The Winston Fiesta

Winston, NM
GPS Coordinates (in three formats):
N 33.352093^o, W -107.649261^o
N 33^o 21.12558', W 107^o 38.95566'
N 33^o 21' 07.5348", W 107^o 38' 57.3396"
Elevation: 6,189 feet

Every town should have a festival. It's just part of being human. We need to get together and have a parade, some contests of skill, some games for the kids, some good homemade food, and a queen of something or other. The classic film about this human ritual in America is Picnic (1955)

If your town is too small, you band together with other nearby towns. So it is here. But 'nearby' isn't very near. Four very small towns; Winston, Chloride, Chiz, and Dusty; got together years ago and formed the WCC&D Community Association. A few other towns joined later but did not become named partners. Each year they hold a Fiesta at the Community Center they built in Winston. Today was the 2015 Fiesta.

Every little town park has a monument. These towns are mining towns so their competition is drilling and their park monument honors that.

At this Fiesta, there were several vendor tents ...

... and of course a bake sale.

The big event of the morning was the parade.

We had a Grand Marshall.

This parade could not have happened without the Fire Trucks ...

... including our Chloride No 3.

We had a Queen ...

... a troop of young riders from an organization I was unable to identify ...

... and some old vehicles (really only one)

Last but not least, anyone who wanted to join in

There was a meal of Bar-B-Que, Beans, and Potato Salad available. There were games for the kids, a little gambling in the form of a Cow Chip Bingo lottery. In the evening there was a dance. We had lunch and then left. We didn't stay for the afternoon and evening.

One vehicle caught my attention. It seems someone wanted to make their truck into a convertible. So they cut off the top and removed the windshield but for some reason left the windshield wipers. I can't figure that one out.

As I said, every town needs a festival. It's just part of being an American. God Bless us all.

A Letterbox for the Monte Cristo Saloon and Dance Hall

Monte Cristo Saloon and Dance Hall Gift Shop and Gallery
Chloride, NM 87943
GPS Coordinates (in three formats):
N 33.338660^o, W 107.681298^o
N 33^o 20.3196', W 107^o 40.8779'
N 33^o 20' 19.17", W 107^o 40' 52.67"
Elevation: 6,186 feet

A while back I surveyed the local area for letterboxes using the Box Radar app. The app shows numerous letterboxes in the vicinity of Truth or Consequences and Elephant Butte. However they are all old and haven't been found for several years. I suspect they are all missing and I have no desire to search for them.

Let's put one in Chloride! I have been reluctant to put letterboxes in places where I cannot maintain them, but Tiggermama convinced me otherwise. So I decided to put one here in Chloride. The owner will be Linda Turner using the trail name Monte Cristo. The box name is Silver Chloride and the number is AQ 254862. The box is located at GPS Coordinates N 33.338660^o, W107.681298^o.

The clue:

"This box is located in the Monte Cristo Saloon and Dance Hall Gift Shop and Gallery in Chloride, NM. It is available during normal visiting hours (10AM to 4PM every day). Ask for the box and tell us where the Hanging Tree is located."

I hope the letterbox and this blog post brings a few folks to Chloride for a visit to the Monte Cristo Saloon and Dance Hall and to The Pioneer Store Museum.

A Brief History of Chloride, NM

Pioneer Store Museum
Chloride, NM 87943
GPS Coordinates (in three formats):
N 33.338660^o, W 107.681144^o
N 33^o 20.3196', W 107^o 40.8687'
N 33^o 20' 19.17", W 107^o 40' 52.12"
Elevation: 6,186 feet

Looking Down on Chloride, NM

Wall Street, Chloride, NM

Thanks to Don Edmund and Linda Turner for this historical account.