The Center of Huerfano County: 7th and Main in Walsenburg

West 7th Street and Main in Walsenburg, looking southwest along West 7th Street. The intersection is essentially the center of Huerfano County, a space everyone in the county has in common. 

If there is any place that might be considered the "center" of Huerfano County, I think it's the intersection of 7th and Main streets. It's a space we all share in common, and it's a place most visitors to the county — at least the ones that get off of I-25 — are likely to pass through. The intersection is perhaps one of the most important junctions in all of southern Colorado.

The intersection itself is not remarkable. There's an old, abandoned gas station at one corner and a fast-food parking lot at another. The intersection is the site of one of only two stoplights in Huerfano County, at least the stoplights that I know of.

Looking southeast along Main Street.

Millions of cars pass through 7th and Main every year, so it's a busy intersection. It's captivating to watch large tractor-trailers and recreational vehicles gingerly navigate the tight, 90-degree turns as they change direction towards the San Luis Valley to the west or towards Denver to the north.

Standing in the intersection, one gets the sense that the streets there match the directions of the compass: east—west and north—south. But this is an illusion, as the entire grid is turned one click to the west, such that 7th Street actually runs southwest—northeast, and Main Street really runs southeast—northwest.

Looking northeast along Seventh Street. Main Street, which goes left to right in the picture, marks the boundary between east and west in Walsenburg, so the bottom of the photo shows West 7th Street, and the top shows East 7th Street.

I wish that the abandoned gas station could be re-developed into something interesting and useful. The pharmacy at the northeast corner is moving, and it'll be interesting to see what takes its place there. The markings on the street, the crosswalks and lane lines, are often erased by the constant traffic. Crossing the street in this area can be dangerous, as drivers are more concerned with other traffic and with making sure they're turning at the right place and in the right direction.  ⚒

Looking northwest along Main Street across the intersection. This is an intersection in which many people turn left or right, rather than proceeding strait through.