Nostalgia & History > Why isn't Hooper, Colorado on the railroad map?

After reading tolland's posting and associated replies I did a search for Hooper, Colorado on the Denver Public Library and found Picture 1. 
 
Picture 1,  Call Number: OP-8517.  Title: D&RGW train (Narrow Gauge), engine number 481, engine type 2-8-2.  Alternate Title:  Denver & Rio Grande Western train (Narrow Gauge), engine number 481, engine type 2-8-2.  Creator: Perry, Otto, 1894-1970.  Date:  1950.  Summary  Freight, eastbound; 24 cars. Photographed: leaving Hooper, Colo., March 25, 1950.  Description  1 photonegative ; 9 x 14 cm; 1 photoprint : silver gelatin, black and white ; 9 x 14 cm.  Is Part Of  Otto C. Perry memorial collection of railroad photographs. 

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I did a search on Google Maps for Hooper, Colorado and obtained picture 2. 
 

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Picture 3 is a copy of a section of Poor's 1893 Denver and Rio Grande Railroad map.  This section shows Villa Grove, Colorado but not Hooper, Colorado.  Ed Haley was a railroad telegrapher and worked at Villa Grove for a time.  Ed Haley also worked in Buena Vista when my Grandmother was cooking at the Green Parrot Cafe.  On days my Grandmother would bake caramel pies Ed Haley had an order for a whole pie. 

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Picture 4, Call Number: RR-2129.  Title: D&RGW.  Alternate Title: Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad.  Creator: Richardson, Robert W.  Date: 1955 May 2.  Summary: Members of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club pose in front of Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad caboose #0574 at the railroad yard in Salida (Chaffee County), Colorado. The men are identified as: Ed Haley, Dick Kindig, Irv August, Mac Poor, Morris Abbott, Jack Riley and Dan Peterson. Some of the men hold cameras. The men gather to ride the last train over Marshall Pass, round trip to Sargents, Colorado.  Description  1 negative : black-and-white ; 11 x 7 cm (4 1/2 x 2 1/2 in.).  Source  Robert W. Richardson.
 

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Hooper is still there, site of the right turn needed to get to Center. Town was interesting in railroad days as the
Rio Grande 3 railed the line from Alamosa to serve the ag (watermelon) business existing in the Hooper area.
The last little bit of 3 rail exists on the short piece of the branch still left in Alamosa.

Out

Apparently Hooper was called Garrison, Colorado until 1896. The Wiki page on Hooper tells that the name was changed to honor Major S. Hooper, claimed to be a railroad official.

Jim Burrill

http://coloradoartifactual.com/denver-rio-grande-railroad-history/

Hooper also has a great artesian well hot springs

In 1989, only 30 years ago, I met a moving truck driver from Hooper, Colorado.  He was surprised that I knew where it was.  Gerry

Sand Dunes Swimming Pool - Hooper, Colorado, Hot Springs Pool 

https://www.southern-colorado-guide.com/sand-dunes-swimming-pool.html



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/19 06:57 by flynn.

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Hooper the second largest town in Alamosa County - behind Alamosa itself.