Blog Layout
Pagosa’s Past: Pagosa Springs was on the rise
Nov 04, 2020
By John M. Motter
PREVIEW Columnist
John R. Curry, editor of Silverton’s newspaper, published a letter written from Pagosa Springs in March of 1881. It said, in part, “Pagosa Springs, the largest, hottest, and most singularly curious hot springs of their class in the world, are no longer isolated, as they have been in times past, shut off from the great traveling thoroughfares of the country by a formidable range of mountains, a trip across which any season of the year, by such conveyances as were available, was unpleasant and tedious to the extreme.
“Now these difficulties have been overcome by the approach of the Denver and Rio Grande railroad, which was extended over the range in question and has a station at Chama only forty-five miles distant from the Springs.
“J. L. Sanderson and Co. and Wall and Witter have established lines of coaches between Chama and Durango, the flourishing city of the Animas Valley … This has given initiative to hotels and building houses … persons coming here now to see these wonderful springs and to bathe in their benefit-giving waters, can feel assured that comfortable lodging will be provided and something to eat at reasonable prices.”
The letter was a response to Curry’s unfavorable article the previous fall, when he reported traveling through Pagosa Springs. He chose to journey by freight wagon along the road between Silverton and the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad ending atop Cumbres Pass [in the San Luis Valley].
Of Pagosa Springs, he said, “At Pagosa Springs, there are at present very slim hotel accommodations; it is certainly the best point for someone to locate and erect a hotel of 30 or 40 rooms that we know of in southwestern Colorado.” He stayed overnight at the “Hotel de Blair.”
By May of 1881, Pagosa Springs could boast of its first public bath house, a frame building erected by Thomas Blair. It had a large plunge bath, fully 4.5 feet deep, and several single bath tubs, sufficient to accommodate all visitors. Pagosa Springs was on the rise.
#sanluisvalley #slv #mysticsanluisvalley #cumbrespass #johnmotter
article originally published in the Pagosa Springs Sun newspaper
PREVIEW Columnist
John R. Curry, editor of Silverton’s newspaper, published a letter written from Pagosa Springs in March of 1881. It said, in part, “Pagosa Springs, the largest, hottest, and most singularly curious hot springs of their class in the world, are no longer isolated, as they have been in times past, shut off from the great traveling thoroughfares of the country by a formidable range of mountains, a trip across which any season of the year, by such conveyances as were available, was unpleasant and tedious to the extreme.
“Now these difficulties have been overcome by the approach of the Denver and Rio Grande railroad, which was extended over the range in question and has a station at Chama only forty-five miles distant from the Springs.
“J. L. Sanderson and Co. and Wall and Witter have established lines of coaches between Chama and Durango, the flourishing city of the Animas Valley … This has given initiative to hotels and building houses … persons coming here now to see these wonderful springs and to bathe in their benefit-giving waters, can feel assured that comfortable lodging will be provided and something to eat at reasonable prices.”
The letter was a response to Curry’s unfavorable article the previous fall, when he reported traveling through Pagosa Springs. He chose to journey by freight wagon along the road between Silverton and the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad ending atop Cumbres Pass [in the San Luis Valley].
Of Pagosa Springs, he said, “At Pagosa Springs, there are at present very slim hotel accommodations; it is certainly the best point for someone to locate and erect a hotel of 30 or 40 rooms that we know of in southwestern Colorado.” He stayed overnight at the “Hotel de Blair.”
By May of 1881, Pagosa Springs could boast of its first public bath house, a frame building erected by Thomas Blair. It had a large plunge bath, fully 4.5 feet deep, and several single bath tubs, sufficient to accommodate all visitors. Pagosa Springs was on the rise.
#sanluisvalley #slv #mysticsanluisvalley #cumbrespass #johnmotter
article originally published in the Pagosa Springs Sun newspaper
Have a taste of the historic Hispanic homeland in San Luis Valley through the new book Teresa de Jesus Vigil: Herbalist, Storyteller, Poet at her book signing at Rawlings Library, 100 Abriendo Ave, Pueblo, on June 23, 6 pm and at Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center on July 10, 1:30 pm.Teresa Vigil will give a short presentation on herbs and read from her book published by Vanishing Horizons. Her cultural perspective and life-long medical experiences make her presentations compelling.Teresa [...]
An historic mining structure near Creede. Photo by Terri Cook Article originally published in 5280 article by Terri Cook"The Scenic Highway of Legends and Silver Thread, which were recently added to the National Scenic Byway system, celebrate southern Colorado's stunning landscapes and rich history.Call it the stuff of legend: Colorado’s scenery is so spectacular that the U.S. Department of Transportation recently added two of the state’s roadways to the America&rs [...]
Downtown Colorado, Inc. (DCI) and the Town of Center are pleased to announce the Solstice in Center, a creative event to engage and invite makers, artists, restaurants, and community members to celebrate the changing of season, the creative spirit, and envision the future of Downtown Center.The Solstice in Center event will kick off at 12 Noon on June 19 and will feature a dynamic lineup of San Luis Valley creatives. Some of the entertainment includes “Colorado’s Best Latin U [...]
Attached is a PDF of the Rio Grande County Museum Newsletter for June and July 2021.Featured articles and updates include:The Annual Art ShowWorld Ward II ExhibitArt Show with Amanda BlackLyndsie FerrellHigh Valley Community StudentsVolunteersSummer Programs and EXhibitsInterviews from the Past rgcm-2021-june-newsletter.pdfFile Size: 484 kbFile Type: pdfDownload File [...]
Original article from the Rocky Mountain PBSby Kate PerdoniPosted May 27, 2021“People like us are not Native American enough. And we’re not American enough. And we’re not Mexican enough,” Rael said. “And so we walk this strange line of trying to decipher our identities. And we express them in different ways.”Watch the video [...]
Original post by Rocky Mountain PBSPosted May 25th, 2021by Kate PerdoniJunita Martinez, a resident of the small village of San Francisco [in Southern Colorado], hopes educating the next generation of parciantes will help sustain water rights and the acequia tradition. Here, irrigation canals dug by hand almost 200 years ago are still used — but nature decides how much water they have to work with.Water Is Life - "We're a land and water based people. I am [...]
Original article published in the Valley CourierMay 24, 2021To train buffs around the world, it’s an unprecedented historic moment. For the first time ever, a steam locomotive from the 1880s has been completely restored and will run on the exact same tracks it originally did from 1883-1938. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad , owned jointly by the states of Colorado and New Mexico, has completed this historic project and will unveil the remarkably restored engine No. 168 at t [...]
Contributed photo Billy LeRoy and his brother Sam Potter were buried in unmarked graves in the Del Norte Cemetery. Only one headstone remains today. by Lyndsie Ferrell from the Del Norte ProspectorNow, Billy LeRoy was not your typical looking criminal. The young highwayman was known for dressing on the up-scale side and one of his most infamous traits that kept lawmen guessing who he was, was his size four shoe.At many of the locations where LeRoy held up a train or stagecoach, lawmen would find [...]
Image courtesy The Newberry Library. https://www.newberry.org by Lyndsie Ferrell with the Del Norte ProspectorThe San Luis Valley has a rich history dating back to the early 1800s thanks to the many characters that lived rough and tumble lives in the great West. Lawlessness was a way of life for many in those early days and like the song by Jim Croce, “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” the San Luis Valley had a bad, bad LeRoy of its own.According to accounts provided by the Rio Grande County Mu [...]
Photo credit: John McEvoy Special to The Colorado Sun "Experts from across the country converged to restore Engine 168 for the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad straddling the Colorado-New Mexico border.When Engine 168 chugs away from the station here in late June with about 60 passengers ensconced in four refurbished 19th century train cars, it will be the culmination of years of dreams, historic preservation work and an investment of nearly $4 million. And perhaps less visible [...]
Get Our Newsletter
