PRESS CONTACT
Luke Perkins, Manager of Communications and Public Relations
303-866-3670 | luke.perkins@state.co.us 

Ways History Colorado Helps Coloradans Protect the Places they Love
The following is a snapshot of the different programs maintained by History Colorado through its State Historic Preservation Office, State Historical Fund, and Office of the State Archaeologist and how each assisted preservation efforts across the state in 2023.

Grants and Incentives Programs
History Colorado’s preservation arm has two major avenues through which Coloradans can apply to support archaeology and historic preservation projects: 

• The Preservation Tax Credits Program, which provides credits on taxable income for the completion of eligible preservation projects
• The State Historical Fund, which awards grants from tax revenue generated by limited stakes gaming in the towns of Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek to fund preservation work across the state

In 2023, these two programs awarded more than $23.5 million in grants and tax credits to a total of 110 projects including:

• The Orechio Block is a historic building in Florence located a block from the City's main commercial street. The historic Orechio Block houses seven new residential units on the second floor with a vibrant social space on the first floor. In 2023, the Orechio Block received $554,000 in State Historic Tax Credits with an additional $459,806 in Federal Historic Tax Credits for historic rehabilitation efforts. The current owner of the Orechio Block is active in rehabilitating several buildings throughout Fremont County to provide additional workforce housing in the rural area
• The Carnegie Library, which sits at the top of a hill in downtown Manitou Springs, is undergoing a major renovation to make the historic building ADA accessible. This work includes a number of modernizing upgrades as well as an expansion of the library through a new addition. This project was awarded a $250,000 grant in 2023 from the State Historical Fund for both interior and exterior work as part of this modernization effort
• Cortez High, also known as Calkins School, was transformed into 12 affordable housing units along with shared community and office spaces. The rehabilitation of Cortez High took more than 20 years to complete – between change of ownership and execution of the work – and was finalized in 2023.  A number of incentive fundings were utilized on the property to complete the project, including $821,912 in State Historical Fund Grants, $1 million in State Historic Tax Credits, and $781,367 in Federal Historic Tax Credits
• Located on the eastern plains of Colorado in the town of Holyoke, the historic Heginbotham Home was constructed in 1921 for Will Heginbotham, who was president and owner of the Farmer’s and Merchant’s Bank. Upon his death, Heginbotham left his estate to the town of Holyoke and Phillips County, which converted it into the Holyoke Public Library. Among the many unique features of this stately home are a veranda and sunken water garden, both of which are being addressed for safety concerns through a State Historical Fund grant for $195,205 awarded in 2023

Designation Programs
The State Historic Preservation Office also runs several programs that designate historically and architecturally significant sites, certify the counties and municipalities that uphold the highest standards of preservation, and recognize ranching and farming families that have withstood the pressures of growth, changes in farming methods, drought, and economic conditions. This includes:

• The Centennial Farms & Ranches Program that honored 25 individuals, families, and businesses with deep ties to the the agricultural history of the State of Colorado in 2023
• The Certified Local Governments Program which awarded $157,320 in 2023 for historic preservation projects and currently certifies 67 local governments for their commitment to maintaining standards consistent with federal archaeology and historic preservation requirements
• The National and State Register Program that assisted Coloradans in creating, reviewing, and updating permanent records of 26 sites across Colorado in 2023. The nominations created and maintained by the National and State Register Program allows homeowners and communities to access incentive funding to protect the places they love. Examples include:
  • The 655 Broadway Building which is a rare example of the International Style applied to a high-rise commercial building, and was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in 2023 for its architectural style. Located just south of Downtown Denver, the 665 Broadway Building was built in 1956 and served as an office building through the 2010s. While originally designed as leasable office space, this historic building was purchased by the Denver Housing Authority in 2021 and converted into affordable housing units
  • Craig School Number 2 in Moffat County, whichwas added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2023. Previously listed on the State Register of Historic Properties, Craig School Number 2 was constructed in 1920 and was expanded by the Public Works Administration in 1938 to meet the educational needs of the growing community. Over the years, Craig School Number 2 has educated several generations of the community’s young children and remains an important touchstone of Craig’s history
• The Colorado Heritage for All Initiative which is an intentional effort to address the lack of representation of Colorado's diverse communities on the State and National Register of Historic Places. The Colorado Heritage for All Initiative supports nominations and the listing of 150 currently unrecognized historic resources that tell the stories of marginalized communities by the end of 2026.

Education and Engagement
History Colorado maintains a robust archaeology program managed by the Office of the State Archaeologist. The State Archaeologist’s duties and responsibilities include investigating impacts to archaeological resources and providing technical assistance. One avenue through which the Office of the State Archaeologist provides assistance is the Program for Avocational Archaeological Certification. This program allows citizens to obtain formally recognized levels of archaeological expertise outside of an academic degree program, facilitates governmental management of cultural resources, conducts research, and helps protect archaeological resources in Colorado.

Review and Compliance Programs
A final avenue through which History Colorado helps Coloradans protect the places they love is by reviewing federally- and state-funded projects that might impact cultural resources and historic properties. History Colorado’s review program provides a tool for Coloradans to ensure efforts are made to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the effects of construction projects on historically and archaeologically significant properties. 

In addition to the many facets of the organization dedicated to Archaeology and Historic Preservation, History Colorado actively works with communities across the state to elevate statewide archaeology and preservation heritage events in May. A list of such events can be found here.

Newest Exhibition at History Colorado:
Owl Club of Denver: Legacies of Excellence | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | Opens May 10
On May 10 the History Colorado Center will open Owl Club of Denver: Legacies of Excellence, which explores the rich traditions of a prominent all-Black debutante cotillion club in the Mile High City. Built from first-hand accounts, and featuring a remarkable collection of photographs, Owl Club of Denver: Legacies of Excellence recounts the rarely told history of debutante culture from the perspective of African Americans who were historically excluded from the beauty standards of this European-born tradition. In addition to recognizing the successes of notable debutantes like Condoleezza Rice and Allegra “Happy” Haynes, Owl Club of Denver: Legacies of Excellence also celebrates the ongoing contributions of Black women and men to their communities and families.

Tamburitzans: On Tour | Pueblo, CO
El Pueblo History Museum | Opens May 17
El Pueblo History Museum is proud to announce the opening of its newest exhibition, Tamburitzans: On Tour, on May 17. Tamburitzans: On Tour weaves together oral histories, photographs, music, videos, traditional clothing, and tamburitza – the musical instrument family from which the tradition draws its name – to explore the history and culture of Croatian and Slovenian musical performance style dating back to the 1300s. In addition to exploring the history of Pueblo’s local Tamburitzan group – one of the few such groups west of the Mississippi River – Tamburitzans: On Tour explains how performances by Tamburitzans are a form of communal storytelling which helps Croatian and Slovenian descendants maintain a connection to their homelands.

Three Sisters: Sustaining Communities | Denver, CO
Center for Colorado Women’s History | Opens May 17
The Center for Colorado Women’s History is opening its newest exhibition Three Sisters: Sustaining Communities on May 17. This outdoor exhibition focuses on Indigenous agricultural practices and the companion planting of corn, beans, and squash. Known as the “three sisters,” these staple crops thrive together and form a reciprocal relationship with humans that benefits both the plants and the communities that rely on them for sustenance. In addition to describing the agricultural, and cultural importance of these crops, Three Sisters: Sustaining Communities explores the food sovereignty movement as well as Indigenous women-led efforts to restore sacred relationships between Indigenous peoples and their ancestral seeds.

Included with general admission to the Center for Colorado Women’s History – and using the historic house museum’s garden space to grow these staple crops – Three Sisters: Sustaining Communities allows visitors to learn about, and experience, this agricultural technique through touch, smell, and sight all summer long.

History Colorado Events in May:
Erené with Wolf Medicine Book Signing with Irene Blea | Pueblo, CO
El Pueblo History Museum | May 1, 5 p.m.
Join the El Pueblo History Museum for a book signing of Erené with Wolf Medicine by Irene Blea. Erené with Wolf Medicine is a skillfully crafted memoir that recounts Blea’s experiences growing up in an extended family during an era when women were expected to fit into prescribed ways of being and seeing the world. This free event is a perfect chance to connect with the author and have your personal copy of the book signed!

Author Talk: Lei and the Fire Goddess | Denver, CO
Center for Colorado Women’s History | May 2, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Tickets (Free-$15) and additional information are available here.
Join award winning author Malia Maunakea at the Center for Colorado Women's History for an interactive presentation and exploration of her book: Lei and the Fire Goddess. This event is youth and family friendly, and books will be available for purchase through our community partner, Second Star to the Right Books. 

Trinidad History Museum Coffee & Conversation | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | May 3, 8 – 10 a.m.
Start the first Friday of May with free coffee and tea! Held in Trinidad’s own Bloom Mansion, Coffee & Conversation provides space for community gatherings. Join us, mingle with neighbors, and meet the museum team to share your ideas, questions, and memories! We look forward to seeing you!

Map Month 2024: “Persuasion” and “Intent” in Persuasive Mapping | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | May 7, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Join us for a presentation by long-time map collector and recovering lawyer PJ Mode about the roles of persuasion and intent in mapping. Learn about the lexicology of Persuasive Cartography, and see examples from Mode's extensive collection of more than 1,300 maps, spanning 27 languages, dating from 1491 to the present.

Museum Basics: Digitization and Digital Collections
Online | May 8, 5 – 7 p.m.
Tickets ($25-$325) and additional information available here.
Join History Colorado’s museum professionals for a course focused on the basics of digitization and organizational approaches to maintaining digital collections. Ticketing options for the 2024 Museum Basics Series include discounted annual passes for students, Tribal citizens, individuals, and institutions. For any questions or additional information, please contact Mark Nelson at HC_Museumbasics@state.co.us or visit the event listing here. 

Vecinos Community Coffee | Fort Garland, CO
Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center | May 9, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center invites you to join them for warm beverages, good platica, and a conversation with neighbors. This is a free event to provide space for community sharing and gathering. This event is located in the Mess Hall at Fort Garland Museum with parking and an entrance available at the rear of the building

History Colorado Museum of Memory - Lincoln Hills | Denver, CO
Ford-Warren Branch Library | May 11, 12 – 4 p.m.
Join History Colorado for its newest Museum of Memory project focused on preserving the history of Lincoln Hills, a sanctuary that provided Black Coloradans an escape from discrimination in segregated America. Lincoln Hills is an important part of Colorado history and Museum of Memory invites community members to share their memories and experiences from this mountain haven. This May 11 session will be dedicated to documenting the people, events, and experiences associated with the African American community and Lincoln Hills through photo scanning, object donations, and scheduling opportunities to conduct oral histories.

Additional information and RSVP for this free event can be found here.

Mother's Day Tea Party | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | May 11, 2 – 4 p.m.
Tickets ($10-15) and additional information is available here.
Join the Trinidad History Museum for a garden tea party celebrating Mother's Day on the lawns of the Bloom Mansion! Teas from the Trinidad Tea Company, finger sandwiches, and scones will be served. Reservations are required for this special occasion and tickets can be purchased online or by contacting Millie at 719-846-7217 or emily.duren@state.co.us.

Live Podcast Recording: ARCHITECT-ING with Adam Wagoner, featuring David Tryba | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | May 13, 7 – 8:30 p.m.
Tickets ($5-15) and additional information is available here.
Visit the History Colorado Center for a special live episode of the ARCHITECT-ING podcast where host Adam Wagoner will interview renowned Colorado architect David Tryba, FAIA, about his life and experiences, with a Q&A to follow. The ARCHITECT-ING podcast serves as a platform to bring together Colorado architects and tell the stories behind their images. This conversation will be recorded live and released as a podcast and a video recording on Youtube.

How-To: Digitizing Family Photos
Online | May 14, 12 – 1 p.m.
Tickets ($3-5) and additional information is available here.
Do you have a collection of family photographs that you care for? Join Cassidy Nemick, Collections Specialist at History Colorado, for this Zoom webinar to learn more about scanning and digitizing your family photos. Topics will include photo handling basics, scanning, labeling, and storage for your digital files. 

Map Month 2024: The Graphic Legacy of Richard Edes Harrison | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | May 14, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Join History Colorado, the Rocky Mountain Map Society and Susan Schulten, former State Historian and current member of the State Historians Council, for an exploration of The Graphic Legacy of Richard Edes Harrison. From the 1930s through the 1950s, Richard Edes Harrison produced hundreds of stunning maps and graphics that upended the American public’s understanding of geography in a world governed by war and aviation. This event will examine the source of his creativity and explore the ways that Harrison—arguably the nation’s most influential mapmaker—simultaneously chronicled and advanced American power in the mid-century. This event is free and open to the public but RSVP is required.

Rosenberry Lecture: How to Create Good Americans: History, Education, and the Responsibilities of Citizenship | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | May 15, 1 & 7 p.m.
Tickets ($5-15) and additional information is available here.
News headlines regularly remind us that American history has rarely been under more scrutiny. Yet this intense focus on our past also underscores widespread agreement that it's important to cultivate a knowledge of our shared history at all levels of our education system. From K-12 classrooms and school board meetings to college and university campuses, how we teach history has become a battleground. In her State Historian’s Address, Claire Oberon Garcia will ask: What do we owe all of our students as we prepare them to become informed and engaged citizens? What is the role of history in society? 

Outdoor Yoga and Meditation Practice | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | May 16, 23 & 30, 2 p.m.
The Trinidad History Museum is happy to announce they will be holding a series of yoga and meditation classes in the Baca-Bloom Heritage Gardens on Thursdays from May through August. These classes will be led by local yogi Jennifer Allen and are a great chance to connect with your body, breath, nature, and neighbors. 

All Outdoor Yoga and Meditation Practices at the Trinidad History Museum are free and open to the public. Don’t forget to bring a mat/blanket and water.

Community Rose Garden Planting: Help us Bloom! | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | May 18, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Get your hands dirty by planting roses in the Baca-Bloom Heritage Gardens! Get to know the Trinidad History Museum team, volunteers, and your neighbors. Best of all, local gardeners will be on-site, so no experience required – just bring your enthusiasm and appetite for FREE breakfast burritos and coffee!

Low Rider Collection Day | Pueblo, CO
El Pueblo History Museum | May 18, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Join the El Pueblo History Museum and your neighbors as we come together as a community to gather photographs, artifacts, trophies, and more related to the treasured lowriders, viclas, and bikes of Pueblo and Southern Colorado. The items and memories gathered will serve as the groundwork for an upcoming exhibition at El Pueblo History Museum exploring this treasured tradition of the community.

Hands-On History Family Day | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | May 18, 12 – 3 p.m.
Join the Trinidad History Museum and plant the seeds for a great summer! During this family-friendly afternoon, we will discuss the history of the beautiful Baca-Bloom Heritage Gardens, native plants, and more! Paint a clay pot, plant your very own flower, make paints and artwork from plants onsite, and even plant a seed in our museum gardens at this free event designed for the whole family. To learn more, contact Millie at emily.duren@state.co.us or 719-846-7217. Attendees to Hands-On History Family Days will receive a 10% discount on summer camps at Trinidad History Museum!

Map Month 2024: Popular Promotional Cartography of the Southwest: The Art of Persuasion | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | May 21, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
History Colorado and Rocky Mountain Map Society present Popular Promotional Cartography of the Southwest: The Art of Persuasion with Dennis Reinhartz. This presentation looks at how popular cartography (postcard maps, state road maps, chamber of commerce maps, souvenir maps, and more) are used to promote (persuade/attract visitors) the Southwest, its states, and its localities. This event is free and open to the public but RSVP is required.

Tours & Treks: River North Arts District Walking Tour | Denver, CO
River North Arts District | May 23, 9 – 11 a.m.
Tickets ($30-40) and additional information is available here.
It’s never quite certain where artists will make a new enclave of creativity, and now Denver has several including the River North Art District, or just RiNo for short. Join Tours & Treks guide Kevin Snow for this discussion of what came before and what is currently on the palette as he leads you on a walking tour that highlights the stories of yesterday and the art of today!

Health and Land Intersect: One North Denver Community's Response | Denver, CO
Center for Colorado Women’s History | May 23, 6 p.m.
Join the Center for Colorado Women's History, High Country News, and the Globeville Elyria-Swansea (GES) Coalition for a conversation on how land and health intersect and shape each other in north Denver. Across the West, highways and rail lines have long divided communities of color, taking land away from long-time residents and threatening the health of those who remain. But residents have been fighting back. As a follow-up to High Country News' feature on the paradox of green space in north Denver, this 45-minute conversation – presented in both English and Spanish – will be moderated by contributing editor Raksha Vasudevan and includes a Q&A session.

History Buff Day | Fort Garland, CO
Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center | May 25, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
History Colorado’s iconic mascot, Billy the Bison, invites you to the Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center for this year’s final History Buff Day! Hosted in partnership with our annual Living-History Military Encampment at Fort Garland, this event is a rare chance to experience what military life was like at Colorado’s border. See a live re-enactment of soldiers; artillery demonstrations; and of course, get your picture with Billy the History Buff! This event is free with general admission (and members like History Buffs are free), but plan on RSVPing in advance.

Do you know someone who will be a 4th grader during the 2024-2025 school year? Get more information about our free membership here. 

Map Month 2024: Colonialism in the Cartouche: Imagery and Power in Early Modern Maps | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | May 28, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
History Colorado and Rocky Mountain Map Society present Colonialism in the Cartouche: Imagery and Power in Early Modern Maps with Chet Van Duzer.The role of maps as tools of colonial control is well known; the decorative cartouches on maps are the places where the cartographer often signals to the viewer his or her interests or prejudices, but the colonialist messages conveyed by cartouches are underexplored. This lecture examines colonialist imagery in several cartouches from the end of the seventeenth to the early nineteenth century both to show the visual vocabulary of this colonialist discourse, and to stimulate further study of cartouches of this type. This event is free and open to the public but RSVP is required.

Bold Women. Change History. Stacy A. Bohlen | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | May 30, 7 – 8 p.m.
Tickets ($10-15) and additional information is available here.
Join History Colorado for a catalyzing conversation about the health outcomes of historical trauma. Stacy A. Bohlen, a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and the CEO of the National Indian Health Board, will take an historical look at how the legacies of colonization have led to health disparities in Tribal communities that persist today. Bohlen will discuss how the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age influence their health, as well as how policies such as the Indian Removal Act and Federal Indian Boarding Schools separated American Indians and Alaskan Natives from cultural practices that traditionally made them less vulnerable to disease. Bohlen will also discuss examples of resilience and creativity among American Indian and Alaskan Native communities to improve their physical and mental health. 

The Rooted Andina: History Colorado Night | Arvada, CO
Location TBD | May 31, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Tickets ($130-135) and additional information is available here.
Join History Colorado and Four Directions Cuisine for this memorable dinner and educational event with Chef Andrea Condes. Participants will have the opportunity to walk Four Directions Cuisine’s Indigenous science education garden and chat with Chef Andrea. Topics will include the crops being grown this season and how the community helped build out the garden and infomed the plans for the future. Following the tour and conversation, guests will sit down to an immersive four course tasting experience that traces the etymology and culture of key pre-colonial crops.

About History Colorado
History Colorado is a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education and a 501(c)3 non-profit that has served more than 75,000 students and 500,000 people in Colorado each year. It is a 144-year-old institution that operates eleven museums and historic sites, a free public research center, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation which provides technical assistance, educational opportunities, and other access to archaeology and historic preservation, and the History Colorado State Historical Fund (SHF), which is one of the nation’s largest state funded preservation programs of its kind. More than 70% of SHF grants are allocated in rural areas of the state. Additionally, the offices of the State Archaeologist and the State Historic Preservation Officer are part of History Colorado. 

History Colorado’s mission is to create a better future for Colorado by inspiring wonder in our past. We serve as the state’s memory, preserving and sharing the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through educational programs, historic preservation grants, collecting, outreach to Colorado communities, the History Colorado Center and Stephen H. Hart Research Center in Denver, and 10 other museums and historic attractions statewide. History Colorado is one of only six Smithsonian Affiliates in Colorado. Visit HistoryColorado.org, or call 303-HISTORY, for more information. #HistoryColorado