Aguilar: A Home Well-hidden

by Debra Wall

Southern Colorado Magazine - Summer 2003

            Rocky Encinias, owner of Rock House Café, was engaged in conversation at a table with two women and a man—his wife, sister-in-law and bother-in-law. After the waitress informed Encinias who I was, his brother-in-law indirectly let me know who he was.

            "I'm at two o'clock," Gary Ringo, owner of Ringo's Food Market, said. I felt a little disadvantaged, like everyone knew who I was, but I had no clue who they were.

            Encinias showed me to a nearby table, and after serving me some coffee, he went back and sat at his table and engaged in the conversation taking place at that moment.

            Sitting there alone, I felt like a spy who had come to town to find the dirt on the small community of Aguilar, located just west of Interstate 25 between Walsenburg and Trinidad. I couldn't get far enough out of the spotlight. The awkwardness ended about five minutes later when both Ringo and Encinias joined me at my table and  teamed up to answer my questions about their home.

            Aguilar, a former mining town, is very much a family-oriented community. It is impossible to move in unless you have family or want to buy property up in the foothills—like the Californians. It seems no one lives here unless they grew up or visited relatives in the town. Encinias moved to Aguilar because of his family. Ringo didn't grow up in Aguilar, but it was family who influenced his decision to finally settle in. It seems you aren't allowed to live in the town unless you have some kind of family connection.        

            You are more than welcome to visit anytime, but don't expect to stay overnight unless you have family, or you make a new friend who will offer you his or her spare bedroom for the night. You will be bedless without one of these connections because there are no hotels, motels, cottages or shacks for rent to be found anywhere.

            These two men became brother-in-laws because their wives lived in the small town. After making the town their homes, both men opened businesses, and both have both been fortunate in their endeavors. 

            When Encinias moved to the area, there wasn't a restaurant to speak of, so he decided to open a café. On Dec. 25, 2002, he swung the doors open to the Rock House Café, which features Mexican food. Ringo's Food Market, on the other hand, has served the community since 1981.

            During our visit, Ringo keeps greeting people who come into the café. Because of his cordialness, I assume he knows everyone in the café; however, I was informed that neither one of the men knew every person in the place.

            Moving in from out-of-state, many people are calling the foothills at the edge of Aguilar home. Not mingling with the town folk often, these newcomers are not well known yet. Not having the opportunity to acquaint themselves with many newcomers, Encinias and Ringo speculate about the newcomers' journey to the quiet hills of Aguilar.

            It is assumed they are selling their California mansions and coming out here to build multimillion-dollar homes in the foothills. People cautiously speak about the new foothills residents. Whether it's to protect their business dealings or reputation, no one wants to talk much about their new neighbors.

            Being a ranching community, Aguilar residents have animosity toward big-city folk. Some are offended that the "implants" are buying good ranch land with no intention of working it.

            "Implants force a city way of life on ranchers," said Gary Mestas, a 41-year Aguilar resident. "They are taking land from ranchers."

            After my visit with the two men, Ringo and I sauntered next door, so I could check out his business. Although he has a grocery monopoly, he supplies his customers with many of the choices they would find in a bigger city, but he offers them a bonus—homemade sausage (a sausage recipe that has been in the family for 100 years that you can't get it anywhere else).

Huffman's

            Spending more time with the men than I had planned, I headed up the road about a block to speak with a local taxidermist. Panic struck me when I saw the CLOSED sign in the window. Frantically looking for another way in, I was relieved when Vicky Huffman, the taxidermist's wife, opened the door and greeted me. (This encounter made me feel like people were really watching me—they knew I was a stranger.)

            Entering Huffman's Taxidermy, I saw Steve working on a fox—his favorite small animal. Settling in, I had to get used to the raw flesh smell that hung in the air.

            Although Steve has competition (his father) right next door, he doesn't fight for customers. The majority of his customers are from out-of-state and town.

            "Most of the orders we fill are received through the Internet," Steve said.

            On Huffman's Web site, each item has a special code, so he knows exactly what the customer is requesting. This way of doing business gives him flexibility, so he is able to attend to other local problems and challenges.

            Huffman reinforced Ringo's statement that the community members wear many hats. Steve has not only been one of Aguilar's taxidermists for twelve years, but he was fire chief for seven years. Currently he is the town's municipal judge and one of its firefighters. His firefighting abilities had him involved in the Bailey, Spring ,and James M. John fires last summer when much of Colorado was going up in flames. In the past he has worked for the Division of Wildlife and the Fire Protection District.

The Sunset Tavern

            As night begins to fall over the town, I head out to meet with one other person, Daniel Scuzzaro, owner of the Sunset Tavern. The barmaid tells me he had gone home, but he would be right back.

            Feeling a little uncomfortable I decided to strike up a conversation with some customers in the bar while I waited for the owner's return.

            It only takes one question and the conversation takes off. Following suit to everyone else's feelings and thoughts, the four men sitting at the table tell me they have lived there all their lives, and they have family ties that go way back.

            Shortly after our conversation started, Succazro walks into the room. His big frame, bald head and full beard were a welcoming sight. His friendly smile was enough to make me like him immediately.

            Unfortunately, by the time I talked to Succazro, I was beginning to hear the same thing over and over.  He too grew up in Aguilar. He continues to live there, so he can take care of his elderly mother, even though his wife and daughter have moved to Texas. Family ties in Aguilar are strong. People may venture out of the small town for awhile (they have no choice—no one can earn a living there), but they always return.

            When looking for entertainment in Aguilar, you face a big challenge. There are no movie theatres, bowling alleys, or museums, so the Sunset Tavern is one of the likely entertainment choices for the adults in the community. Offering his customers drink specials, food (his own homemade sausage) and occasional live entertainment, Succazro draws a good crowd on a regular basis. In the future, he plans to offer the community even more fun. By enclosing the property, he will hold barbeques outside during the warmer months.

            Ending my visit, I realized I'd have to return to Aguilar another time.   

Second visit

            Anxious to revisit the town, I recruited a friend to tag along with me. Being a passenger, having much more time with no appointments gave me the opportunity to explore freely.

            We turned right at the stop sign waiting at the end of the off-ramp. Crossing the railroad tracks and veering left, we are on our way to the hidden town of Aguilar.

            Perusing the area as we travel the road into town, we see old mixed with new. Metal buildings, pipes, stacked cedar wood and a road grader sit on properties that have old structures--a barn made of railroad ties, one side donning side-by-side license plates and an 1800s barn that barely stands. Everything waiting for life to put it to use. My friend and I wonder if the quiet is a constant pleasure, or if it is just another lazy Saturday afternoon.

            Wanting to look around the town a little more that I had during my first visit, we drove through the residential area. We found boys playing football in the street and people sitting in chairs or leaning against porches, visiting with one another like they had all the time in the world.

            Stopping at the end of the street, we are faced a major construction project—the new school. Life is evident here as construction workers busy themselves with their tasks at the site. We later found out the residents were excited about the new building because the school is such a vital part of the community, and it hasn't been remodeled for a long time.

            In downtown Aguilar, we drive a short distance and cross the Gonzales Canyon Creek Bridge (the creek bed dry as many other Colorado waterways) leading us to the heart of the town. Turning right on the main street downtown, we see the major businesses of the community: the only grocery store; the only full-service restaurant; three (soon to be four) bars, a bakery, two taxidermist businesses (both owned by the same family), and most of the other pertinent offices and buildings a community needs: court house, police and fire station, library and post office.

La Voie

            Interested in getting some pictures of the area, my friend and I went to higher ground. Making our way up the road we found not only a beautiful view, but also one of the foothill dwellers (implants) that I'd heard a little about during my first visit.

            French-Canadian Nicole La Voie is the creator of Sound Wave Energy Technology, based on vibrational frequencies. She is a lecturer and author of Return to Harmony: Creating Harmony and Balance through the Frequencies of Sound.

            Voie shared some of her personal history and her future plans involving the multiple dome structure she is building in the foothills overlooking the scenic highway leading out of Aguilar. She claims to love the view and people, making her quite content with her property selection.

Eagle

            Back downtown at the public library, Tamara Eagle, a two-year resident and assistant librarian, was engaged in a computer game when we walked in.  Social life in Aguilar revolves around school events, she said. For the most part, everyone agrees Aguilar is a great place to raise a family.

            "Everything generates around school," said Eagle. "Kids have more opportunities for involvement."

            According to Eagle, there is a cowboy atmosphere in Aguilar and there isn't much crime; however, there are some strange relationships because there aren't enough people to have one with. Because most of the land is family-owned, many generations of a family are living in the same household.

            Concerns coming up in the community bring the residents together for a solution. They are willing to help out their neighbor. Eagle offered help to Ringo.

            "Let me make you a website [to sell your sausage]; you could be making a lot of money," Eagle said.

Wrapping It Up

            After our visit with Eagle, we made our way down to the Sunset Tavern to visit Scuzzaro and to mingle with the people hanging out. We picked a good day to visit the town—Saturday before St. Patrick's Day. Succazro had a live band that night and many people came out to celebrate.

            My friend and I had one of the best times we've ever had. We found that the small town people have huge hearts (we felt like any one of them would have adopted us in a heartbeat). We felt like we made a connection—the one you have to have in order to get into the town—family.