Celebrating her 90th birthday on New Year’s Day, Durango’s first female mayor, Maxine Peterson, has seen the city change from a small mountain town to a renowned destination for outdoor recreation.
“I think just about everything in Durango has changed so much,” she said. “It is a very likable place, and obviously people like to come here.”
Peterson moved to Durango with her husband, Carrol “Pete” Peterson, in 1968 when he accepted a job teaching at Fort Lewis College.
Peterson and her husband fell in love with the natural beauty of the area.
“My husband always used to say he had the best job in the most beautiful spot in the world, and I’d tell him, ‘You can’t beat that,’” she said.
Peterson and her husband raised their four kids in Durango. The family started off in a small home in Animas Heights and quickly decided they needed more space. In 1972, they moved into a house on East Third Avenue, where she lives today.
Looking for something to do with her time, Peterson joined the League of Women Voters. At the time, the league was discussing land-use development.
“I was with the league for a while, and went to all the meetings about land-use planning, because I was very interested in it,” she said. “Then people started talking about putting me on the Planning Commission.”
After serving on the Durango Planning Commission for a while, Peterson said she was asked by residents around town to run for Durango City Council.
“I didn’t think that was in my league at all. I didn’t like the idea at all. People kept pushing and pushing, and even my husband said, ‘I think you should try it,’” she said. “Finally, I decided to run for council.”
In 1973, Peterson was elected to City Council and served two four-year terms. She spent two of those years as the first female mayor of Durango.
“People didn’t quite know how to take that. Some people were very pleased, and some of course were very skeptical,” she said. “Several people told me that they weren’t going to vote for me because my husband worked for Fort Lewis, and they thought because of that Fort Lewis was going to be running this town.”
Peterson and her fellow councilors got together a plan for the city to follow regarding land-use planning, and began the discussions that eventually would develop the Animas River Trail.
“At first, nobody was very interested in talking about trails, and then all of a sudden it took on a real life of its own,” she said. “I feel like we got that started a little bit. Now, there are lots of walking trails all over, and I love the river trail. It’s so quiet and away from traffic.”
Peterson said her council approved the construction of the Ninth Street Bridge over the Animas River.
“I feel like we accomplished quite a bit. We got the city fairly well organized,” she said. “I got along with people very well, and people mostly treated me with respect.”
Peterson remains active around town. She spends some of her time volunteering in the afternoons at the Durango Public Library bookstore.
“It’s the easiest volunteer job I’ve ever had, because I can sit and read if I don’t have anyone in to buy books,” she said. “I love to sit there and watch the kids that come in; they get so excited about looking for books.”
Peterson offered some simple advice for people who might join City Council and work to shape the city’s future: listen, study and act.
“That’s what I tried to do. I tried to listen first and see what people really wanted,” she said. “When you’re on council, it seems like you’re always studying about something. Once you’ve listened and studied, then you can act.”
The city’s future, as she saw it during her tenure with City Council, is evident now. Among the changes, she said, was the evolution of downtown.
“The new downtown where there have been new stores going in, like clothing stores, that’s been a big asset,” she said. “People are being encouraged to shop local, and if you can shop local, that’s better than buying anywhere else.”
These days, Peterson spends winters with her daughter and son-in-law in Florida, away from the cold and snow. Her children have planned a big birthday party for her there after the holidays.
“I’m glad I’m still healthy enough to be here, and I think I’m doing pretty well,” she said. “I’m moving slower, but moving. That’s my motto – keep moving.”
njohnson@durangoherald.com
