A Slice of Local History

This week-end took us back into the past in our small Colorado town. On Friday, we celebrated our annual Santa Fe Trail Day. It honors the historic Santa Fe Trail, which runs through our town. This event is the longest event sponsored by a high school student council in the country. Students begin planning for the celebration, which always occurs on the last Friday in April, as soon as they return to school in August.

A parade features an array of horses, horse-drawn wagons, old cars, and folks dressed in costumes of the late 1800's to early 1900's. Floats from local businesses and organizations also participate. The floats entered by the four high school grades, freshmen through seniors, is only one facet of the fierce competition that takes place throughout the day. Each class nominates a Santa Fe Trail Day queen candidate, who appears in the parade in great splendor, adorned in a costume of the time period they represent. The ladies are transported along the parade route in a horse-drawn carriage. Prior to the parade, the candidates must answer questions from a panel of judges about the time period and historic person they symbolize.

Other entertaining rivalry includes a square dancing event and costume competition. After the parade and before the square dancing begins, vendors on the sidewalks offer crafts, T-shirts, and other wares for sale, along with a selection of foods from Asian to Mexican to the all American hamburger and hot dog fare.

The fire department holds a Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry, where plates are heaped with delicious food. The profits from the meal go to this all-deserving volunteer fire department. This year, ribs were served instead of fried chicken for those who don't care for the oysters. I enjoy ribs, but can't turn down those Rocky Mountain oysters whenever they are available. Try them if you get the chance. Just don't ask what they are if you don't know - until after you've eaten them!

Our Chamber of Commerce brought a bluegrass band to town for a live concert. The members of Fireweed, in addition to providing good music, had a sense of humor and elicited some laughs from the audience.

This year, in addition to Santa Fe Trail Day, the week-end was special with the dedication of our county courthouse on Saturday following the completion of renovations. The courthouse was constructed back in the 1880's. Today, several hundred citizens of Bent County and visitors from out of town gathered on the courthouse lawn to listen to speeches by local and state officials and enjoy a delicious barbecue. Many of us took a self-guided tour throughout the building and up into the new tower. I've always loved heights, and it was fun to look over our little town.














Our house is out there in the midst of those trees!





Here is a bird's eye view of our little town.

If there are any Gunsmoke fans out there, you may be interested to know that the brick building in the foreground (picture on the right) is the old jail where Gunsmoke's Festus, Ken Curtis, served meals that his mom prepared for the prisoners when he was a boy. His dad, Dan Gates, served as the Sheriff of Bent County. Ken's real name was Curtis Gates.

Ken also played a major part in the founding of Santa Fe Trail Day back in 1934 as a way for students to get what they wanted most - a day off from school! Students were required to attend class if they did not attend the festivities. Today, our school district is on a four-day work week, so all students have the day off on Santa Fe Trail Day!

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