Moffat History

At the turn of the century, between 1800-1900, the San Luis Valley began to grow. Located at its north end in Saguache County, were mining boom towns like Bonanza, Orient, Crestone and Liberty, and the shipping towns which serviced them, Moffat and Villa Grove. Ranching flourished trying to feed a growing young nation. Moffat, at the center of all this commerce, had a train station, huge stock yards, and narrow-gage lines from the mines of the Sangre de Cristos. Once recognized as the “queen city” of the valley, and considered for the site of Colorado’s state capital, Moffat was home to 2,500 residents with passenger trains running twice a day. With the advent of the trucking industry, and experiencing a devastating fire, Moffat downsized and became an agricultural town producing cattle, hay and turning out young ranchers who attended the Moffat Consolidated Schools.
       
Today Moffat continues its agricultural heritage with many of the original families still ranching and farming. Moffat’s central location in northern Saguache County houses the Saguache County Credit Union, Moffat Family Health Clinic, and Moffat Consolidated Schools serving Crestone, the Baca, and northern Saguache County.  Many businesses thrive in Moffat’s small town atmosphere with a convenience store, coffee shop, an art gallery, trading post, excavation company, bed and breakfast and a self-storage facility.
     
Villa Grove and Bonanza are also enjoying a renaissance, with art studios and galleries, and Villa Grove’s café, a central gathering place for the community.

Come by our historic town for a glimpse of the past and a peek into the future.