The Magic Southwest

During the late 1800s The Old Fort Lewis was a military fort and Federal Indian Boarding School. Today the land supports Fort Lewis College's Farmer Training and incubator programs. Brandon Francis, a scientist and seed keeper reflects on the Old Fort, the land and the significance of blue corn to Diné people.

This story was originally produced for KDUR Durango by Jamie Wanzek. 

Several decades ago, working class neighborhoods lined the Animas River in Durango. Today, these spaces are parks and pickle ball courts. But during the 1950s this was once a hub of industry including uranium milling. One family shares how their story connects to the toxic legacy of Durango’s industrial past. 

Advocates say Immigration and Customs Enforcement is abusing loopholes in a Colorado law, SB20-83, which limits where ICE agents can make arrests connected to courthouses.

This story was originally produced for KDUR Durango and Rocky Mountain Community Radio. 

Rhubarb is all over the San Juan Mountains in Southwest Colorado. Where did it come from? And what does an abandoned road in producer Jamie Wanzek's backyard have to do with it?

Content warning: This story mentions suicide ideation.

Reported, written, and produced by Jamie Wanzek

Edited by Kirbie Bennett

Music: 

You'll Never Catch Me Crawling Back to You  Roy Williams

The Poppy Red Garden

Loner on a Cliff

The High Lonesome

Hearth 

© The Magic Southwest LLC

Fort Lewis is a former federal Indian boarding school, making the appointment of President Heather Shotton significant because she is a descendant of boarding school survivors.

This story was originally produced for KDUR Durango and Rocky Mountain Community Radio. 

Jamie Wanzek is an employee of Fort Lewis College

"This anthology is a portal," says Kinsale Drake. "Art, poetry, songs, stories - those things are both ancient and alive right now, and those are our superpowers."

In this episode of The Magic Southwest, co-host Kirbie Bennett speaks with Kinsale Drake and Darcie Little Badger, co-editors of a book titled Beyond the Glittering World: An Anthology of Indigenous Feminisms and Futurisms. Throughout the interview, they discuss the importance of highlighting underrepresented Indigenous voices, as well as anti-DEI backlash they've encountered while promoting the collection. 

Written and produced by Kirbie Bennett. 

Music provided by Alex Kehm. 

© Magic Southwest LLC

Today, Durango Fiesta Days is popular for its late-summer rodeos. When the event started in 1935, it was called the Spanish Trails Fiesta. 

On this episode of The Magic Southwest, Kirbie travels back to the 1950s and explores what the fiesta looked like, including stories about Indigenous people camping along the Animas River. What was the Spanish Trails Fiesta like for them? 

Written and produced by Kirbie Bennett. 

Music provided by River Foxcroft 

Print newspapers are becoming increasingly hard to keep alive. But for Maggie McGurie, print media isn't going anywhere in Southeastern Utah. 

This story was produced for the Transom Traveling Workshop in Moab. Special thanks to KZMU Moab Community Radio, KDUR Durango, KikiBouba Press, The Moab Sun News, and Transom. 

Music:
Martin Landström
Anna Ash

In 1881, JJ Reilly, an artist from New York, visited Southwest Colorado. To the artist, 'magic' referred to industry, gold, and the illusion of the western frontier. At The Magic Southwest, we redefine 'magic'. We tell stories of the past, present, and future of this region. 

As a prologue for a new season, Kirbie shares his land acknowledgement poem.

Some notes:

The 1890 census is a direct quote from the timeline section compiled by Native Voices, a division of the National Library of Medicine.

Sound design was provided by Epidemic Sound.

An earlier version of this poem was previously published in the Winter 2025 issue of Chapter House Journal.