The Baca House was built in 1870 by early Trinidad resident and Santa Fe Trail entrepreneur John Hough. The house is made of adobe and has a stacked stone foundation. It is a two-story structure with a pitched roof and a widow’s walk. Hough built and operated the first brick kiln in Trinidad. In 1873, Felipe and Dolores Baca bought the house for 22,000 pounds of wool, worth about $7,000. The Bacas were prosperous farmers and ranchers who had settled in the Trinidad area in 1860 and were civic leaders in the community. In the 1930s, the Bacas sold the property and it became a rooming house.

During the closure, History Colorado will assess foundational and structural damage in order to make dedicated repairs that will be long lasting without damaging the historical integrity of the structure. It is unknown how long all the repairs will take to complete.

"It is never ideal to have to temporarily close a structure that is so important to the history of our community," said Kirby Stokes, Director of Trinidad History Museum. "We are looking forward to the museum staying a bustling fixture downtown, with our How We Play Ball exhibit opening, our summer concert series, several artists in residence, and the upcoming Borderlands of Southern Colorado exhibit."

Trinidad History Museum occupies a full city block in historic Trinidad, Colorado. In addition to the Baca house, the museum is made up of the Bloom Mansion, the Barglow Building, the Santa Fe Trail Museum, and beautiful community-supported gardens. Museum guests can enjoy tours, a museum store, and community events throughout the year. General admission is $5 for adults and $3 for senior citizens. Children ages 17 and under and military families are free from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Trinidad History Museum is located at 312 E. Main Street in Trinidad. For more information, call 719-846-7217.