| Mid 1860-1968 |
Trains operated by the D&RGW ran between Durango, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico. Two passenger trains a day stopped at La Boca to take on water from a 60 foot water tower with a wind mill. After passenger service was discontinued, freight trains continued to use the track and stop at La Boca for water.
|
| 1868 |
Irrigation commenced at La Boca |
| 3/2/1895 |
Post Office Opened |
| 1907-1908 |
Elmer Hatcher (E.F. Hatcher & Co.) constructed several buildings. The buildings remaining today are the house that was once the general store where a post office was located, a school house, “cowboy apartments”, and a building used by a blacksmith.
Cottonwood and fruit trees were planted and ditches enlarged. The fruit orchard became the best in the neighborhood. The Hatchers had chuckers, pigs, cows and goats, several head of lambs. The Ute Indians and Mexicans traded at the store.
|
| 1919-1920's |
The “shop” building at La Boca was constructed. Hatcher Mercantile became Hersch mercantile when Hersch bought Hatcher out at a low price and married his sister.
|
| 1921 |
Cipriana McCoy lived part of her childhood in a house next to the state line and present Hwy 172 where she is living, today. She attended La Boca School for two-three years graduating from the eight grade.
|
| 1924 |
Manuel Montoya moved to La Boca after his mother, Dolores Aragon Montoya, died. He was four years old. He lived with his grandparents at the La Boca station house. His Granddad was the section foreman at La Boca. Manuel attended La Boca School as a first grader. |
| 1929 and prior |
Jack Lennox ran the store. |
| 1930's |
Loyd Palmer lived at La Boca a while and ran the store. |
| 1929-1934 |
Bill Smith ran La Boca for about five years. |
| 1934 |
The post office was closed.
|
| 1934-1935 |
Ralph Henry Williams ran the store.
Howards lived at La Boca for approximately four years. Grace Howard’s father ran the ranch. Leo Howard attended 8th grade at La Boca School under Miss Anesi.
|
| 1936-1937 |
Miss. Anesi taught school at La Boca. She stayed in the store building. Dave Walters ran the store then.
Cornelius ran sheep for Hersch.
|
| 1938 or 1939 |
Doll and Anna Frost ran La Boca for 3-5 years. The store had been closed by this time. |
| 1940's |
Doll Frost ran the store.
|
| 1948 |
Chloe and Clay Anderson bought La Boca from Hersch. |
| 1948 |
Paul Martin moved to La Boca. The train was still running, but freight only.
|
| 1948-1950 |
School house closed at La Boca. |
| Early 1950's |
Bevins put in septic system at school house. Valdez was the last one to live in the store quarters. Fidel Herrera lived in the section house.
|
| 1952 |
Anderson traded La Boca to the Martins. Martin renovated the house where the store was located.
|
| 1952-1954 |
First gas well dug. |
| 1960 |
Milo and Paul Martin redesigned the house, moved buildings, tore the old green house down and built Bishop’s house. Red Ward of Bayfield pulled the railroad tracks.
|
| 1963 |
Martin’s sold La Boca to Bevins (Carl and Earl). The Bevins sold it to another Anderson (Forrest and Marien) a racketeer from Arizona. |
| 8/28/1968 |
Freight Trains ceased using the route between Durango, CO and Chama, NM.
|
| 1972 |
Anderson traded La Boca to John W. Turner II. |
| 1977 |
La Boca was sold to Roy P. Craig and Louis and Carol Shryock (Roy’s sister and brother-in-law). After Louis died, Carol traded her interest in La Boca to Roy for homestead property that Roy had on the Florida Mesa.
|
| 1978-2004 |
La Boca was owned by Roy P. Craig. |
| 2004-Present |
La Boca owned by the La Boca Ranch Trust. |