For several years while driving North thru Trinidad, I noticed an old brick making plant off to the East side of I-40 (within the town's city limits).
Last week while returning from a Denver trip, I wanted to get several pictures of the kiln remains. Stopped and inquired at the office of the present property owner if it would be possible. Brick making ceased years ago, and the location is used by a garbage collection firm to park and repair their equipment.
I inspected the 4-5 remaining kilns. Also discovered a cemented section of pathway which had some rails & switches imbeded. Did not have a tape measure, but the gauge looked to be 20" or 24".
Anyone have information as to when this operation closed down, pictures of what equipment moved over this narrow rail, etc? Did not have time to check with the Trinidad Museum to see if they had some pix or a booklet talking about the history of the brick plant.
In late 2001 or early 2002 there was a story and pix by Al Armitage in the NG Gazette magazine, about the brick plant in Gallup, New Mexico. The Gallup kilns (gone for many years)were of the same design as those in Trinidad.
The bricks made in Gallup had the name "GALLUP" on one side, and can still be found when old buildings are torn down. I picked up one of the Trinidad bricks and it was plane on all sides with no marking such as "TRINIDAD."
The Gallup brick plant was started by a fellow named Garrett, old timers spin the story that He also provided bricks for the prison buildings at Canon City, Colorado and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Now I'm wondering where those bricks came from that were used in building the Alamosa or Durango round house? A lot of bricks which once could be seen on the Santa Fe RR station platforms at Albuquerque and Gallup came from Coffeeville, Kansas.
