New owners breathe new life into a historic motel while preserving the past Two figures stand outside the door of Moab’s Apache Motel: a weather-proofed lifesize cardboard cutout of the western film icon John Wayne, in a cowboy hat and a pistol hanging at his side; and a lifesize statue of a Native American man with feathers in his hair and a quiver of arrows at … [Read more...]
Moab’s Canyon & Waffle House: The Last Coffee-Counter in Moab, Utah
Coffee at the Counter Canyon Steak and Waffle House in Moab is decorated with nostalgic, black-and-white photos of simpler times, and each booth is named after a Beatles song. In 2020, when owner Shawn Welch visited the then-vacant building to consider re-opening it as a restaurant, she thought, “It just needs love,” which conjured the Beatles hit, “All You Need is … [Read more...]
Moab Workers Build Their Own Homes to Overcome Housing Shortage
In the under-construction Arroyo Crossing subdivision just south of Moab, dozens of people bustle in and out of 17 houses in various phases of construction. Some are just framed skeletons, others have sheathing and metal roofing, some have straw bale walls. Some of the people are residents-to-be working on their own and their neighbors’ homes through sweat-equity programs … [Read more...]
Studio Artistic: An Immigrant Story That Will Make You Believe In The American Dream Again
Metal endures. It can be hammered or melted but it is resilient. Such qualities also help form the character of the people who work with it; men such as third-generation metalworker Marcelo Galvan. Galvan immigrated to the United States from Argentina as a young man and built up a successful business creating ornamental ironwork, only to see it crumble in the 2008 recession. … [Read more...]
What to Do in San Juan County, Utah
Canyon Country Discovery Center Utah’s southeast corner is known for its red rock spires, wide open spaces and archeology sites. A scenic drive or a hike won’t disappoint; there are also places to slow down, spend some time, and learn more of the history, function and context of the landscape. The Canyon Country Discovery Center in Monticello welcomes visitors to engage … [Read more...]
The Reality of Van Life in Moab, Utah
Cindy Martinez has been coming to Moab during the summers to work since 2016. She’s nearing 65, and her husband is 70. Both collect disability, and both live out of their van. “There are good things and bad things that happen in Moab,” Martinez said. The wages in Moab are high, but the cost of living is higher. Maintaining daily routines while living out of a vehicle is … [Read more...]
Exploring Ghost Towns Royal & Cisco near Moab, Utah
In the frontier days of the American West, industries rose and fell in arcs spanning just a few decades, sometimes launching communities that endured, and sometimes sprouting small towns and settlements that faded quickly away, leaving only scattered remnants. Many lonely corners of Utah harbor sites of these former communities. Royal and Cisco are two such decrepit and … [Read more...]
John W. Williams: Moab’s Wild West Doctor
In 1896, Moab was a small town of 400 or 500 people, mostly ranchers, farmers, and miners, with no doctor. Grand County Commissioners at the time created a new position of County Health Officer for a salary of $150 a year, which was accepted by a man named John W. Williams, later known locally as “Doc” Williams. Williams served the community for more than 20 years, … [Read more...]
Easy Bee Farm: Growing Food on Easy Street in Moab Utah
The entrance to Easy Bee Farm, just off Easy Street in Moab, is tucked between thick curtains of growth that make it hard to spot if you haven’t been there before. “That’s part of the adventure,” laughs Rhonda Gotway-Clyde, who owns the farm. Once found, the long gravel drive leads to what does feel a little like a magic kingdom, lush with flowers and vegetables, and … [Read more...]