Los Pocos Locos by Flo Matthews

The early history of Los Pocos Locos Miniature Club is vague. The majority of the information here is related through the memories of the few remaining members of the Club. In the beginning, a few individuals gathered, not as a club but as people who shared a common interest in miniatures. Their degree of interest varied, as some were purists and wanted to totally create a miniature project in its entirety while others were interested in different aspects of the hobby, such as the construction, hardware and/or decorating. Some were strictly miniature collectors.

Based on an article in the Roswell Daily Record issue of Sunday, January 6, 1980, it would appear that the starting date for this group was around 1979. Some of the original members were Sandy Byars, Jack and Lannie Dunham, Vera Hefley, Pat Mitchell, LaVerne and Rex Smith and Jenny Praire. It is believed others members of the group were Dan Dragon, Marie and Lawrence Ham and George, their grandson, Julie Hinkle, B.J. Johnson, Esther Kelly, Emmalee Knadle, Novella Melton, and Nancy Sherman who were not identified in the article. Although this was not an official club, there were about 25 people in Roswell who belonged to the National Association of Miniatures Enthusiasts (NAME) at that time.

By 1982, an official club was created and given the name Los Pocos Locos. Regular meetings, of an informal nature, were held at the SPS building at 415 N. Richardson (now the Roswell Water Department). While at this location, having lost some of the original participants, the Club began to attract new members, among which were Sharie Chesser, Suzanne Herron, Betty Long, Flo Matthews and Anne Puma.

It was during this period of time when the Club worked on monthly projects to create miniatures displays for the Roswell Public Library. These were the first of many Club projects including annual booth display at the Southeastern New Mexico State Fair.

From the SPS building, the Club moved its monthly meetings to the Home Economics room at Roswell High School, and membership increased. The members continued to work on their own projects as well as new Club projects, such as the “Roundup on the Pecos.” The “Roundup” was a large event planned and executed to bring to Roswell miniaturists from other parts of the state and even outside New Mexico. It was an all-day event where guests attended workshops of their choice from a select group of offerings taught by individuals who had expertise in their particular discipline. Each attendee was given a tote bag full of miniature items that the Club members spent many hours preparing. There were approximately 100 items in each bag. Not only did the Club members enjoy plying their skills to create these items, the attendees were delighted with their “surprise.” The “Roundup” expanded, and had to be held in larger facilities. In later years when the Club began to decline, the operation of the “Roundup” was taken over by the Amarillo Miniature Club.

The real pride and joy of the Club were the annual miniature shows. These were huge successes and attracted people from near and far. These shows gave the Club a chance to “show off” their individual dollhouses, room boxes, vignettes and other creations with which they were credited. The main draw of the show, though, was the re-creation of an old western town dubbed Pocoville. This gave the talented members a chance to put on their thinking caps and come up with their creative contribution. Among the many buildings represented were a livery stable, bank, church with cemetery, schoolroom, saloon and pool hall, brothel, jail, mercantile store with a post office, cafe, opera house, Wells Fargo office, newspaper office, railroad station with a running train, barber shop, drug store, trading post, bakery, toy store, Chinese laundry, Christmas tree lot, and several residences (dollhouses). The citizens of Pocoville would stroll in their park, taking in the sites of the town’s ferris wheel, carousel and water tower. Like Tara, this little town is “gone with the wind.” The individual displays have been scattered and the location of most unknown. Fortunately, the core of the town is still available and with the help of this Museum, the old town can be revived and once again come to life.

In the late 1990s, as members aged and began focusing their attention on their own projects and life events, interest in the Club waned. Eventually the members disbanded bringing an end to the Los Pocos Locos Miniature Club.