And the West is History: 1100 block of Main Avenue – 1882

By 1881, the year after Durango’s founding, many businesses had already established themselves along the main thoroughfare. This photo shows the Durango Stable, the Free Corral and the Wagon & Carriage Shop, all located on First Street (now Main Avenue), between I and K Streets (now 11th and 12th streets). The brick building on the far left survived the 1889 fire and still stands today. For many years, it operated as the Model Tire Store and is now home to Catacomb Fitness.– Ed Horvat for Animas Museum, edhorvat@animasmuseum (Catalog Number: 89.19.69 from the La Plata County Historical Society Photo Collections)