America's Most Boring Towns: 8

joey: 23rd Jun 2006 - 02:31 GMT

One of America's best kept secrets!

La Junta is a growing city on the High Plains of scenic Southeast Colorado. Located strategically on the historic Santa Fe Trail.

To top it all off, several national chain outlets in town offer convenience and competitive shopping for our residents. In short, we believe you will find La Junta an enjoyable place to visit and the ideal community in which to live and raise a family.

Chris Erb: 23rd Jun 2006 - 03:15 GMT

If the best thing a town has to offer is "national chain outlets" which "offerconvenience and competitive shopping", I don't want to be there.

jack: 23rd Jun 2006 - 20:39 GMT

one of my favorite songs is 'along the santa fe trail' played by glenn miller. if you ever have an opportunity to hear it you will like it.

EvilGentleman: 23rd Jun 2006 - 20:52 GMT

And all I knew of Glenn Miller was "In The Mood", "Moonlight Serenade" and "Pennsylvania 6-5000" (the phone number of the Pennsylvania Hotel on 7th Ave, if my grandmother told me right).

Susan: 7th Aug 2006 - 16:00 GMT

I agree that "If the best thing a town has to offer is 'national chain outlets' which 'offer convenience and competitive shopping', I don't want to be there."

La Junta does have some other things going for it, but sadly, it is facing a lot of the same problems that other small heartland towns have -- lack of jobs. It was a nice place to grow up, and it does have a nice museum, a couple of small parks, swimming pools, friendly people, etc. After I graduated from LJHS, there really wasn't any looking back -- it was on to college and there are few, if any jobs in my field there. It has lost several large employers over the years, including NIBCO & the "pickle plant".

There is a lot to be said about our small towns, and I hope La Junta has a thriving future, although I'm not all that optimistic.

But for the real test -- can you get a decent latte there?

ColoradoHustler: 4th Sep 2006 - 03:04 GMT

La Junta isnt all that bad unless you are lookin for work then ur better off somewhere else...I lived here most my life about 12 years and its nice becuz u can walk down the main streets and nobody is tryin to sell u drugs or beg u for money or harrass you...now dont get me wrong crime does exost its just not a very big problem, maily just us kids havin fun, goin 2 partys and stuff like that. Ive never heard gunshots here unless it was in the country, lol. Its a great place to raise ur kids if u can find a good job or its also a good place to retire. but if ur use to the city life dont come here! its too quiet and nuthin to do except hang out with friends.

Me: 21st Mar 2007 - 20:13 GMT

I'm really curious as to what made scott take this random road trip to all of these really small towns. What a waste of gas money!

iman: 15th Apr 2007 - 13:14 GMT

scott was probably on a road trip to a specific place, and stopped in all of those towns.

John : 15th Jun 2007 - 03:22 GMT

Even the trees are like, "Could you come over here and just chop me down?"

Gems: 26th Dec 2007 - 02:48 GMT

This is like the worst city on earth, there is nothing to do. Not only in La Junta not

"One of America's best kept secrets!

La Junta is a growing city on the High Plains of scenic Southeast Colorado. Located strategically on the historic Santa Fe Trail.

To top it all off, several national chain outlets in town offer convenience and competitive shopping for our residents. In short, we believe you will find La Junta an enjoyable place to visit and the ideal community in which to live and raise a family."

This unemployment rate is higher than the rest of the country. No one in there right mind would want to raise a family here, the police abuse is appalling. People get arrested because dogs chase cats. Innocent people with children get sentanced for 10 years in prison, when there is a video tape PROVING they did not do it. The police here do drugs and have children there wife's do not know about and god forbid you have a family dog, cause they will shoot it will out reason. And the great stores are Walmart and Safeway. Walmart puts everyone else out of business and the manager at Safeway is a jerk.

Whoever wrote that is either on drugs and sits on the city council.

Do not ever visit this town if you can help it, plus it is a speed trap and the state decided to build a bypass around it and all of the other corrupt small towns in this area.

Small town girl: 18th Jan 2008 - 16:59 GMT

If he was looking for photo's of small towns he needs to go to Cheraw not much their at all!

vanessa: 20th Jan 2008 - 19:35 GMT

not to bash anyone...
but i dont understand why people think growing up in a hick town will raise good children. i mean, i grew up in a big city, i think i turned out fine...and then compare it to these little hick town lds people that are just plain creepy...i dont think that living in a teeny tiny little town will make your children grow up to be the next president, thankyouverymuch.

Larry: 4th Feb 2008 - 04:07 GMT

My town used to be okay. . . but now it is swarming with illegal immigrants and criminal activity. The town next to us has even more illegal immigrants. For the most part it is getting uglier. And one thing I have noticed is that even in the most dangerous areas there is a remarkable lack of street lights. If our streets were better lighted, it would create an increased awareness of who's-doing-what in neighborhood yards and on streetcorners. I have never been to La Junta, Co but it certainly seems more peaceful than my town. In those pictures of La Junta, Co I don't see any evidence of crime, illegals, or gangs. La Junta, here I come!

lisa: 24th Apr 2008 - 03:10 GMT

i live in a very rural town rio dell ca i hate it soooooooooooooooooooooo bad i am dying to get out i hate it so bad it does have crap in it its like hell on earth its 300 miles to san fransico ca ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Marie: 24th Jul 2008 - 17:34 GMT

I grew up in LaJunta and when I hit college, I learned that I had gotten a great education. I was far ahead of the other students in math and science and history. You can trash LaJunta all you want, but it's a safe city with people who care. LaJunta also has the Koshare Kiva Museum and Bent's Old Fort which are great tourist attractions. The city parks are great and the hospital is very advanced. I don't know where you all got the false information about the town being full of crime but I know the police chief and he's a wonderful man. When I retire I plan on returning to LaJunta to live in peace and quiet with a very lost cost of living. I don't know if LaJunta still has the Kids' Rodeo and the great 4th of July Fireworks but I will never forget going to both as a kid. And Watermelon Day at RockyFord, which is only 10 miles away was a very fond memory.

Nina: 17th Sep 2008 - 02:39 GMT

La Junta is not a bad place to live. I lived in another small town next to it called Las Animas. And were not creepy hick people. There is no gangs not really any crime going on as there is here in ca in these bigger towns. If you happen to be in the area then i would check it out. Also, the picture all you are seeing is one store (Gibsons) that was abonded. But really the only bad thing there would be the age that some people get pregnant. thats about it.

wakeup: 18th Sep 2008 - 03:05 GMT

You people HAVE KNOW IDEA what boring really is.

US :): 15th Dec 2008 - 18:17 GMT

We think that you guys are Mean! La junta isnt that great, but it is a good place to grow up! those are just bad pictures!

JO: 6th Jan 2009 - 16:22 GMT

I grew up in good old LJ. It's not all that bad if that's your thing, I got out of there as soon as I could. My parents still live there and they don't seem to mind, but then again their older and like the peace, quiet and convience of a small town rather then the rat race of the city life. As for me I have been from coast to coast and love I mean love the city life. I dont go home that often but when I do there is one thing I can say about that town everyone is there with open arms and it's nice to go home and get humbled every now and then and realize that in this day and age there are still people out there that are very loving, caring, and down right good people. So the one thing I have to comment on if you think people that are loving, caring and good are creepy then I think your the one with some issues. This town isn't DELIVERANCE!! Some of the best Baseball players come from this town and surrounding towns. Don't let one picture fool you. If a small town is your thing then LJ is a good place for you and I would reccomend it as a great retirement town, But if the city life is your thing then stay there. I choose city life cause that's my thing but I would never knock my hometown!!! La Junta has some great people. So to all you people who havn't been there and are judging it from one photo, if your ever passing through I suggest you stop and experience it for yourself. Never Judge a Book by it's cover you never know what you might miss!!!!

Faith: 30th Jun 2009 - 10:23 GMT

Don't come to La Junta if you don't want your kids taken away. On the other hand if you want to buy drugs, this is the best place to do it. Right in a school zone too!! Cops don't do anything about it, they are too busy trying to take away everybodies drivers licences. Someone should make a creepy movie about this town! Yeah, My Meth Lab was at 711 Edison, drive by and see that pretty yellow house!!

alex: 2nd Jul 2009 - 04:20 GMT

i live in la junta and i'll agree, those are TERRIBLE pictures. lol. its hilarious. everyone in la junta knows that lot. we do doughnuts in it! everyone here knows thats terrible picture.

Jeff: 8th Aug 2009 - 15:34 GMT

Without a doubt La Junta is one of the most boring towns in Colorado. Virtually nothing to do in this town, no employment, no future, and no point. Yeah they have museums and parks, but there a abandoned cemetery's with more going on inside them.
As far as friendly, not really. The local cops spend most of their time ticketing travelers foolish enough to come through, as that's one of the few ways they raise revenues.
They want peoples money but sure don't want new people.
La Junta would only be a good place to be, or even visit, if you're retired and too old to care or even know where you are, completely dazed, or dead.

In 20 years all this place will be is a bunch of empty stores, and a highway going past it.

who: 15th Nov 2009 - 07:25 GMT

La junta is terrible. I am going to the junior college there and absolutely hate the place. It is true about the place being a speed trap for sure. In two years i have now received 2 speeding tickets when the speed limit suddenly drops from 65 to 30. The hospital there is anything but up to date. Good luck if you get sick here. My friend went in for a cut on his head and a hurt wrist. They super glued his head back together and told him his arm was sprained. After going to see a real doctor in a real town he found that he needed surgery not only on his broken wrist but also on his forehead where they had attempted to glue him back together. The police here are ridiculous. Not only will they pull you over for 3 miles over the speed limit they will also search your vehicle illegally for drugs that aren't even there. I can't wait to get out and i know everyone else is thinking the same thing.