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<br />GENERAL r,ONOITIONS AND PAST fLOQDS
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<br />Agrl~ulture and rel~ted co~merce are predominate in
<br />the;'lJol1teVistaeconomy. ThoSanLuisVaUeyiafemDusfot'its
<br />agricultural products, which include potatoes, barley, oats, hay,
<br />and whsnt. In addition, a large "<:r81l90 h devoted to vegetable
<br />production, including lettuce, cauliflower, ""d other crops. Po-
<br />tatoes constitute the "reds largest caeh agricultural product.
<br />Over 10,000 car 10..do of the Red McClure potato, along with flueeeh
<br />and other varieties, are distributed from Monte Vista to Denver,
<br />Albuquerque, Dallae_fort Worth, [1 Paao, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and
<br />other cities. The area raiaea a large number of lambe al1d, also,
<br />is a largo cattle center.
<br />The agricultural associated indugtri~~ in ~onte Vista
<br />include a 18rge feed pl~nt. Maravi~n b~rloy elevators, twa potato
<br />starch factories, two honey precessing plants, thres ~griaulturs
<br />equipment manufacturing firms. a lumber pl~ning mill, ma~t procB~6-
<br />ing plant, fertilizer plant, potato w~rahouse", 3 farm chemic~l
<br />mixing plBnt, Bnd many other indust,ias.
<br />Th~ community's pr08p~rity ie indicated by the ~urrent
<br />~xpansion of ruhlle f"dlitia~. Th.. $550,OQO S"n Luis V"UAY Ar"~
<br />Vocational School in Monte Vi~ta will open in the f~ll of 1969; ~
<br />"~wer~g~ "ystem expanaion is under constrwction; ~nd the ~onte
<br />Vista Community Hoapit~l hos re~ently doubl"d its c~paaity. Rec-
<br />aonition of this economic expanoion ~nd tha need for planning
<br />future development is 8vid"n~ed by th.. "Compreheneive PIa"." pre-
<br />pared for th~ city by the Carl S. Becker Company, M8n~gBment and
<br />Planning Coneultant9.
<br />Within tha San Lui9 Valluy ~nd eu.,ounding mount~ing.
<br />thBrB ~.e u,,~xo911ed cecroational oppo.tu"itieB. The many l~kes
<br />dnd st.eamQ in the ara~ offe.d excellent wotor spo,t~ i"cluding
<br />"t,co~ ano i~ke fishing 3~ well as boating. watsr skiing, and
<br />6wimming. During the Snow so~oo". Wolf Crook Pooo Ski Area 1e
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<br />S"ttl"m"nt
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<br />'r,anteViatu, the "Hub of the HioCrand"VacaUanL<lnd,"
<br />i'l loc~ted in llouth-central Color~da on the ~outh ~ank of the Rio
<br />Gr>>rlde. Th" cammurlity h in Ria Grande County whi"h b p"rt of
<br />th~ San Luis Valley of Colo,ado. r~rming in the volley by Indi3"s
<br />woe repo,ted by th~ sixt....nth centu,y expio,~rs. Settlement of
<br />the valley by Ame.ic~n pioneers started about IB50.
<br />In len, Dave Cols ssttled 3t miles f".", th~ pr~c"nt
<br />city of Monte Vista. Mexioan labo,cr~ had settled at the town oite
<br />which was bought and platted as the "Town of L"riat"byChar1e6
<br />Ydr~n in 1875. At that time, the lots W~rB ~ald far ~ ve,y nominal
<br />sum. The S"ede L~ntl School ,"as establishBd in 1878. The .ail,oad
<br />w~~ extendad in 18al from Al~mosg to Dol Norte, with g water-stop
<br />bei"g establiohod at ~ante Vist~. 1" ~arch 18e~, the com"unity
<br />~cquired a ~~ilrqad depot whon a box car ,"8S oat on railroau ti~~.
<br />The town name Wae cha"ged to Henry in July of 1884, 3rld the first
<br />newsp~pers ~ere published during this ysar. A yeHr l~ter, in 1885,
<br />a libr~ry w,,~ started by the local ~om"n'~ L.il~"M'y Club Lu Jui"
<br />th~ c~mu"ityt~ othnr thriving ~ctivities, including ~ hs.dwera
<br />etore, drug company, th,Ga lo~ offices, 3 liv~ry st3ble, end meat
<br />markp.t. In July 1885, th.. town 'If Henry w~s rapl"ttod a~ f\1onte
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<br />'Jist".
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<br />The San Luis Volloy ha~ a lang nnd ~omplicat8d agricul-
<br />tural history invalvinQ water rights. Extensive dev~lcpm~nt of
<br />the largo ca"al syot~~ ~nd other ir,iQation works took place
<br />during the lSBO-laglJ U~"HJ~. Th6 natural ruMff of the Rio Gnwde,
<br />oxclu~iv~ of floodflows. w~G excessively overdeveloped du.ing this
<br />peri ad. !.. 1~95, on o~b~,go ~~~ ploccd 0" the construction of
<br />re",ervai,6 or can"ls on rederal l"",Js. ~ince this embargo, wator
<br />righb h~ve been conlroll~d by Inl~r"eLi~rl~l Tre~ty with Mexico
<br />and an lnter~t~te Compact flfllong Color"do, i,ew !'Iexlco, 1lnd T8x~c.
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<br />"" Ilxcellant r~ar~ation~l f""ill ly. Hur,bing .of ..1>..
<br />duc~s, geese, pheasa"ts, and ~the, ga~e is 8voilnblo
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<br />J~..r, "ntul",,~
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<br />during tho fall.
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