Fort Vasquez Volunteer Opportunities

The site of an 1835 fur-trading fort founded by Louis Vasquez and Andrew Sublette. The traders employed many of their mountain men friends, including Bapitiste Charbonneau and Jim Beckwourth, at their adobe outpost on the South Platte River.

Volunteers help with school programs and perform as mountain men or traditional dancers.

AmeriCorps 2020 Program

History Colorado is seeking applicants for the K2H Civic Futures AmeriCorps Program to help expand educational opportunities for Colorado students through the agency’s museums statewide. The K2H Americorps program supports civic learning and engagement programs in K-12 or community-based sites.

The deadline for applying for AmeriCorps is March 15, 2020.

Fort Vasquez Museum Landscaper

Apply now!

Job Description:
Help preserve the beauty of the Fort Vasquez History Museum! Volunteers on the landscaping team assist with maintenance and creation of the landscape around the Museum and Fort. The creation of eye catching native plant displays utilizing xeriscape techniques brings in more visitors by adding the flora and fauna feature to the property.

There are opportunities to preserve some of the wooden signs that tell the history of the property. Volunteers help maintain the gardens and patio spaces by watering plants, weeding, pruning, and tending of its outdoor spaces. The House has potted plants, rose bushes, peonies, irises and other plants that need regular tending.

Desired Skills:
Basic knowledge of gardening, ability to stand, crouch, lift, and be outdoors for an extended period of time.

Desired Schedule:
(minimum hour/week, day, hours, etc): 4 hours per shift (any time between 10 AM – 4 PM M, Th, F, S, Sun)

Fort Vasquez Historical Research Volunteer

Apply now!

Job Description:
The Fort Vasquez Museum is in need of volunteers to assist with researching their 32 photo galleries of Dioramas. Volunteers will research and develop presentations for each Diorama. The presentation should include the date of creation, names of the artists, the WPA agent and WPA project number, any photos of the artists, some biography of the artists, and appropriate music accompaniment in a slide presentation (JPEG) that can be shown using the DVX technology.

Desired Skills:
Academic training and/or experience in the disciplines associated with historical research.

Desired Schedule:
(minimum hour/week, day, hours, etc): Flexible

Trade Reenactor

Apply now!

Job Description:
The Trader at Fort Vasquez presents stories to groups of all ages about trading in the Native American camps as part of the Museums “Hands on History” program. Volunteers dress in costume (either buckskin or cloth of the 1830’s) and should be able to provide some of the items needed for trade to augment the display of trade goods props. *The museum provides some items used for trade and personal survival. Educational opportunities in beadwork, arrow making, Native American weaponry, tanning of hides, adobe brick making, and adobe preservation are available.

Desired Skills:

  • Knowledgeable about the Fur Trade era and the Lewis & Clark expedition.
  • Able to relate anecdotes of how trading was done and the items traded
  • Be able to improvise credible answers to questions from the audience

Desired Schedule:
Flexible; to be determined by volunteer and staff.