Separ, New Mexico: Continental Divide Store and Teepee

Store was closed at 8 pm, but it looked awesome! Teepee has seen better days. This might be a good location for those interested to start geocaching...

I have fond memories of the Continental Divide Store Tepee. Before seat belt laws, my family lived in Tucson, AZ, and we had extended family throughout New Mexico. I can still hear the parents telling me to "wake up and see this." From the way back of our old Dodge station wagon I would climb over seats and luggage to the front. Low and behold! A massive Tepee, strategically placed for a fill-up and walk. I still have a kiddie head dress that I begged with the parents enough to get. Wore that thing forever.

In 2000 I had a job in Tucson and my younger brother was helping me with the move. For hours along I-10 he was regaled with tales of this tepee. I was quite excited to stop at this landmark of my childhood. He was dubious, at best, about some roadside attraction he couldn't remember.

We came over a rise and there it was, in its new format. A big building with a tepee discarded to the side. I was so deflated, and he was laughing so loudly, that we drove on without stopping.

Located directly at the I-10 heading east, between Lordsburg and Deming, there is a roadside store called "The Continental Divide Store" (formerly known as the Continental Divide Trading Post).

It offers tons of odd, strange souvenirs (we call it Kitsch over here in Germany) as well as (strange enough) fireworks. A few steps from the store you can find the remains of an abandoned gas station, and a giant [wooden] teepee (which, as far as I could see, does not serve any obvious purpose).

Good enough for an odd photo, however... As you can see on the photo, there was a thunder storm approaching, so I had no time for a close investigation of that teepee.