Van Horn, Sierra Blanca, Deming ~ Day 2 ~ Arizona Road Trip

Day 2 of my road trip found me looking for the Hotel El Capitan in Van Horn, Texas (population 2500).  Designed by famed architect Henry C. Trost, sometimes referred to as the architect of the Southwest, the hotel opened in 1930 at the crossroads of the forthcoming Carlsbad Caverns, Guadalupe Mountains, and Big Bend National Park.  It operated as a hotel until the late 1960’s when Interstate 10 opened and a majority of the traffic bypassed the little town of Van Horn. Soon thereafter it became the Van Horn State Bank.  In 2007 new owners embarked on a $2.5 million renovation and the historic hotel is now back in business as the El Capitan.  The renovation was no small feat since all the bathrooms  had been removed when it operated as a bank.  

Sierra Blanca, Texas,  (population 500) looks like the town that progress left behind.  Most of the streets are dirt, most of the retail establishments are closed, and even this old windmill appears to be missing a blade.

Deming, New Mexico (population 14,000) is a bustling little town probably because there are few places for travelers to stay in Southern New Mexico.  Day 2 of my Arizona road trip started in San Angelo and I had planned that it would end in El Paso, but I pushed on another hundred miles to Deming.  While driving around downtown in the late afternoon I literally stumbled upon the Luna County Courthouse which was a real treat because this beauty didn't show up as a possible photo op in my trip research.


Not too many pictures on Day 2 because the entire day was spent on Interstate 10 and there were few places to stop.  Tomorrow:  Day 3.