I've been fortunate to be living in Trinidad, Colorado for the past six weeks. There's a lot to say about a lifelong east coast resident spending more than a few nights in the Rocky Mountain State. This post is about Trinidad's architecture, and explains why, in my mind, the city is worth seeing-- especially for photographers.
I was in Trinidad for other reasons than photography, but I realized quickly I could have been there for a week with that purpose alone. Trinidad is a remarkable place, not just for being a collection of incredible, historic architectural buildings, but for the distinct and commanding place it holds in the high desert. From Pike's Peak-- the large plateau-like mountain that looms over the city-- or from the hills on the outskirts in the other direction, Trinidad glistens, like a row of illuminated diamonds shining out from the otherwise-black and empty landscape. Trinidad's streets are as angular as any in New York City, and Main Street runs east-to-west. This leads to blinding sun glare on Main Street at rush hour, but I never saw a rush. At sundown, Trinidad's buildings draw long shadows across each other's facades; telephone polls and electric lines get in the act as well, as the day's sun crawls away down, leaving the city in the high desert cold, dry, and full of wind at night. For a lifelong east coast resident, Trinidad's natural environment is startling: at over 6,000 feet in elevation, Trinidad is said to have some of the best air quality in the United States due to its location on the edge of the wider, lower desert to the south, situating the city in a natural jet stream. Regardless of how hard the wind blows, however, the sun beams bright on most days-- 9 out of 10 days in a row, at least-- to such an extent that many homeowners on the outskirts of town get by with only their own solar power.
Trinidad is the wild west-- as wild as it still is-- and a great jumping-off point for further adventures deeper into Colorado. Only stopping for fuel at the gas station by the Holiday Inn and WalMart-- one exit farther south on I-25-- is a waste, because Trinidad is a city worth seeing, if only for twenty minutes and from your car window. Unlike some other aspiring tourism destinations (and, sadly, most of my beloved state of Vermont), Trinidad has multiple hotels, reliable cell phone and wi-fi coverage, plenty of places to eat, and is host to more cultural events than one might expect.
It is, for me, the history of Trinidad that is most enticing, be it the gunfights of the 1890s, the coal mining communities of the early 1900s, or the Black Hand and 'mafia' operations in the 1920s and 1930s. The physical locations in downtown Trinidad and the surrounding residential community transpose an early 20th-century affluence into our bustling 21st century. The economic and social growth of Trinidad is not rooted in any one strain of its history, or in any one arts initiative, and not even linked solely to its presence along the highway, which is said to be second only to Denver International, in terms of popular ways to get into Colorado.
While I brought a 35mm film camera with me, I couldn't get the light meter to work properly, even after replacing the battery. So I gave up on analog visual media (for this trip, anyway), and committed to using my Samsung Note 5 as often as possible. I did not accomplish nearly as much photography as I had hoped; the images below represent less than half of what I would consider valuable and aesthetically-pleasing American architecture in Trinidad. For those interested in taking photographs of buildings-- especially the grand and large buildings of the early 20th century, in as "authentic" a condition as possible-- Trinidad is a figurative goldmine. I am not a professional photographer, but could have happily pretended to be one, could have sat around Main Street for a week watching the light change.
I was in Trinidad for other reasons than photography, but I realized quickly I could have been there for a week with that purpose alone. Trinidad is a remarkable place, not just for being a collection of incredible, historic architectural buildings, but for the distinct and commanding place it holds in the high desert. From Pike's Peak-- the large plateau-like mountain that looms over the city-- or from the hills on the outskirts in the other direction, Trinidad glistens, like a row of illuminated diamonds shining out from the otherwise-black and empty landscape. Trinidad's streets are as angular as any in New York City, and Main Street runs east-to-west. This leads to blinding sun glare on Main Street at rush hour, but I never saw a rush. At sundown, Trinidad's buildings draw long shadows across each other's facades; telephone polls and electric lines get in the act as well, as the day's sun crawls away down, leaving the city in the high desert cold, dry, and full of wind at night. For a lifelong east coast resident, Trinidad's natural environment is startling: at over 6,000 feet in elevation, Trinidad is said to have some of the best air quality in the United States due to its location on the edge of the wider, lower desert to the south, situating the city in a natural jet stream. Regardless of how hard the wind blows, however, the sun beams bright on most days-- 9 out of 10 days in a row, at least-- to such an extent that many homeowners on the outskirts of town get by with only their own solar power.
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| The City of Trinidad rests just beyond the shadow seen in this photo. |
It is, for me, the history of Trinidad that is most enticing, be it the gunfights of the 1890s, the coal mining communities of the early 1900s, or the Black Hand and 'mafia' operations in the 1920s and 1930s. The physical locations in downtown Trinidad and the surrounding residential community transpose an early 20th-century affluence into our bustling 21st century. The economic and social growth of Trinidad is not rooted in any one strain of its history, or in any one arts initiative, and not even linked solely to its presence along the highway, which is said to be second only to Denver International, in terms of popular ways to get into Colorado.
While I brought a 35mm film camera with me, I couldn't get the light meter to work properly, even after replacing the battery. So I gave up on analog visual media (for this trip, anyway), and committed to using my Samsung Note 5 as often as possible. I did not accomplish nearly as much photography as I had hoped; the images below represent less than half of what I would consider valuable and aesthetically-pleasing American architecture in Trinidad. For those interested in taking photographs of buildings-- especially the grand and large buildings of the early 20th century, in as "authentic" a condition as possible-- Trinidad is a figurative goldmine. I am not a professional photographer, but could have happily pretended to be one, could have sat around Main Street for a week watching the light change.
The photographs collected in this post represent a few weeks' worth of casual effort to capture some of the architecture within Trinidad's city limits. Many, many historic buildings of Trinidad are not pictured here. Some images depict businesses or advertisements. Some buildings are in good shape, while others are not. In posting these images I am making no endorsements or criticisms, but rather acknowledging what I saw as being unique to Trinidad, if not different and noteworthy. These photos are presented in no specific sequence, and the ownership and addresses of locations depicted here remain unidentified. The City of Trinidad and the Trinidad Public Library have extensive documentation of some downtown buildings; visitors are encouraged to not only see Trinidad, but to learn for themselves about what is there, and why. It is a beautiful city, one of the most photogenic in the United States.
To learn more about visiting Trinidad, click HERE
To learn more about the history of Trinidad, click HERE
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