PRESS CONTACT:
Luke Perkins, Manager of Communications and Public Relations
303.866.3670 | luke.perkins@state.co.us 

This round of grants closes out the 2022-23 fiscal year, during which SHF awarded 71 grants totaling an investment of more than $10 million toward preservation and archaeology projects that allow Coloradans to protect the places they cherish.

In addition to helping protect the diverse histories and important places that define the cultural legacies of Colorado, funds awarded to preservation projects have a direct effect on the economic health of the Centennial State. Since 1981, preservation efforts in Colorado have created more than 27,000 jobs and generated a total of nearly $3.9 billion in direct and indirect economic impacts, adding $2.2 billion to Colorado’s GDP.

“This most recent round of SHF grants shows the vital role preservation funding plays in safeguarding our history and shaping our collective story,” said Marcie Moore Gantz, History Colorado’s State Historical Fund director. “The projects highlight not only ways that communities are stewarding their cultural heritage, but also the innovative approaches being taken to address inequities and create a brighter future.” 

Highlighted Projects:
Garcia School | Costilla County, CO 
The Centennial School District R-1 was awarded $91,628 toward the creation of construction documents to serve as a roadmap for the rehabilitation of the century-old Garcia School into a remote learning center that serves the predominantly Hispano/Hispanic community of Costilla County. 

Focused on bridging the broadband divide in rural Colorado, this remote learning center will serve as the focal point for a connectivity grant that School District R-1 was awarded through the Connecting Colorado Students Grant Program (CCSG). This CCSG grant funds the creation of infrastructure to provide Wi-Fi access to more rural areas of the district through a point-to-point system based out of the Centennial School in San Luis. 

The creation of this local access point requires the rehabilitation of Garcia School so it can both provide internet access and house resources such as books, tablets, and computers, as well as part-time staff who can tutor students outside regular school hours. This rehabilitation also allows the Garcia school to serve as an adult learning center and community gathering place for several nearby unincorporated towns that have no such public buildings.

The Garcia School project is part of ongoing efforts by School District R-1 to meet the needs of its students by addressing the lack of equitable internet access highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Since the end of the pandemic, the school district has been working to mitigate these shortcomings and to move forward with finding abandoned or under-used buildings for remote, after school learning and a location where Wi-Fi access could be provided,” said Christopher Rodriguez, Board President for Centennial School District R-1. “The Garcia School was a perfect candidate for this type of project.”

In addition to having a vital role in the future of Costilla County, Garcia School has a vibrant historical and cultural significance. Constructed in 1913, the Garcia School served as an educational center in one form or another until it fell out of use in 1995. The school was listed on Colorado’s Most Endangered Places List in 2023 due to its risk of demolition as a result of neglect, weather exposure, and lack of resources.

Fox Theatre | Walsenburg, CO
Constructed in 1917, the Fox Theatre has served Walsenburg and the Greater Spanish Peaks regions as a key cultural arts venue and community gathering place for more than a century. Originally characterized by a brick parapet and decorative ironwork, the Fox Theatre was remodeled in 1941 to create its current art deco exterior, and donated to the county in 1994 to ensure its longevity and continued community use.

Since then, the Fox Theatre has fallen on challenging times due to issues such as roof leaks, masonry deterioration, electrical outages, and fire safety concerns. A grant of $250,000 from SHF will pair with matching funds from the county to address these challenges and help the community touchstone continue to meet the cultural arts and community gathering needs of Walsenburg and beyond.

"As the largest community gathering spot in Walsenburg, the Fox Theatre holds a special place in the hearts of residents and serves as a cultural hub for the entire county," said Mike Peters, executive director of Fox Theatre Walsenburg, a non-profit that manages operation of the historic building. “The impact of this grant extends far beyond the walls of the Fox Theatre, positively affecting the entire community, and allowing us to continue to be a vibrant center for culture, creativity, and connectivity in Walsenburg.”

The planned roof and masonry repairs are part of ongoing rehabilitation efforts that Peters and the community hope will expand the offerings of the theater while also addressing critical building deficiencies. 

Subsequent steps for Fox Theatre Walsenburg include repairing dressing rooms in the basement that have been repeatedly flooded, replacing the building's HVAC system so it can be more comfortable for visitors during the winter months, and applying for preservation tax credits to fund further rehabilitation efforts.

S.P.M.D.T.U. Concilio Superior Building | Antonito, CO
La Sociedad Protección Mutua de Trabajadores Unidos (S.P.M.D.T.U.), one of the oldest Hispanic/Hispano rights organizations in the country, was awarded $245,128 toward rehabilitation of the Concilio Superior building in Antonito. Founded in 1900, S.P.M.D.T.U. is a mutual-aid society that works to combat the exploitation of Hispanic workers through nonviolent action and focusing on cultural and organizational preservation, as well as community engagement and education.

Bound together by a common interest in supporting and enriching the lives of Hispanic communities and families, S.P.M.D.T.U., and its headquarters in Antonito serve as tangible links to the Hispanic/Hispano cultural heritage of Conejos County by keeping the community’s and organization’s history alive.

Since it was built in 1925, the Concilio Superior building has served as one of the largest event spaces in Antonito and hosted everything from reunions, to workshops, and community meetings. This grant will be the 10th such SHF award for S.P.M.D.T.U. – totaling more than $875,000 in funding – and will fulfill construction documents created by a 2015 grant by restoring historic wooden features of the building as well as finalizing interior paint finishes, and installing new drywall and tile floors.

Combined, these grant-funded efforts have rejuvenated this community linchpin and led to a reinvigoration of membership for the organization. 

“We believe that the rehabilitation of the S.P.M.D.T.U. (Concilio Superior building) has sparked new interest in the organization and a desire to participate in its events and acknowledge the importance of the Hispano influence in the San Luis Valley,” said Dr. Antonio Esquibel, vice president of Concilio Superior. “The new members will carry on the important work of publicizing and documenting the Hispano culture and the history of discrimination and charitable contributions.”

Once this rehabilitation work is completed, the organization intends to move forward with plans for its grand re-opening in 2024. This will include establishment of a visitor center, hosting workshops on Indo-Hispano cultural arts traditions of the upper Rio Grande and establishment of a research center and repository for the culture and language of the San Luis Valley. 

Once reopened, the Concilio Superior building will house a museum focused on the history of the S.P.M.D.T.U., which the organization hopes will attract more interest to Antonito and positively impact the town’s economy.

Tabor Opera House | Leadville, CO 
The Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation, Inc. was awarded $250,000 toward ongoing rehabilitation work on the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, CO. 

Known as one of the finest opera houses in the west at the time it was built, the Tabor Opera House was established in 1879 by famous mining tycoon and eventual Lieutenant Governor of Colorado, Horace A.W. Tabor. The building has a rich history as an important stop on the “Silver Circuit” that hosted famous entertainers such as Oscar Wilde and Buffalo Bill and is a contributing building to the Leadville National Historic Landmark district as well as an icon of one of the nations most notorious mining towns. 

This SHF grant will fund rehabilitation of the street entrance as well as addressing critical deficiencies on the western side of the building. Planned work includes preservation of the architectural integrity of the building and resolution of water infiltration issues. In addition to preserving the historic facade of the building, exterior rehabilitation will improve the functionality and appearance while also allowing for the reactivation of the street level retail spaces of the historic property.

It is the hope of the operating organization that the rehabilitation of the street level store fronts will contribute to the revitalization of downtown Leadville and create additional opportunities for community engagement and economic advancement.

“The Tabor has become a beacon for historic preservation, downtown revitalization, heritage tourism and revival of arts and culture in this small, yet vibrant rural town,” said Sarah Dae, executive director of the Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation, Inc.
These latest rehabilitation efforts represent the next phase in ongoing efforts which date back to 1995 and include leveraging eleven SHF grants – totaling more than $1.2 million – as well as funding from other organizations. This phased rehabilitation effort has included the acquisition of the property, creation of construction documents, and masonry and window rehabilitation to stabilize the building’s exterior while the Foundation strategizes funding to complete the costlier interior rehabilitation. 

Building on this sustainability, Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation, Inc. recently completed a five-year business plan to generate the remaining $20 million to $25 million needed to complete the interior rehabilitation of the opera house. This funding will also establish a long-term endowment to maintain the building so it can be a community gathering place and tourism driver for generations to come.

These projects are just a fraction of the preservation efforts History Colorado’s State Historical Fund has contributed to since it was established in 1990. A full list of projects funded by the SHF can be found at historycolorado.org/received-and-awarded-grants. 

History Colorado’s State Historical Fund awards grants funded by limited stakes gaming in the towns of Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek for preservation of significant buildings, structures, objects, districts, and archaeology sites in Colorado. 

Additional information about State Historical Fund grants and application materials can be found at historycolorado.org/apply-here.

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 143-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