 |
ocated on the Scenic Highway of
Legends in southern Colorado, you will find an old adobe Fort built
in 1862 by Col. John Francisco and Henry Daigre. |
| Fort Francisco, sometimes simply called "The
Plaza", was the first settlement in the Cuchara Valley, and the town of La
Veta grew around it. This structure is now part of the Huerfano County
Historical Society and home to the Fort Francisco Museum. Along with the 138
year old adobe structure, you will find the 1876 log Ritter School, an 1898
saloon building, and several other historic buildings. A visit to the museum
will leave you amazed at the quantity and diversity of area artifacts on
display. The Fort Francisco Committee has the awesome task of conserving and
exhibiting this wonderful collection and of conserving the historic structures.
As you can imagine, this is quite a job!
The Colorado Historical Society has made this task a little
easier, by awarding Fort Francisco Museum a $152,000 grant for the restoration
of the main wing of the adobe Fort. The Huerfano County Historical Society
launched a massive fund raising campaign several years ago to raise their
portion of the funds from the Town of La Veta and other generous donors. This
restoration project is now underway with artifact protection completed, and the
structural work beginning in May. The main wing will undergo structural beam
repair, roof replacement, adobe wall repair work, fire wall installation, and an
improved drainage system around the building to minimize water damage to the
adobe walls. This work will take place during the summer season, necessitating
some changes in the usual summer tourism routine. The Fort Francisco Museum will
have limited access to buildings and exhibits, and will run shorter hours. These
inconveniences will be well worth enduring considering the benefits received
from the restoration work. We hope to see another 138 years of active use!
The Fort Francisco Fund Raising Committee has been busy all
winter preparing activities for community participation which are designed to
raise funds for the operational aspects of the museum. On April 1, they
sponsored a Spring Cowboy Ball. |
|
Pam Munroe - Museum Collections Management Consultant, Carolyn
Brown - Museum Director, Rudy Cordova - Huerfano County Historical Society
President.
The third annual Style Show is planned for this fall along
with a Masquerade Ball. The committee members invite everyone to participate in
these events, and would also invite anyone who is interested in helping preserve
this area's history to contact the Huerfano County Historical Society, P.O. Box
229, Walsenburg, CO 81089 or the Fort Francisco Museum, P.O. Box 977, La Veta,
CO 81055 for more information.
No matter what your interest is, you will find something you
like at the Fort Francisco Museum ! So come on out and enjoy this link to the
past. 
|
