Vona,
Colorado
Across the plains of eastern
Colorado are many little burgs that are slowly settling in to dusty
memories. Early 1900 through the 1920’s
these little towns were in their heyday.
Main street was a busy place with shops and stores in downtown. Buggies and the new fangled horseless
carriage shared the main avenue. Then
the great depression hit the country and life on the prairie would change for
the depression ushered in the dust bowl.
What had once been prosperous land became pile of blowing dust. No longer could folks pay their debts, banks foreclosed
and people lost their livelihood. Life had evolved into a desperate situation
of trying to survive.
Vona was located along the railroad
line of the Rock Island. When the
homestead law changed, the little town of Vona was ready for the new
settlers. The railroad brought supplies
and product was shipped via the railway.
Vona became a thriving farm town on the high plains. A town government was formed and utilities
were placed. A school was built and into
the 20th century Vona moved.
After the dirty 30, dreams began to
fade and with the drought of the 50’s many sold out and moved on. The dream of a country town began to fade
into the murky recess of dreams lost.
Today Vona is home to a few dozen
residents, but most of the business have closed up and moved on. The Post Office is still open as is town hall
to manage the utilities and streets. City
park is across the street from town hall and is maintained.
During the 60’s, Interstate 70 was
under construction it completely by passed the little town. The building of the Interstate was the knell
of demise. On the old highway, the gas
station hung on until the caretakers could no longer manage. The grain elevator shuttered up a couple of
years earlier. Across the corner is the
junk dealer in the gulley with appliances strewn about awaiting the fate to the
scrap pile.
Mani street has a few buildings,
most are empty and store a variety of stuff.
One of the empty buildings had goats in a pen beside it. Mostly the winds of past times float across
the roofs whistling.
On a knoll overlooking the town is
the water tower. One of the more unique towers
and probably one of the smallest tanks ever.
Next to it is a large steel tank, possibly auxiliary supply and behind
is the new replacement water tower. The
old water tower was designated a historic land mark because of its
uniqueness.
There are the few who still live in
Vona, it is a quiet village, where people still go about life.
