The Raton Downtown Historic District is a Registered Historic District in Raton, New Mexico

Raton, New Mexico

Raton is a city in Colfax County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 7,282 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Colfax County. The city is located just south of Raton Pass.-Name:...

, USA. The district is bounded on the north by Clark Avenue and on the south by Rio Grande Avenue. On the east the district is bounded by First Street, and on the west the district is bounded by Third Street. The district covers about 200 acres (80.9 ha) and contains 95 significant buildings.

Notable buildings

Twenty-seven of the buildings are listed on a walking tour published by the Raton Visitors Bureau:

1. Raton (Amtrak station)
   Raton (Amtrak station)
   The Raton Amtrak station is located at 201 South First Street in Raton, New Mexico. It occupies the former Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway depot, which was built in 1903...
   
    built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in 1903. Located at 201 South First Street.
2. Wells Fargo
   Wells Fargo
   Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
   
    Express Company (1910). Located at 145 South First Street. Now the Old Pass Gallery and offices of the Raton Arts and Humanities Council.
3. Reading Room built for Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad employees in 1922. "For years a reading-room and library system was maintained along the (Santa Fe) line"
4. Cook's Hall. Built in the late 1880s. Located at 140-144 South First Street. Listed on the State Register 2-25-1977.
5. Roth Building (1893). Located at 134 South First Street. Listed on the State Register 2-25-1977.
6. Abourezk Building (1906). Located at 132 South First Street.
7. Marchiondo Building (1882). Located at 120-124 First Street. Also known as the New York and Golden Rule Stores. Listed on the State Register 11-04-1977.
8. Joseph Building, dating from the 1890s. Located at 100 South First Street. Listed on the State Register 8-27-1976.
9. Home Ranch Saloon (1884). Located at 132 North First Street.
10. Investment Block (1896). Located at 136-144 North First Street. Listed on the State Register 2-25-1977.
11. Labadie House (1880). Located on the south side of Savage Avenue between North First and North Second Streets. This one of the oldest dwellings in town.
12. Ripley Park. Located on north side of Savage Avenue between North First Street and North Second Street. Named for Edward Payson Ripley
    Edward Payson Ripley
    Edward Payson Ripley , sometimes referred to as Edward P. Ripley or E. P. Ripley, was the fourteenth president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.- Youth and education :...
    
    , President of Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad. The 2 acre (0.809372 ha) park contains a monumental relic of the USS Maine
    USS Maine (ACR-1)
    USS Maine was the United States Navy's second commissioned pre-dreadnought battleship, although she was originally classified as an armored cruiser. She is best known for her catastrophic loss in Havana harbor. Maine had been sent to Havana, Cuba to protect U.S. interests during the Cuban revolt...
    
     and a DAR
    Daughters of the American Revolution
    The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
    
     monument commemorating the Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail.
13. Shuler Theater (1915). Located at 131 North Second Street. This building was originally built to house an opera house, the fire station, and city offices. It was named for James Jackson Shuler, a medical doctor who was mayor of Raton from 1899–1902 and 1910-1919. The lobby of the theater contains WPA
    Works Progress Administration
    The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
    
     murals of local history painted by artist Manville Chapman. Listed on the State Register 3-20-1970.
14. Foote Hotel (1901). Located at 136 North Second Street.
15. Odd Fellows
    Odd Fellows
    Odd Fellows is a name broadly referring to any of a large number of friendly societies, fraternal and service organizations and/or Lodges.-Societies using the name "Odd Fellows" or variations:...
    
     Building (1901). Located at 128-130 North Second Street.
16. A.H. Carey Hardware Store (1882). Located at 112 North Second Street.
17. Seaburg European Hotel (1914). 101 North Third Street. When this hotel was built, it was the largest hotel in New Mexico with 400 rooms. Now the El Portal Hotel.
18. Roth Block (1905). Located at 132 North First Street. Now the home of Solano's Boot and Western Wear.
19. Raton Realty Building (1928). Located at 137 South Second Street.
20. DeLislo Building (1918). Located at 144 South Second Street.
21. US Post Office (1917). Located at 244 Cook Avenue. Now the Arthur Johnson Library. The WPA
    Works Progress Administration
    The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
    
     murals from this former post office have been moved to the US Post Office (1962) located immediately north of the old Post Office at 245 Park Avenue East. The library has an important collection of local art.
22. The Swastika Hotel (1929). 200 South Second Street. Now the home of International Bank. Listed on the State Register 10-31-1980.
23. Palace Hotel (1896). Located on the southwest corner of South First Street and Cook Avenue. Listed on the State Register 8-27-1976.
24. Haven Hotel (1913). Located in the 200 block of South First Street. Listed on the State Register 8-27-1976.
25. Coors Building, a warehouse erected by Coors Brewing Company
    Coors Brewing Company
    The Coors Brewing Company is a regional division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Canadian Molson Coors Brewing Company and is the third-largest brewer in the United States...
    
     in 1906. Located at 216 South First Street. Listed on the State Register 8-27-1976.
26. Raton Hotel and Corner Bar, around 1910. Located at 244 South First Street. Listed on the State Register 2-25-1977.
27. Ilfield Building. Located at 329 South First Street.

In addition to these buildings, other significant structures in the downtown include:

• El Raton Theater (1930). Located at 115 North Second Street. The exterior resembles a Scottish castle.
• Raton Fire Station. Located at 127 Clark Avenue. The exterior is Art Deco
  Art Deco
  Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
  
  .

Several other buildings are on the south side of the Raton Downtown Historic District, but were not included in the Walking Tour. They are listed from the railroad tracks going west on Rio Grande Avenue:

• Santa Fe Freight House (1903). Across First Street from the Senior Center. Now renovated and used as part of the Senior Center.
• Raton Senior Center. Located at 440 South First Street in an old building.
• Scouting Museum of New Mexico
  Scouting in New Mexico
  Scouting in New Mexico has had a rich and colorful history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live...
  
  . Located at 400 South First Street in an old building.
• Raton Lodge Number 86 (1911). Located at 300 South Second Street. The oldest standing Elks
  Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
  The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
  
   lodge in New Mexico.
• Heart's Desire Bed and Breakfast (1885). Located at 301 South Third Street. A four bedroom bed and breakfast
  Bed and breakfast
  A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
  
   in a Victorian
  Victorian architecture
  The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
  
  style mansion.
• Holy Trinity Episcopal Church (1921). Located at 240 Rio Grande Avenue.

Additional information on the Raton Downtown Historic District is available from The Raton Museum, also located downtown.

Further reading