Scenes From The Past

This weekend was a trip back to the past ...in a lot of ways.  We took off about 10 o'clock in the morning...south on Highway 285.  Our intention was to visit the little towns tucked away in the valleys and mountains ...It was a beautiful day...Sunny and warm. The mountains all around us were beautiful all covered with snow.  On our list was Romeo, Antonito, Manassa, and La Jara.  These are little towns  that is really a stretch, that have been settled by the Indians, the Mexicans, the Mormons and strange as it may seem...there are some Amish living in the area.  This area has such an interesting history.  Sad to say...so much of it is ..just that - history.  So many building are boarded up, decaying...looking like one of those old ghost towns in the wild west movies.

First we come to La Jara, very old town.  They have  a grocery store , a restaurant..the usual small town stores...a post office, as we drive out of town, a gas station, a run down motel.and of course a liquor store. Across the road and a block farther; on the other side of the street.  A Catholic Church with a big sign that says "Bingo...Sunday afternoon"..  Across the street  and  down, the  road,  is a beautiful big Mormon Church.

We go on down the highway about seven miles turn off the highway, over the railroad tracks just a half mile or so.

 

There we see the old decaying town of Romeo.  Same old story, old buildings that once were the hope and promise of the owner.  They did business with the locals.  Families  raising their children...going about their lives....Now, gone, all gone. But as usual one business....hangs on...A liquor store.....??

Five miles down the road east is the town of Manassa.  The story is, and I'm not all that knowledgeable about this part of history, ( must look it up)....that Manassa wanted the Railroad to go through their little settlement, but instead it went by Romeo.   Doesn't seem to have done them much good.  There are some beautiful cared for fields as we drive along ...must be raising hay. Also a few farm houses.  We pass this home that has a long shed...housing 4 Amish buggies.  

                                     

The town of Manasea: Famous as the birthplace of Jack Dempsey.  

The have a little museum dedicated to him and his history.  

There is also a statue and a little park.  The younger people would probably not know who he was.  Born in 1895 and died in 1925.  To my dad he was really a great fighter.  How did he ever get to New York from this little town? 

Along the "main street" we see this little Mexican restaurant...So we decided to give it a try. It is filled with the locals...good sign...?  The food was delicious...I had a Chimmy Changa (whatever?)...We decided it was well worth the drive....whenever  we get hungry for Mexican food. 

On through town....not much here...a nice park....2 big churches....One Catholic and one Mormon....(the Mormons have quite an interesting history here).  We turn off on a side road that promises to take us back of the Flattop Mountain.....An interesting surprise....It seems a step back in time.....Indian teepees...really...and Indians.  One of the men on a horse comes to meet us. 

He seemed friendly enough.  But said they really didn't encourage visitors...He did let us take his picture....but no more.I'm quite sure Indians didn't really live there...I thought maybe they were taking pictures, camping, whatever.   Then we took our curiosity and retraced our steps.   As we come back to the main road...we decide we have had enough for the day...so we head back toward Manassa.  Along side the road we see these little road signs.....Strange....we hadn't really run across any of the Amish farms....Maybe farther down the road...We'll check it out next time.   

We're tired so we decided to head for home.....We stopped at Little Caesar's and bought a pizza.  It's been a good day.               

The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof: the world, and they that dwell therein.    Psalm 24:1