This summer, in the 100 block of 5th St. in downtown Walsenburg, a very determined fuchsia petunia seed rooted itself in the crack of a sidewalk. Though it was shaded by a nearby planter box, the chances of it sprouting, amounting to much, or succeeding were minimal; it was in a very inconvenient location. Right in the middle of a sidewalk, it could be trampled, and it was far from sprinklers or a natural water source.
But someone noticed the little plant and instead of pulling it, they gave it the basic things it needed. Thanks to the care it was shown, the little plant thrived. In the middle of the sidewalk, it proudly spread out its tendrils, showing off its brilliant color. The flower’s caretaker didn’t take care of it for others to notice, for credit, or any other reason other than the little flower needed some help.
Walsenburg’s old caboose, situated just off Main Street also needed some help. The same people watering the sidewalk petunia were also sprucing up the caboose for the same reasons: they recognized potential beauty in an unexpected place.
“We take pride in our community. We take pride in our neighborhood,” Mike Eberwein said. “The caboose was really an eyesore. Anybody who drives through town on Main Street sees it, whether they pay attention to it or not. After a while you just don’t see it. You just don’t see the ugly.”
Mike has family roots in the metal fabrication industry and there was no doubt in his mind he had the skills and connections to spruce up the caboose with a little help.
“I set Friday afternoons aside. I tried to make it so that I could tell everybody that I was going to be there, to come and help,” Mike said. Locals Robert Ellsworth and Carmen Lara answered the call. They showed up almost every week to work alongside him.
Shortly after beginning the project, Mike got some bad health news. He was making daily trips to Pueblo for treatment for more than three months but still made time to work on the caboose when he could.
“I made a commitment. I could’ve just walked away from it and said I’ve got personal issues. I could’ve said I’m not going to deal with it. But I started it and I wanted to finish it.”
On October 7, Mike hung the last of the new metal letters on the restored caboose. “It will be great to have it in my rear-view mirror. It’s been fun, it’s been a challenge.”
The restoration is Mike’s gift to the city and his community. He and his wife hope the caboose is an example of how something beautiful and strong can be created from people who join together and take time to “stop and smell the flowers.”
Mike Eberwein said the caboose makeover project was made possible with the generous gifts of time, supplies, and funding from the following people and organizations:
- United Coating Technologies donated the first 7 of the 10 gallons of paint, which wasn’t available commercially when the project began.
- David Roche, a local train enthusiast, helped pick the colors.
- A $1,000 donation from San Isabel Electric Association covered the shipping costs of the paint.
- Walsenburg Lumber donated the lumber to replace the rotted cedar corner posts.
- Robert Ellsworth and Carmen Lara provided sanding supplies and spent hours sanding.
- Huerfano County Economic Development Director Carlton Croft administered the $1,000 SIEA grant.
- Local metal artist Joanne Mann cut the metal letters.
- Donations from Bachman & Associates, La Veta
- Trails, Fox Trot Emporium, Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center, and Chae’ Organics
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