A new project is aimed at preserving the culture and stories of the San Luis Valley. History Colorado will use a $300,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation to collaborate with residents to identify places eligible for listing on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
“The San Luis Valley was historically both a geo-political and cultural borderlands,” said History Colorado CEO Dawn DiPrince in a press release.
“The combination and collision of Indigenous, Hispano, and Anglo peoples (in the San Luis Valley) formed a hybrid culture that is like no other in the United States,” she said.
The sites will be selected based on community access, potential learning opportunities involving the location and the places relationships and contributions to the economy and society of the San Luis Valley.
“Preserving the sites that tell the authentic stories of the Valley and provide collective meaning to its people is critical to recognizing the full breadth of our state’s history before it is lost to time,” DiPrince said.
Another goal for the project is to help remove barriers that often prevent marginalized communities, including people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ Coloradans, from getting historic designations and preservation funding.
People often envision stunning Victorian houses and the work of renowned architects when they think of historic properties, but that doesn’t fully represent history, according to DiPrince.
“This work allows us to advance what historic preservation looks like’” she said, “and build an inclusive historic record that represents the experiences of all of Colorado’s people.”
The grant will also go towards consultations with sustainability planning experts to create long-term plans for each of the final historic sites including funding strategies for ongoing maintenance, operation costs and possible restoration plans for each new historic site.
History Colorado is a financial supporter of Colorado Public Radio, which operates KRCC. Financial supporters have no editorial influence.
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- In the San Luis Valley, a religious celebration with traditions spanning generations takes place this weekend
- A Castle Of Cans Holds Special Connection For Its Creator
- San Luis Peoples Market among Southern Colorado projects to receive preservation grants
- Nearly half of History Colorado’s recent round of grants came to these southeastern Colorado sites
