Article by Marcia Darnell
Local History – July 2005 – Colorado Central Magazine
IF YOU’RE IN MONTE VISTA and looking to fill a half-hour or so after lunch or before an early movie, step into the new Transportation of the West museum. Located on the town’s main drag, the one-room showplace is a great way to get a quick view of regional mobility.
Run by the Monte Vista Historical Society, the museum is replete with photographs, reprints of which are available for purchase. The place is operated and staffed by volunteers, and the displays change weekly.
The museum consists of one large, airy room, pleasantly decorated, with a big window looking out on the town. It’s not at all musty or closed-in, like so many museums (or is that musea?). The guest book at the door is already filling with names of visitors from far places, and the donation box is a reminder that this institution is a gift to the community. Marjorie Pier, the volunteer on duty that day, said the museum is funded by grants and donations.
The day I was there, the tour started with a tribute to that great standard of Western transportation: horses. No, there are no actual horses in the museum, but their accoutrements are many. First, saddles, including a sidesaddle and a riding habit, with a photo of its former owner in full parade regalia. Another fixture is a 100-year-old buggy, which was in regular use in the San Luis Valley until just a few years ago.
The second greatest form of Western transportation, railroads, were honored in two displays. The first was a set of ties and rails, with a switchstand, brakewheel, and switchplate – the real stuff.
A display case continued the train theme, with spikes, torches, lanterns, and tools for repairing the rails. Even a couple of rail passes were included. The different railroad companies were saluted, including the San Luis Valley Railroad, and the D&RG. The museum has a large TV and VCR, and they’ll run a railroad video if you ask. The staff also maintains an HO train set, which can be played with by patrons young and old. Run only one train at a time, though, or risk generating a rail disaster.
Another form of transport, flight, was saluted with photos of the Monte Vista airport in its infancy. There’s also the first local airmail bag from 1928, a surprising find and a good save.
Another surprise was a photo of a San Luis Valley steamboat — I hadn’t known the Rio had one. It looked smaller than the Mississippi versions, but just as fascinating.
Kids’ transportation was noted with photos of little ones on early tricycles, a dog cart, a buggy, and even a burro. A milk box and some milk bottles paid homage to important trucking concerns.
The automobile is noted, of course. Several early cars are displayed in photos, as are pix of early local service stations, an adjunct to transportation easily overlooked. Early auto-repair tools are on display as well, many looking as if they have a lot of use left in them.
Old skis and showshoes, important transportation vehicles, are also on display. Wagon wheels and horseshoes bring visitors back to the door and round out this comprehensive tribute to Western mobility.
As with many museums (musea?) there are some items that don’t fit the theme. In this case, an old baseball uniform and sports gear. Some antique iron toys are on display, but as they include trucks, I suppose they fit in.
The Transportation of the West museum has a nice collection of memorabilia, and many wonderful photographs. For a quick trip through mobile history, it can’t be outrun.
The museum is at 916 1st Ave., Monte Vista, and is open from noon to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. There is no charge, but donations are accepted. For more information, call 719-852-8864, or log on to www.museumtrail.org.
Marcia Darnell lives in the San Luis Valley, home to many museums and much history.
