1956 Durango Photos

My first visit to Durango was as a 15-year-old in the summer of 1956. I was on my own having taken the bus down from Denver, and the bus was several hours late and the closest place to stay from the old bus station was the Strater Hotel, then sort of on the skids. I had no idea where the railroad was, so was surprised to be awakened by the whistle of the 464 switching the morning's consist of the Silverton train. The first photo was a hastily taken one from my hotel window, and it proved to be a turning point in my life. I rode the train to Silverton that morning, went back to Denver the next day, but returned and returned, and finally moved to Silverton in 1970, mainly because of this first morning in Durango.
[flickr.com]