February 2021 E Newsletter

billy barr, subject of the adjoining article, is the beating heart of the RMBL community.  He embodies a lot of what makes Gothic unique. Empathetic and engaged, he creates a sense of acceptance and inclusiveness.  When I first arrived as a student 30+ years ago and went to his office to pay my bill, billy greeted me, cracked a joke, offered me chocolate, and instantly made me feel at home.   As he comes up on half a century at RMBL, by my reckoning he has done the same with thousands of scientists, students, and community members.

Hundreds of scientists flood the hills of Gothic every summer to do research in one of the most-studied ecological sites in the world. But come winter, only one man is still standing. He’s made this abandoned silver mining town his home. He’s also made a name for himself without even trying. He’s billy barr. First things first. Why is his name not capitalized? “Oh, it’s a stupid reason,” he says. “When I got here, I had two roommates. One of them signed his name with all small letters. I tried doing it, and it felt comfortable. A “b” is a big letter when you capitalize it; it’s not that big when it’s small. I just felt more comfortable with it.” Besides, he added, “It fit my personality better. I live a quiet little life, and it just fit me.”