I never had to hike very far to try and catch a trout for grandma to cook for my supper, a little creek ran by her house and under a bridge of US 160. It was there I'd spend a lot time baiting a hook with those little red worms dug out of horse manure of Mr. Speelmans barn.
I often wonder if anyone still living there who remembers such landmarks as Kinser's Diner that sat in a lot that now houses the Sun Office, Mullins Barber Shop where I got many trims and lessons on living, The Soda fountain of Jackish Drug Store, Moorehart Chevrolet Company, Lou Pomas gas station, Fowlers garage and gas station, Melvin Fowlers Jewelry, Ferris Breedloves Hardware Store. The Billiard room or better known as the Pool Hall run by Curly Nelson. Fussy Gussey's Restaurant in the building of the hotel next to the Liberty Theater.
The swimming pool across the San Juan river where I learned to swim and even became a junior life guard but now the big attraction in the spa and resort built around the hot springs for Millionaire tourist. Pagosa is now one of the major tourist vacations spots in America but I am so glad I was part it growing up. Maybe in another sixty years some one will look back and remember how lucky they were to have Pagosa.
Pagosa really was like Mayberry in so many ways. Now, though, it's so much more like any other cookie-cutter community in Southern California where I grew up. I feel blessed to have spent our summers in Pagosa long before it became such a tourist attraction.
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