San Luis

San Luis is a small southern Colorado town of about 700 residents. It is the county seat of Costilla County and is only about 15 miles north of the New Mexican border. San Luis in many ways already seems like New Mexico and Taos is only about 50 miles away.

San Luis is the oldest town in Colorado and was settled by Hispanic settlers in 1851 when the area was still part of the Territory of New Mexico, when Colorado became a state is 1876 San Luis was the oldest established town in the state. The town is named after Saint Luis and the San Luis Valley as well.

The Culebra River runs through town and makes a nice green valley oasis from the arid lands around. There is some farming and lots of livestock ranching in the area thanks to the water. The town is relatively poor compared to other communities in Colorado, the average houshold income in only about $15,000.

A notable landmark of town in the Shrine of the Stations of the Cross, a church and statue area and walking trail to the top of the mesa above town. There is something ancient and sacred about San Luis each time I have driven through. The church is not the traditional American Christian church it is part of the hillside and beautiful, there is also a communal shared cattle grazing area near town known as La Vega that is unique and romantically antiquated. The bronze statues that rise up along the path to the mesa are a great place to experience san Luis and its friendly, quirt people. This is real Southern Colorado. The land areound the are is priced more reasonably than almost anywhere else in Colorado and it is gorgeous.