Photo: Third Avenue winter scene

This photo was likely taken quite early in Durango’s history, some time after 1890. The view is from east to west across Third Avenue at 11th Street, looking toward the Methodist Church. The horses are standing in the boulevard of Third Avenue, where churchgoers used the boulevard as a place to hitch or tether horses while they attended service. The church was first built on this site and dedicated in January 1882. The original church burned to the ground in a July 1889 fire but was completely rebuilt at the same location by the end of the next year. The First Methodist Church moved from this site to its present location on Riverview in 1970. Today, the church in this picture is the Adventure Christian Church. Read more local history at durangoherald.com/westishistory. <br><br>Ed Horvat for The Animas Museum, edhorvat@animasmuseum.org