Now the home of the local historical society, this small stone building was constructed in 1895.  The Women’s Literary Club was organized on August 4, 1884 for the purpose of establishing a circulating library.  Initially books were kept in the back of the Fassett General Store, with Lillian L. Fassett serving as the first librarian.

Monte Vista, Spanish for "mountain view," was incorporated in 1886.  Shortly thereafter, commercial construction moved west along Main Street. 

Constructed in 1912, the chapel is an unusual expression of the Craftsman Style, a style not well represented in Monte Vista or Rio Grande County.  The chapel also represents the work of Denver architect George Harvey. 

The walls of the 1922 church are purple tapestry brick with a salt glaze, a firing and glazing method not used since the 1940s.  No other building constructed of this unusual material has been found in the town of Monte Vista or the San Luis Valley. 

The store was the first, largest, and longest surviving retail establishment in Monte Vista.  Widow Lillian Loretta Silsby Taylor founded the store in a small wood frame building in 1881 and, with her new husband Charles Fassett, erected this stone replacement building in 1898.

In 1930, this small rural community constructed the $112,000 hotel, which became a center for community activities.  Designed by E. Floyd Redding, the three-story building shows influences of the Mission and Pueblo Revival styles with its stuccoed exterior, tile roof, curvilinear parapet walls, wooden lintels, and decorative vigas.

A 1938 project supported by the school district, town leaders and a WPA grant resulted in a building used for school and sports functions as well as an auditorium for public gatherings. 

The 1919 library, designed by Denver architect John J. Huddart in the Colonial Revival style, is one of 36 Colorado public libraries funded by wealthy industrialist and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. 

This Barlow and Sanderson Stagecoach provided basic transportation throughout the San Luis Valley of Colorado and New Mexico in the late 19th century.  The stagecoach is a rare example of an Abbot-Downing mud wagon type built around 1871.

Built in 1885, the Stick style house was one of the earliest residences constructed in the Monte Vista area.