After a few days of hoping to see this place, the owner and Francie and I met up for him to give us a tour. The Cuchillo Bar & Store has a long history, actually surviving (most of it anyway) until a fire shut things down in 2000. Fixing it up again is a daunting task, but Josh has taken it on. Unless someone with a bunch of cash wants to do it instead.
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Some of the things in the bar and hotel and
some things that just caught Josh's eye. |
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| The courtyard |
It took awhile to stop gawking at things on the outside of the bar to make it inside, but we eventually did.
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| It takes a lot of cowboy boots to make steps look like this |
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| Beside being the bar and store and hotel, it was also the Post Office |
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| Plink! |
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| Scales and stoves and saddles, oh my! |
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| It wasn't a fancy bar but neither is Cuchillo, NM |
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| 78's |
The photo below is with a flash because it was almost completely dark back there. Josh warned of the very creepy photos on the doors. I said, oh, not so creepy, Josh.
A closer look confirmed his warning. She might be enough to have you hold out for later accommodations.
There were horse races around here.
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| One of quite a few barbed wire examples |
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| Perfect |
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I never saw a Ouija board like this before
(and seeing it right after the creepy bathroom lady made it weirder) |
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| Ride 'em, cowgirl |
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| I love this thing! |
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| Saloon doors with the appropriately perfect squeakiness |
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| Beans, rice and other staples were sold in the old store |
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| Nope, nothing left now |
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Francie was pretty sure this old popcorn popper would make enough
for at least her portion |
Out in back is the old adobe stable. There used to be a second story that was a hayloft. The old stagecoach road runs behind it as well.
This is inside. I didn't venture real far being the slightly graceless person that I am; too many opportunities to say ouch! But also too amazing to not at least step inside.
If you want to delve more into the history of the place, check out the web site here.
I think we'll be off to do some more exploring today, maybe head to another of the reservoirs nearby. It would be easy to spend months checking out the amazing places of New Mexico but that isn't going to happen when there are other loved ones to see and other places to go.
Have a turnaround Thursday. Do something tried and true (even if you've never done it before).
