Chapel of the Wayside - Uptop Colorado

by Debra Martz

Title

Chapel of the Wayside - Uptop Colorado

Artist

Debra Martz

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Photograph - Photography - Digital Filters And Brushes Applied

Description

Chapel of the Wayside - Uptop Colorado by Debra Martz
From information inside the chapel, I discovered that it was built in 1930. Also, I found interesting that it was built as a birthday gift for Juan Antonio Trujillo by his two sons. It was used by the 100+ people who worked for the Trujillos in their lumber business. Originally it was Catholic but is now non-denominational and open year round.

And from an article written by Seth Boster in The Gazette after Uptop was saved (all but one structure) from the 2018 wildfires and in reference to the 2 sisters that purchased Uptop in 2001, "They had a lot to learn about their new home. On their first day, a Native American woman in the chapel told them she had been tending to it for years. “Whenever I’m blue, I come up here,” they recall her saying, “because the spirit of my ancestors are here, and they are so happy.”

A shortened bit about Uptop, CO...While hwy 160 is the current way of crossing the LaVeta Pass in Colorado, you can still travel a dirt road of the old pass. Originally the pass was home to the Denver and Rio Grande Railway Depot which opened in 1877 and attracted tourist who wanted to ride the highest railroad in the world, “Railroad Above the Clouds.” The railroad was torn out and moved south in 1899, later coal industry and sawmills brought life back to Uptop but that died out, also. The road brought motorist to the tavern for music, drinks, cards and dancing. A small ski resort, though short lived, was built after WW11. When the new pass, Hwy 160, bypassed Uptop, it was finally abandoned and became a ghost town. However, 2 sisters, in 2001, bought Uptop and restored 9 of the buildings, with the stone depot being a small museum and the entire Uptop area a National Historic District. Today, Uptop Historic District hosts cross-country skiers, hikers, and dance and music festivals. The Spanish Peaks International Celtic Music Festival is the most notable and I found myself in LaVeta just in time to attend all three days of it; partially held here in the dance hall and also spread across other venues in Huerfano county!

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December 24th, 2019

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