Lois Prince. They both then returned to California and attended Pacific Union College. During that time, on July 19, 1953, the couple married. Woods was drafted into the Army for two years. They spent most of that time in Kentucky before returning to California where Woods attended La Sierra College and then Loma Linda School of Medicine.

Woods decided that he didn’t want to be a doctor and dropped out of school to pursue other ventures.

Woods then worked with motor home manufacturers in California and started his own company in 1964. He did well and became proficient in construction work.

The trip to Colorado in 1970 had been prompted by his wife’s desire to return to Colorado. She had lived in Boulder as a young girl from 1938 to 1942 while her father served as Superintendent of the Sanitarium there and her mother worked as an anesthesiologist. She had fond memories of the mountains and always wanted to return at some point.

There was something intriguing about Cripple Creek and Woods drove down Bennett Avenue and spotted a man sitting in a chair in front of a building. He yelled to the man asking if he knew of any buildings for sale. The man, Dodson Benedict, yelled back that the one he was in front of was for sale. He invited the family to come have breakfast and they would discuss and possibly make a deal. The building was 246 E. Bennett Ave. It had been the blacksmith shop, but Benedict had tried to turn it into an art gallery. Woods purchased the building and turned it into the Rocky Mountain Canary General Store. Mrs. Woods named the business and is still running it to this day.

Maurice Sr. and Lois Woods finally moved to Cripple Creek permanently in 1991 when the casino business was beginning to take hold. Their son Maurice Jr. moved with them and helped restore buildings for casinos and other businesses. Their daughter Sandra remained in California as an attorney and married to Dr. Joseph Skahen, MD.

Woods had renovated and built buildings in California so obtaining more buildings to repurpose was no challenge. He repurposed buildings and owned four casinos of his own: Cripple Creek Ore House, which due to a name dispute, was changed to Lucky Lola named for Lola Livingston one of the ladies from Meyers Avenue. Uncle Sam which is now part of Bronco Billys, Loose Caboose now the Double Eagle, and Bowl of Gold, which is now the Brass Ass. Other buildings to Wood’s credit include Maudie’s Incredible Emporium and many commercial and residential buildings.

When not building or refurbishing, Woods promoted Cripple Creek with events such as the Great Chili Cookoff, the Kansas City Sanctioned Barbeque Blaze Off, the Timbersport Challenge, the Mark Chestnut Concert, the Cripple Creek Film Festival, and the King of the Hill Rodeo. He placed a 30-foot Christmas Tree in the middle of the intersection of Second Street and Bennett Avenue in 2005.

In 1995 he purchased 26 acres about a half mile west of town and built the building from the ground up. The building and land today are owned by their son, Maurice Jr who operates Ace Hardware and rents out space for the Venture Grocery Store and the liquor store.

Maurice Irving Woods, Sr. who was once destined to be a doctor changed course and became a successful entrepreneur who made an indelible mark in Cripple Creek for 55 years. Woods passed away on January 28, but his legacy lives on through his wife Lois, son Maurice Jr. and daughter Sandra and he will continue watching over Cripple Creek from his final resting place in Mt. Pisgah Cemetery.