City of the Sun

Luckily for us, we were able to a pay a visit to The City of the Sun intentional community this week while here in Columbus, New Mexico, and a very kind member of the community led us on a wonderful spontaneous bicycle tour of this interesting and creative experiment in cooperative living. Having just stopped by unannounced, we were greeted with interest, enthusiasm and curiosity by our host, and a very mutual positive regard was generated within minutes of our arrival.  

City of the Sun is home to many creative and artistic individuals whose creativity is often reflected in their home design, gardening and decor.

Earthships, papercrete structures and other alternative forms of construction are common at City of the Sun, and we hear that many passersby on the nearby highway stop when they notice the unusual nature of some of the homes visible from the street.

This gentleman, Mike McCain, is an inventor who is locally famous for his innovative building techniques which take into consideration affordability, portability and expandability. He is a humble and brilliant man who truly wishes to help migrant farmworkers and poor Mexican families achieve safe and low-cost housing as a means to a better life. At a later date, we'll post a video demonstration of his portable "Cowboy Cabin" when we have a faster internet connection.

Visiting this community was fun and interesting, and we made a few new friends along the way. Although it's a little hot down here for long-term living, we love the Columbus area and were so grateful for a wonderful and spontaneous tour of City of the Sun, and we wish everyone at CoS a happy and healthy summer!