This Week in The San Luis Valley Beat

November has arrived in the San Luis Valley, bringing cooler days and plenty of community happenings. This week, we’re sharing stories from around the Valley, and looking ahead to upcoming events and Veterans Day.

As always, thanks for joining us and for supporting the people and places that make our Valley special.

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Looking for local businesses, upcoming events, or food trucks and other Hot Spots? Visit our Explore page to discover what’s happening around the Valley—and submit your own business, event, or Hot Spot for others to find.

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Liberty — The Town That Rose After Duncan Fell

Just north of the Great Sand Dunes, where the San Luis Valley meets the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the remains of a small settlement recall an unusual chapter of Colorado's mining history. Liberty was not simply another town that sprang up during a gold rush. It was a second beginning for people who had already lost one home.

Before Liberty, There Was Duncan

In the late nineteenth century, prospectors searching the foothills north of the dunes hoped to find valuable mineral deposits. A mining community called Duncan took shape and developed the everyday services that helped turn a camp into a town. Families, merchants, and miners arrived, drawn by the possibility of opportunity in the mountains.

But the ground beneath Duncan was the source of a serious dispute. The settlement stood on land claimed as part of the Baca Ranch. Years of litigation ended in a ruling favoring the landowners. In 1900, authorities moved to enforce the decision and remove residents. Duncan's prospects collapsed, not simply because of disappointing mines, but because its residents could no longer remain where they had built their community.

A New Town, a Meaningful Name

Some displaced residents started over nearby, establishing a new settlement they called Liberty. The name spoke to their desire for a place where they could make a home without repeating Duncan's bitter land struggle.

Liberty developed into more than a collection of miners' cabins. Its hotel welcomed travelers, its school served local children, and the town became a gathering place for families trying to build a lasting community. Visitors and supplies came through a landscape that was far more isolated than it is today, when roads and the national park draw people toward the dunes.

Life here required persistence. Mining was uncertain, winters could be severe, and even routine errands involved travel across rough country. Yet residents made a life amid the mountains and the open Valley, much as families did in other small settlements scattered across the San Luis Valley.

When the Promise Faded

Like many Colorado mining communities, Liberty depended on the hope that nearby mineral deposits would support a thriving local economy. That promise did not last. As mining opportunities diminished, residents left in search of steadier work and better prospects. Businesses and community institutions could not survive indefinitely without the people who sustained them.

Unlike Duncan, whose end was hastened by a court battle and eviction, Liberty faded more gradually. Buildings were left behind, and the lively settlement became another name on the Valley's long list of forgotten places.

A Story Still Visible

Some surviving buildings at the Liberty townsite remain reminders of the people who lived there. The area is largely private property, however, and is not a public ghost-town attraction. Anyone interested in its history should respect property boundaries.

The National Park Service preserves photographs and historical information about Duncan, Liberty, and nearby Denton Spring. Together, they show how mining, land ownership, and determination shaped communities near the Great Sand Dunes long before the area became a national park.

Liberty's most memorable legacy may not be the gold its miners sought. It is the story of families who lost one town, built another, and chose a name that expressed their hopes for a fresh start. In the shadow of the dunes, that history remains part of the San Luis Valley's story.

Historical source: National Park Service — Liberty, Duncan, and Denton Spring.

San Luis Valley Veterans Advisory Committee — Serving Those Who Served

As Veterans Day approaches on November 11, communities across the San Luis Valley will take time to recognize the men and women who have served our country. But honoring our veterans is about more than one day of remembrance. It's also about making sure they and their families have the support they need throughout the year.

That's where the San Luis Valley Veterans Advisory Committee comes in.

Serving all six counties of the San Luis Valley — Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande, and Saguache — the committee brings together local organizations, service providers, and community members with a shared mission: helping veterans and military families connect with resources and assistance.

For veterans living in rural communities, finding the right services can be challenging. Whether it's navigating programs, finding transportation, or knowing whom to contact, having people working together to bridge those gaps can make a difference.

The committee works to identify unmet needs, strengthen cooperation among local agencies and nonprofits, and encourage outreach activities that bring veterans together.

A Community Working Together

One of the committee's strengths is its collaborative approach. Participants share information, identify problems, and look for practical, community-based solutions. The committee welcomes participation from those interested in improving services for veterans throughout the Valley.

Meetings are listed for the first Tuesday of each month at 9 a.m. via Zoom. Readers should confirm details with the committee.

More Than a Day of Recognition

Veterans Day is an opportunity to express gratitude for military service, but supporting veterans is a year-round responsibility. Here in the San Luis Valley, that responsibility is shared by veterans service officers, healthcare providers, volunteers, community organizations, and neighbors.

Learn More or Get Involved

San Luis Valley Veterans Advisory Committee
Contact: Craig Rauwolf, Committee Chair
Phone: (719) 257-3803
Email: SLVVeterans@gmail.com
More information: MySLVConnect committee listing

A Note from the Editor

As a veteran myself, this spotlight holds special meaning for me. Veterans Day is a time to remember and honor those who have served, but it's also a reminder that our responsibility to one another doesn't end when military service does.

I'm grateful for the people and organizations here in the San Luis Valley who continue to look out for our veterans and their families.
— Editor, The San Luis Valley Beat

🦃 Help Us Share Thanksgiving Events Across the Valley

Is your church, school, nonprofit, or community group hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, food giveaway, or holiday gathering? We'd love to help spread the word to neighbors throughout the San Luis Valley.

Send us the event name, date, time, location, contact information, and a flyer if you have one. We'll share verified details with readers so more people know what's available this Thanksgiving.

Email: editor@thesanluisvalleybeat.com or submit your event here.

📅 Have an Upcoming Event? Share It With The Beat!

Planning a fundraiser, festival, concert, school activity, holiday celebration, or community gathering?

The San Luis Valley Beat invites organizations, businesses, schools, nonprofits, and residents throughout all six Valley counties to share their upcoming events.

It’s easy to submit your event! Just provide the date, time, location, a short description, and a flyer or image if available.

Post Your Event Here

All submissions are reviewed before appearing on our public Events Calendar.

Help us keep the Valley connected and make sure your community knows what’s happening!

Meet Foxy

Those ears are hard to miss! Foxy is an adult female Carolina Dog and German Shepherd mix with a striking black-and-tan coat and an alert, curious expression.

Foxy is currently listed for adoption at Conour Animal Shelter in Monte Vista. The shelter hasn’t shared much about her personality yet, so anyone interested in giving her a home should contact the staff to learn more and see whether she might be a good fit.

Sometimes all it takes is one photograph and one introduction to help a shelter dog find her next chapter. Maybe Foxy’s person is reading this week’s Beat.

Adoption Information
Upper Rio Grande Animal Society — Conour Animal Shelter
2825 Sherman Avenue, Monte Vista, CO
Phone: (719) 852-3366
Pet ID: #2168

See Adoptable Dogs & Check Foxy’s Availability

From My Kitchen: Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings

There's nothing quite like a pot of chicken and dumplings on a chilly day. This homemade version uses Better Than Bouillon for a flavorful broth and Bisquick mixed with Mexican crema for tender, fluffy dumplings. It's the recipe I made in my own 4-quart cast iron Dutch oven.

Servings: 3–4 generous portions. Time: About 1 hour.

Chicken and broth

• 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 4 cups water
• 4 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
• 1½ tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 celery stalk, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ teaspoon poultry seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Bisquick and crema dumplings

• 1½ cups Original Bisquick mix
• ¼ cup Mexican crema
• ¼ cup water, plus a little extra if needed

Directions

1. Melt butter in a 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook 5–7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook another 30 seconds.
2. Dissolve Better Than Bouillon in 4 cups warm water. Add chicken, prepared broth and seasonings to the pot. Cover and gently simmer 20–25 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F.
3. Remove chicken, shred it and return it to the pot. Taste the broth before adding any salt.
4. In a bowl, mix crema with ¼ cup water. Stir into Bisquick just until a soft, sticky dough forms. Add a little water if too stiff.
5. Bring broth to a gentle simmer. Drop small, rounded tablespoon-sized scoops of dough onto the surface, leaving space for expansion.
6. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, then cover tightly and cook another 10–15 minutes. At high elevation, allow a few extra minutes if needed. Cut open a large dumpling to check that its center is fluffy and cooked through.
7. Serve chicken, vegetables, dumplings and broth in bowls.

Kitchen tip: The Bisquick naturally thickens the broth as the dumplings cook. Keep a little extra hot broth handy if you prefer a soupier consistency. Don't overcrowd the Dutch oven.