You are here

1991
Cano's Castle, Antonito, Colo.

Cano's Castle, Antonito, Colo.

Wow Photo Wednesday

Blog topic: 
Photo News
photography
houses
archictecture

From "wow" luxurious last week to "wow" ~ just wow. Here's a homemade home, where obviously building permits don't hold much sway.

This is Cano's Castle at the corner of 10th Avenue and State Street in Antonito (Conejos County), Colorado. The eclectic structure was built by Donald "Cano" Espinoza, a Native American Vietnam War Veteran. The structure was built mainly out of scrap wood, beer cans and other metal refuse. A wooden fence surrounds the structure. A wooden sign leans against the fence and reads: "The Agenda: I. Feed the Hungry II.Tax the Rich III. Land Reform IV. Ban Alcohol V. Help the Negro VI. God in School. Espinoza began building Cano's Castle in 1980 in thanks for having his life spared during the Vietnam War. The tower in the distance is also known as the "King."

Be sure to visit the gallery below to see a larger selection of these "alternative dwellings."

"Wow Photo Wednesday" celebrates photographs in the Denver Public Library's Digital Collections that have "The Wow Factor" and that highlight the myriad delightful nuggets in our database.

  • Facebook logo
Photo Gallery: 
Native American women, Yosemite National Park
[between 1890 and 1910?]
Shanti [sic] town
[between 1930 and 1940?]
Denver 19th & Clay - squatters
1939 May 1
Sade Rhoads and daughter, "Mitzi," or Mary Elizabeth camping
[between 1920 and 1925?]
"Mrs. Oleo Margarine" with daughter "Melissa" behind them is a geodesic dome made of wood & tar - impregnated wood fiber
Photo Call Number X-7737
December 26, 1965
Clard Svenson of Drop City stands inside a half-finished geodesic dome that eventually will become a theater for psychedelics
1967 August 6
Droppers enjoy quiet moment of relaxation on hillside & just outside a window of a geodesic dome home
1967 August 5
Miss Elizabeth Kuhn taught school in this building in Turret in 1929
Summer 1974
Nevadaville Simmons' house - Letcher St log cabin inside one of the oldest houses in Nevadaville built in early '60's.
[between 1938 and 1940?]
Oldest house in the United States, Santa Fe, N.M.
[between 1899 and 1905?]
House of Henry Gillespie, later known as Ghost House
[between 1960 and 1970]

Wow Photo Wednesday~ Ramshackle Houses

Comments

Submitted by Rog on July 8, 2015

Since Tom Noel took this picture in 1991 this structure has continued to grow - and is pretty spectacular on line and in person.

Submitted by SuzanneK on July 9, 2015

Thank you for sharing such cool library treasures. The stories are fascinating.

Submitted by Randel on July 9, 2015

Thanks so much for your comments! I'd like to travel down and see this place in person.

Submitted by W R Turck on July 9, 2015

I saw Cano's Castle by chance a couple of years ago. While I was there Cano came out and I spoke with him.
I enjoyed the photo gallery, especially the squatters at 19 th and Clay in 1939. I understand that Mile High Stadium was built in 1948 on top of a garbage dump. These squatters would have been living at or very close to the dump. And I don't want to ignore this poverty in America.
The library has "Oddball Co..." published 2002 to see other interesting sites in our state. The "Oddball" series also has covered Il., Tx., etc.

Submitted by W R Turck on July 9, 2015

I saw Cano's Castle by chance a couple of years ago. While I was there Cano came out and I spoke with him.
I enjoyed the photo gallery, especially the squatters at 19 th and Clay in 1939. I understand that Mile High Stadium was built in 1948 on top of a garbage dump. These squatters would have been living at or very close to the dump. And I don't want to ignore this poverty in America.
The library has "Oddball Co..." published 2002 to see other interesting sites in our state. The "Oddball" series also has covered Il., Tx., etc.

Add new comment

Comment Guidelines