And the West is History: Grandstand demolition – 2000

Twenty-four years ago, the Works Progress Administration-built grandstands at the La Plata County Fairgrounds were demolished. Built in 1937 during the Great Depression, the 63-year-old, 7,000-seat structure had become dangerous and unusable. Besides the grandstands, a rodeo arena, horse stalls and playing fields were also removed. The site was repurposed to baseball fields and the other surrounding structures we see there today. This photo is one of 220 to appear in the upcoming “Images of America – La Plata County,” by Ed Horvat, to be published this month. – Ed Horvat for Animas Museum, edhorvat@animasmuseum.org (Catalog Number: 15.47.21 from the La Plata County Historical Society Photo Collections)