Why Antonito Might Be Colorado’s Most Fascinating Small Town

Colorado is home to a number of famous locales, including the ski towns of Vail and Aspen, the Mile High City of Denver, and various others across the state. However, one of the most interesting towns in Colorado is home to fewer than a thousand people but has one of the most fascinating stories of any of the state’s communities.

History of Antonito, Colorado

Antonito, Colorado, is located in Conejos County, which is also one of the counties with the most alleged Bigfoot sightings in the state, on the southern border near New Mexico.

The town, which is home to a mere 647 residents as of 2020, began as a sheep herding camp prior to becoming incorporated in 1889.

In its infancy, Antonito was called San Antonito Junction and served as a landmark along the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad.

Antonito, Colorado, Was Featured in a Famous Movie

In the late 1980s, Antonito, Colorado, served as the setting for what was intended to be the final movie in the Indiana Jones trilogy, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and can be seen in the film’s scenes that highlight Harrison Ford’s character’s youth, where the character was portrayed by the late River Phoenix.

Today, the house that was shown as the young Indiana Jones’s home operates as a bed and breakfast.

Antonito, Colorado, is Home to a Castle

One of the biggest draws to Antonito, Colorado, is the quirky Cano’s Castle. The structure, which was built by Vietnam veteran Dominic “Cano” Espinoza, was constructed from old beer cans, bicycle parts, hubcaps, and various other materials. Though most know it as Cano’s Castle, the building’s creator and namesake calls it “Jesus’s Castle.”

Read More: Ghost Stories From Colorado's Miramont Castle

In addition to the castle, Antonito is also home to the oldest church in the state, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, which was built in 1857.