Did you ever spend time at a Grand Junction hangout called the "Penguin Room"? Probably not, that is unless you were in Grand Junction in 1949. The building still stands. Where would you expect to find it?

The Penguin Room was located in the back of Harris Drive Inn in downtown Grand Junction. Does the name still not ring a bell? I asked several lifelong residents of the valley, some of which were well into adulthood in 1949, and they don't recall this particular place of business.

The Penguin Room and the Harris Drive Inn were located at 660 White Avenue. In other words, on the northwest corner of 7th and White. Now does the building seem familiar?

While the building still stands, it is no longer a hangout, or for that matter, anything along those lines. Not long ago it was the law office for a handful of local attorneys. Today, it's a center for children.

One has to wonder what kind of place the Penguin Room must have been. Locals who lived in the area back in the late 1940's mysteriously have no recollection of this establishment.

The next time you're cruising around the downtown area, take a glance at the building. It's hard to believe the structure was around in the late 40's. Aside from the absence of a neon penguin sign, the building has hardly changed a bit.

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