A lot of things have changed in the years that Elliot Francis has lived in and around Artesia.

Born in Illinois Camp in 1929, he moved into town when he was six-years-old and his father left his job in the oil fields to work at Francis’ grandfather’s business. Dunn’s Garage was located at the corner of Sixth and Main Streets.

"My grandfather started that garage in 1922 with his four sons," said Francis. "And then my father joined him in 1935."

The building was fairly distinctive, becoming something of a local landmark.

"It was noted for its many deer horns," he said. "It had 365 deer horns around the top of the building and on the ceiling. Most of those deer were shot by my grandfather and his family."

It became a sort of headquarters for the "mountain people" from west of Artesia.

"People who lived in the mountains would come down to town and loaf at the garage," said Francis. "Then my grandfather would have them up to his house for dinner. Some of them would bring their bedrolls, and then sleep in the garage at night."

Francis remembers many of the old characters that used to frequent the garage, many of them from the very earliest days of the town.

"I’ve known many old-timers here, who came here a few years after the Civil War," said Francis. "I was personally acquainted with them when I was just a youth. Those are very vivid memories I have of them."

One such person was Dave Runyan, a rancher who used to "loaf at the garage quite a bit."

"He’d come and talk to my grandfather. He’d tell about the early days here. He came here in the 1880’s, I think," said Francis. "It was a pretty rough place in those days, with some pretty tough people. Once, he was out on the range on his horse when he saw some people riding towards him he didn’t know.

"He was afraid, I guess. But he kept his saddle gun very near him. He was glad," Francis chuckled.

Francis graduated from high school locally in 1947, and went on to study business administration at Southern Baptist University in Dallas.

He spent 21 months in the Air Force, but was spared going overseas when the Korean War ended.

He worked for an oil company for a time, taught high school business briefly, and returned to Artesia in 1961 to work at Dunn’s Garage.

He lives in the house on Quay Avenue that his father helped build in 1935.

"He had two carpenters in to help him and they all three worked on it," said Francis. "It’s one of the first things I was old enough to remember."

In the back yard there remains the rose garden planted by his mother, an avid gardener.

"I try to keep it the way she had it," he added. "But it’s not as good as it was."

Francis retired from the garage in 1981. When the business was sold, the trademark antlers went as well.

"I was sorry to see them go," he said. "They went to two curio shops over in Hope. I heard they sold them for five dollars apiece.

"Pretty good price, I guess," he smiled.

Francis has a younger brother, Harold, of El Paso, and enjoys spending time listening to the radio and talking to friends.