By Patricia Duran
The Raton Sign has been perched on top of Goat Hill Scenic Overlook, a local geological landmark, since most of us can remember. My personal question has always been, "Were there goats on Goat Hill?" Has the question been answered? No one has answered so quite yet.
When I have friends or family members visiting from out of town and they've never been to Raton, it is my personal mission to showcase the most exciting places I grew up to love. One of those places is to the top of Goat Hill to view our historic city below and the gorgeous geology and volcanic skyline in the distance.
Goat Hill is host to our famous Raton Sign, which is lit red during the evening and can be seen from miles outside of town. The National Park Service states, "The site consists of a parking lot and three contributing structures: a concrete wall, the 'RATON' sign, and a star that represents the 'Star of Bethlehem.""
Goat Hill is located not far from downtown and can be accessed by turning onto Moulton Avenue from South Second Street, and turning left on Hill Street and following the road until it leads to a sign pointing left toward Goat Hill. The road splits into two with the left heading to the overlook and the right road leading to the original Raton Pass Scenic Highway. At present,
the highway is fenced off in areas and is accessible on foot.
A short hike up on the Old Pass presents viewers with a chance to see the Iridium Layer, and the "dramatic vista" which was the "subject postcards and photographs, including one in
1929 National Geographic article, which the author incredulously claimed that "with good eyesight, five states-New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas-could be seen from the vantage."
Originally, Goat Hill was used by Sunday picnickers for years before being established as a park in 1927. The Raton sign was built sometime in the 1930s, which replicated the white design of the "Hollywoodland" sign built in Beverly Hills in 1923. The sign is 18 feet in height and 60 feet in length, and was refurbished in 1988. Similarly, across the border north in Colorado, Trinidad has a sign of their own on Simpson's Rest.
The "Star of Bethlehem" was erected between 1937 and 1938 to promote tourism and is outlined by 150 lightbulbs that can be changed in color periodically to represent the seasons.
For example, the lights are typically red for the Christmas season and during the beginning of the 2020 pandemic, the city changed the bulbs white to represent "the star of hope."
Today, the Raton Sign is surrounded by a chain link fence for its protection, which has been in place since the 1930s, including the original concrete wall that surrounds the top of the hill with historic inscriptions dating back as early as 1930.
As one of our most Instagram-worthy spots, Goat Hill is ready for picnickers for years to come. If you happen to encounter a goat on this historic hilltop, please let me know!
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