Villa Grove was first reached by Rio Grande rails in 1881, when what would become the Valley Line was built over Poncha Pass to an iron ore mine at Orient, CO. In 1890, rails were extended south from Villa Grove to Alamosa, completing the Valley Line and making the town into a junction. The remaining part of the original line to the mine was known as the Orient Branch.

The Villa Grove Water Tank

Until 1946, the town had a standard D&RGW 50000 gallon water tank?. Needing replacement, the Grande installed a rather uniquely small 9600 gallon redwood tank of very similar design to the one at Jacks Cabin? in late 1946 - early 1947. The new, smaller tank was painted in a darker brown color with white lettering, rather than the usual depot yellow on the staves and brown on the base. Contrary to legend, the Jacks Cabin tank was *not* moved to Villa Grove.

The current Colorado Railroad Museum? water tank is a reasonably close facsimile of the Villa Grove and Jacks Cabin small tanks.

Maps and Photos

(None - yet)

Categories: Locations