Re: A D&RGW Chili Line the and now - Otowi

Kind of surprised to see this thread pop back up!

But seeing as it has, I suppose I will add to it.

The house is still there. Used to be lived in and well kept, is now vacant, fenced off and being encouraged to return to the earth from whence it came. While it is a very historic place to some, it is not considered a part of the history of the present owners. I tried to take a picture of it back in 2019, but could not get a worthwhile shot from the highway right of way. Should you wish to visit Otowi, keep in mind that you are only allowed (and grudgingly at that) on the current highway right of way. Stepping even slightly off of it is to invite a visit from the local gendarme. I have heard that such an encounter will not be a pleasant one, so I stuck to the highway. Aside from that, it was a fun day exploring the Chili Line with my children and my mother.

As a side note, I am not complaining about the situation at Otowi, just pointing out the current reality should anyone reading this want to go there. While it may bum me out to see the house in ruins and be banned from walking the railroad grade and such, I can fully understand how those whose land it is feel bummed out that such things exist on their land and it was easy enough to respect their feelings and stay on the highway and not linger.

Jason Midyette