La Jara, Colorado

La Jara is another town in the central San Luis Valley whose mostly Hispanic population is descended from pioneers who came into the area in the early 1850's to settle on the Sangre de Cristo and Conejos Land Grants. This is still primarily a ranching (cattle and sheep) and farming area with most business activity happening these days in Alamosa, about 15 miles to the northeast. But once upon a time, La Jara was a thriving little community.