Downtown Antonito: Architecture and Murals

Experience the history and culture of the Valley through the eyes of an artist. Antonito's many prominent and colorful murals tell the stories of the settlement of the San Luis Valley and express the local artistic spirit. The town of Antonito was founded in 1880 by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad as the junction point for the "Chili Line" (the railroad branch to Santa Fe, New Mexico) and the San Juan Extension from Alamosa to Durango and Silverton. The original depot and several downtown structures such as the stone Palace Hotel mirror the original character of the town as a busy trade center.