The Magic City of the Southwest

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 Chapters (00:00:00) - International Rhubarb Festival(00:05:20) - Migration(00:08:55) - Cookbook(00:12:30) - Dominca(00:17:53) - Old Wagon Road

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 City, 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 City, 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 LandströmAnna Ash

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. 

In 1881, an artist from New York visited Southwest Colorado when he created a print called "The Magic City of the Southwest." To the artist, 'magic' referred to industry, gold, and the illusion of the western frontier.  On season 2 of The Magic City, we redefine 'magic'. We tell stories of the past, present, and future of this place.  We'll see you soon for more stories from The Magic City of the Southwest.  Written by Kirbie Bennett and Jamie Wanzek Produced by Kirbie Bennett  Music:  Under The Dark Sky by Johan Glössner The Poppy Garden Red by OTE © The Magic Southwest, LLC

In the 1950's residents living along the Piedra and San Juan Rivers in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico learned that their communities would be condemned and indundated by reservoir water, because a federal water reclamation project would move forward. This episode tells the story of what happened to Raymond Gallegos' family when they were forced to relocate, and the lives they left behind. Reporting, production, and musical scoring by Adam Burke for Magic City Studios. © Magic City Studios, llc

Today, you can find just a few remnant apple orchards in southwest Colorado. But in the early 1900s, one man envision that Montezuma County, Colorado would become an apple Mecca. Was Jasper Hall's dream for this arid landscape an historic footnote, or was he a visionary ahead of his time. This episode tells the story of a man who some people called the Fruit Wizard of Montezuma County. Reporting, production, and musical scoring by Adam Burke for Magic City Studios. © Magic City Studios, llc