Pages from the original Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, a document which transformed this part of the world forever by significantly expanding the United States and setting the stage for Colorado’s statehood, will be exhibited in Denver for the first time ever. The treaty will be arriving in Colorado on February 2– which marks the 175th anniversary of its signing– but will not be on display until the following morning, February 3, as the delicate pages need to acclimate and rest after its traveling to the Mile High City.

The Trading Post is currently OPEN for Field Trips and Group Tours.
It is not open for general admission, but will re-open in Spring 2022.

The original El Pueblo Trading Post, now on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1842 on the Arkansas River, at that time the international border between the United States and Mexico. Anglo, French, and African-American trappers and traders; Mexican settlers and their families; and Plains, Iroquois, Delaware, and Cherokee Indians met at El Pueblo and the site hosted legends such as Jim Beckwourth, Mariano Medina, Teresita Sandoval, and Richens L. “Uncle Dick” Wootten.

The museum was built to capture the rich history of the El Pueblo archaeological site as a trading center. Through an adobe replica of the original trading post, visitors can learn about the rich mercantile past of the site and enjoy the quaint historic splendor of the placita.

Trading post tours and hands-on activities are available daily in the summer months and for special occasions throughout the year.

The Trading post is also available year-round as a site for rentals and events, including weddings, birthdays, corporate retreats, and more! Learn more and reserve the space here →

We are excited for the opportunity to work with local artist Narkita Gold to select nine photos from her Black in Denver series to highlight on a monumental scale. 

Exhibit video courtesy City and County of Denver.

Presented in English and Spanish, Borderlands explores the shifting geopolitical history of southern Colorado. This area framed by mountains and rivers is naturally conducive to unique and resilient forms of cultural connection. An international border crossed over the people in this region, changing their lives forever, when the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo moved a portion of the US–Mexico border from the Arkansas River—which flows through the middle of Colorado—down to the Rio Grande in 1848.

The deadliest conflict in American history ended in 1865, but the Civil War remains forever in our midst. Protests against racial inequality and debates over the federal government’s role in American life, for example, are part of its modern legacy. Consider today’s political flashpoints from a new and powerful perspective as you view this tiny and treasured relic that helped begin the Civil War’s conclusion, with a single stroke of a pen, following the loss of more than 600,000 American lives.

Join History Colorado and the Colorado State Fair for a virtual award ceremony celebrating the 2020 Centennial Farms & Ranches! Tune in on Wednesday, September 2, 2020 at 6pm via Zoom to hear family histories and see photos from centennial families across Colorado.

To date, the adoption and use of digital solutions in archaeology has been mostly limited to institutions and companies that can afford expensive and complicated proprietary systems. However, today there are many low-cost and easy-to-use options available that have the potential to greatly increase the capacity of small institutions, avocational groups, and agencies with limited funds to document and assess cultural resources.

History Colorado’s collection includes a wealth of materials for those interested in Colorado history and beyond. Join our Stephen H. Hart Research Center staff in exploring how to access History Colorado’s archives, images, artifacts, and newspapers in an introductory program designed for researchers of all experience levels.

Are you the family historian? Do you enjoy listening to folks tell their stories and wish you had a better understanding of how to collect their memories? Join us to learn how to conduct an oral history project from start to finish.

Based on naturalist Edwin James’ unpublished diary and personal letters, which included geographic descriptions and notes on geology and botany, author Phil Carson retraced Edwin James’s ascent of Pikes Peak in July 1820 – 200 years ago this summer.