Preserving Colorado's Historic Places
History, culture, and architectural character protected in perpetuity.
Established in 1965, The Colorado Historical Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization, originally conceived to enhance and complement other Colorado entities' efforts to commemorate, preserve, document, and interpret our state's rich history.
Beckwith Ranch, Westcliffe in Custer County. Built 1870s -1890s.
The spirit of statewide collaboration and support guides our Historic Preservation Easements Program.
What is a Historic Easement?
An easement is a legal agreement between a property owner (the grantor) and the holder of the easement (the grantee), which governs the current and future owners’ treatment of the property.
- National Trust for Historic Preservation
Wink's Panorama, Pinecliffe in Gilpin County. Built from 1925-1928. Photo courtesy of the Denver Public Library Special Collections.
The Colorado Historical Foundation's easements collections includes the following property types:
Art centers and playhouses, banks, camps and lodges, churches, temples, and places of worship, commercial and industrial buildings, working lands, fraternal, social, and labor organizations.
Plus, hotels, theaters and opera houses, cultural landscapes, municipal buildings, private residences, railroad buildings, schools, a hospital, and an armory.
What motivates an individual or an organization to convey an easement?
- Protect their legacies
- Receive public financial support
- Access tax benefits
- Section 106 compliance; Section 106 process ensures historic preservation is considered in federal project planning
Tabor Opera House, Leadville in Lake County. Built in 1879.
In 2020, the Colorado Historical Foundation reached a milestone with the addition of its 100th historic conservation easement property.
Through this program, Colorado's treasured historic buildings and landscapes are protected, preserved, rehabilitated, and revitalized for future generations.
Our 100th easement property: Former Methodist Church, Silver Plume in Clear Creek County. Built in 1880.
Tour Our First 100 Historic Conservation Easement Properties
Explore the diverse and dynamic historic properties we've helped protect since 1981.
All easement properties are historically designated at the national, state or local level. Their "stories" or "Areas of Significance", are included here as available and as they appear on the original nomination forms. That said, beyond traditional documentation methods, most properties hold meaningful social and cultural import, often overlooked, and perhaps, still untold.
Properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places are automatically placed in the Colorado State Register. They may also be nominated separately to the Colorado State Register without inclusion in the National Register. Some properties are located within historically designated national districts.
For more information on Colorado's National and State Register-listed properties.
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1. Daniels & Fisher Tower
1. Daniels & Fisher Tower . Click to expand.
1601 Arapahoe Street, Denver, Colorado 80202
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2. New Sheridan Hotel
2. New Sheridan Hotel. Click to expand.
231 W. Colorado Avenue, Telluride, Colorado 81435
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3. Oxford Hotel
3. Oxford Hotel. Click to expand.
1612 17th Street, Denver, Colorado 80202
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4. Butters House
4. Butters House. Click to expand.
1129 Pennsylvania Street, Denver, Colorado 80203
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5. The Stanley Hotel: Manor House
5. The Stanley Hotel: Manor House. Click to expand.
333 Wonderview Avenue, Estes Park, Colorado 80517
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6. Seventeen Mile House
6. Seventeen Mile House. Click to expand.
8181 S. Parker Road, Aurora, Colorado 80016
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7. Stanley Hotel Open Space
7. Stanley Hotel Open Space. Click to expand.
333 Wonderview Avenue, Estes Park, Colorado 80517
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8. Stanley Hotel: Main Building
8. Stanley Hotel: Main Building. Click to expand.
333 Wonderview Avenue, Estes Park, Colorado 80517
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9. The Ice House
9. The Ice House. Click to expand.
1801 Wynkoop Street, Denver, Colorado 80202
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10. The Strater Hotel
10. The Strater Hotel. Click to expand.
699 Main Avenue, Durango, Colorado 81301
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11. The Ice House Annex
11. The Ice House Annex. Click to expand.
1899 Wynkoop Street, Denver, Colorado 81301
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12. Market Center
12. Market Center. Click to expand.
1624-1664 Market Street & 1320-1380 17th Street, Denver, Colorado 80202
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13. Iron Building
13. Iron Building. Click to expand.
516-522 Harrison Avenue, Leadville, Colorado 80461
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14. REI Denver Flagship Store
14. REI Denver Flagship Store. Click to expand.
1416 Platte Street, Denver, Colorado 80202
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15. Smiley Building
15. Smiley Building . Click to expand.
1309 E. 3rd Avenue, Durango, Colorado 81301
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16. Mancos Opera House
16. Mancos Opera House. Click to expand.
136 W. Grand Avenue, Mancos, Colorado 81328
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17. Northern Hotel
17. Northern Hotel. Click to expand.
172 N. College Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80524
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18. Old Golden High School
18. Old Golden High School. Click to expand.
710 10th Street, Golden, Colorado 80401
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19. 213 Harrison Avenue, Leadville
19. 213 Harrison Avenue, Leadville. Click to expand.
213 Harrison Avenue, Leadville, Colorado 80461
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20. American National Bank Building
20. American National Bank Building. Click to expand.
500 State Avenue, Alamosa, Colorado 81101
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21. Routt County National Bank Building
21. Routt County National Bank Building. Click to expand.
802-806 Lincoln Avenue, Steamboat Springs, Colorado 80487
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22. John P. Dickinson House
22. John P. Dickinson House. Click to expand.
306 3rd Street, Hugo, Colorado 80821
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23. Cleveholm Manor/Redstone Castle
23. Cleveholm Manor/Redstone Castle. Click to expand.
58 Redstone Boulevard, Redstone, Colorado 81623
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24. Armstrong Hotel
24. Armstrong Hotel. Click to expand.
259 S. College Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado 80524
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25. First Presbyterian Church - Georgetown
25. First Presbyterian Church - Georgetown. Click to expand.
812 Taos Street, Georgetown, Colorado 80444
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26. CF&I Steel Works Office Complex
26. CF&I Steel Works Office Complex. Click to expand.
1612 E. Abriendo Avenue, Pueblo, Colorado 81004
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27. Huerfano County High School
27. Huerfano County High School . Click to expand.
415 Walsen Avenue, Walsenburg, Colorado 81089
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28. Hoverhome
28. Hoverhome. Click to expand.
1309 Hover Road, Longmont, Colorado 80503
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29. Marble Town Hall
29. Marble Town Hall. Click to expand.
407 W. Main Street, Marble, Colorado 81623
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30. Old First National Bank Building/The Nugget Building
30. Old First National Bank Building/The Nugget Building. Click to expand.
201-207 Colorado Avenue, Telluride, Colorado 81435
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31. Centennial Mill
31. Centennial Mill. Click to expand.
3rd and Taos Street, Georgetown, Colorado 80444
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32. Hough Building
32. Hough Building. Click to expand.
300 Silver Street, Lake City, Colorado 81235
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33. D&NO Railroad Section House
33. D&NO Railroad Section House . Click to expand.
338 Main Street, Elizabeth, Colorado 80107
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34. Old St. Vincent’s Hospital
34. Old St. Vincent’s Hospital. Click to expand.
1000 Hemlock Street, Leadville, Colorado 80461
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35. Animas Museum
35. Animas Museum. Click to expand.
3065 W. 2nd Avenue, Durango, Colorado 81301
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36. Las Animas Odd Fellows Building
36. Las Animas Odd Fellows Building. Click to expand.
560 Bent Avenue, Las Animas, Colorado 81054
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37. Beckwith Ranch
37. Beckwith Ranch. Click to expand.
64159 Colorado Highway 69, Westcliffe, Colorado 81252
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38. Holden Block
38. Holden Block. Click to expand.
201-205 N. Santa Fe Avenue, Pueblo, Colorado 81003
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39. San Rafael Presbyterian Church
39. San Rafael Presbyterian Church. Click to expand.
4849 County Road 9, Antonito, Colorado 81120
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40. Hayden Ranch
40. Hayden Ranch . Click to expand.
5801 US Highway 24, Leadville, Colorado 80461
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41. First Congregational Church, Silverton
41. First Congregational Church, Silverton. Click to expand.
1070 Reese Street, Silverton, Colorado 81433
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42. Perry-Mansfield (Main Lodge)
42. Perry-Mansfield (Main Lodge). Click to expand.
40755 Routt County Road 36, Steamboat Springs, Colorado 80487
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43. Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
43. Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. Click to expand.
30 West Dale Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80903
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44. First Congregational Church, Colorado Springs
44. First Congregational Church, Colorado Springs . Click to expand.
20 E. St. Vrain Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903
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45. Hotel de Paris
45. Hotel de Paris. Click to expand.
409 6th Street, Georgetown, Colorado 80444
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46. San Francisco Morada
46. San Francisco Morada . Click to expand.
County Road J2, San Pablo, Colorado 81152
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47. Temple Israel
47. Temple Israel. Click to expand.
201 W. 4th Street, Leadville, Colorado 80461
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48. Russell Gates Mercantile
48. Russell Gates Mercantile . Click to expand.
24223 Eccles Street, Elbert, Colorado 80106
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49. Brush Public Service Company Building
49. Brush Public Service Company Building. Click to expand.
218 Clayton Street, Brush, Colorado 80723
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50. First Baptist Church of Denver
50. First Baptist Church of Denver. Click to expand.
1373 Grant Street, Denver, Colorado 80203
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51. Colorado Springs Day Nursery
51. Colorado Springs Day Nursery . Click to expand.
104 E. Rio Grande Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903
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52. Gallegos House
52. Gallegos House . Click to expand.
234 Main Street, San Luis, Colorado 81152
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53. Shoenberg Farm
53. Shoenberg Farm . Click to expand.
73rd Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard, Westminster, Colorado 80031
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54. Page Building
54. Page Building. Click to expand.
123 N. Fourth Street, Victor, Colorado 80860
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55. Montezuma Valley National Bank Building
55. Montezuma Valley National Bank Building. Click to expand.
2-8 E. Main Street, Cortez, Colorado 81321
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56. Union Block/Lincoln Hotel
56. Union Block/Lincoln Hotel. Click to expand.
365 N. Lincoln Avenue, Loveland, Colorado 80537
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57. Reynolds Block
57. Reynolds Block . Click to expand.
300 S. Third Street, Victor, Colorado 80860
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58. Armory Building
58. Armory Building. Click to expand.
1301 Arapahoe Street, Golden, Colorado 80401
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59. Engle House
59. Engle House. Click to expand.
208 E. Mantz Avenue, Rico, Colorado 81332
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60. Alamosa Masonic Hall
60. Alamosa Masonic Hall . Click to expand.
630 Main Street, Alamosa, Colorado 81101
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61. Perry-Mansfield (Main Studio)
61. Perry-Mansfield (Main Studio). Click to expand.
40755 Routt County Road 36, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
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62. Wright Opera House
62. Wright Opera House . Click to expand.
472 Main Street, Ouray, Colorado 81427
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63. Stanley/Montclair School
63. Stanley/Montclair School . Click to expand.
1301 Quebec Street, Denver, Colorado 80220
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64. Turner Farm
64. Turner Farm. Click to expand.
829 W. Main Street, Buena Vista, Colorado 81211
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65. Hamill House
65. Hamill House. Click to expand.
305 Argentine Street, Georgetown, Colorado 80444
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66. South Park Hotel
66. South Park Hotel. Click to expand.
17 6th Street, Como, Colorado 80432
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67. Bayfield Town Hall
67. Bayfield Town Hall. Click to expand.
11 W. Mill Street, Bayfield, Colorado 81122
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68. First Congregational Church of Loveland
68. First Congregational Church of Loveland. Click to expand.
800 N. Lincoln Avenue, Loveland, Colorado 80537
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69. Wink's Panorama
69. Wink's Panorama. Click to expand.
213 Winks Way, Pinecliffe, Colorado 80471
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70. Midland Depot at Divide
70. Midland Depot at Divide. Click to expand.
11500 W. Highway 24, Divide, Colorado 80814
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71. Old Homestead House
71. Old Homestead House. Click to expand.
353 E. Myers Avenue, Cripple Creek, Colorado 80813
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72. First Presbyterian Church/Sterling
72. First Presbyterian Church/Sterling. Click to expand.
130 S. 4th Street, Sterling, Colorado 80751
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73. Emperius Building
73. Emperius Building . Click to expand.
529 Main Street Alamosa, Colorado 81101
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74. Englewood Depot
74. Englewood Depot. Click to expand.
675 W. Dartmouth Avenue, Englewood, Colorado 80110
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75. Monte Vista United Methodist Church
75. Monte Vista United Methodist Church. Click to expand.
215 Washington Street, Monte Vista, Colorado 81144
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76. Como Depot
76. Como Depot. Click to expand.
17 6th Street, Como, Colorado 80432
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77. Hannah Barker House
77. Hannah Barker House. Click to expand.
800 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80302
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78. Nomad Playhouse
78. Nomad Playhouse. Click to expand.
1410 Quince Avenue, Boulder, Colorado 80304
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79. D&RG Railroad Depot/Westcliffe
79. D&RG Railroad Depot/Westcliffe. Click to expand.
102 Main Street, Westcliffe, Colorado 81252
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80. Loveland Feed & Grain
80. Loveland Feed & Grain. Click to expand.
130 W. 3rd Street, Loveland, Colorado 80537
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81. Molly Brown House
81. Molly Brown House. Click to expand.
1340 Pennsylvania Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80203
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82. Tabor Opera House
82. Tabor Opera House. Click to expand.
308 Harrison Avenue, Leadville, Colorado 80461
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83. Fruitdale School
83. Fruitdale School. Click to expand.
10803 W. 44th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80034
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84. Crested Butte Hardware
84. Crested Butte Hardware . Click to expand.
331 Elk Avenue, Crested Butte, Colorado 81224
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85. Teller House
85. Teller House. Click to expand.
120 Eureka Street, Central City, Colorado 80427
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86. Telluride Transfer
86. Telluride Transfer. Click to expand.
201 S. Fir Street, Telluride, Colorado 81435
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87. Colona School
87. Colona School. Click to expand.
206 County Road, Montrose, Colorado 81403
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88. Greeley Masonic Temple
88. Greeley Masonic Temple. Click to expand.
829 10th Avenue, Greeley, Colorado 80631
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89. West/Fox Theatre
89. West/Fox Theatre. Click to expand.
421-423 West Main Street, Trinidad, Colorado 81082
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90. Arrow Tire Sales Building
90. Arrow Tire Sales Building. Click to expand.
104 E. Front Street, Florence, Colorado 81226
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91. Highlands United Methodist Church
91. Highlands United Methodist Church. Click to expand.
3131 Osceola Street, Denver, Colorado 80212
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92. Spur Movie Theater
92. Spur Movie Theater. Click to expand.
216 S. Main Street, La Veta, Colorado 81055
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93. Loveland Elks Lodge #1051
93. Loveland Elks Lodge #1051. Click to expand.
103 E. 4th Street, Loveland, Colorado 80537
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94. The White Spot Restaurant
94. The White Spot Restaurant. Click to expand.
601 E. Colfax, Denver, Colorado 80203
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95. Holy Trinity Church
95. Holy Trinity Church. Click to expand.
135 Church Street, Trinidad, Colorado 81082
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96. Ponderosa Lodge
96. Ponderosa Lodge. Click to expand.
6145 Shoup Road, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80908
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97. 1882 Chaffee County Courthouse
97. 1882 Chaffee County Courthouse. Click to expand.
506 E. Main Street, Buena Vista, Colorado 81211
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98. Grace & St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
98. Grace & St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. Click to expand.
631 N. Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903
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99. Jaquez House
99. Jaquez House. Click to expand.
137 N. Church Place, San Luis, Colorado 81152
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100. Former Methodist Church/Silver Plume
100. Former Methodist Church/Silver Plume. Click to expand.
455 Hancock Street, Silver Plume, Colorado 80444
The future of historic preservation is bright.
The Colorado Historical Foundation is Colorado’s largest historic preservation conservation easement holding organization, with a portfolio of over 100 properties statewide.
Since 2020, we have added many more buildings to our growing list of protected historic conservation easement properties.
Oxford Hotel, Denver in Denver County. Built in 1891.
Explore Our Latest Historic Conservation Easement Properties
"We shape our buildings; thereafter, our buildings shape us."
- Winston Churchill
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101. 1874 Georgetown School
101. 1874 Georgetown School . Click to expand.
801 Taos Street, Georgetown, Colorado 80444
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102. Ecklund House
102. Ecklund House . Click to expand.
927 Rose Street, Georgetown, Colorado 80444
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103. Church Hamilton House
103. Church Hamilton House . Click to expand.
921 Rose Street, Georgetown, Colorado 80444
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104. Curtis Hardware Company Building
104. Curtis Hardware Company Building. Click to expand.
228 Grand Avenue, Paonia, Colorado 81428
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105. First National Bank (Paonia)
105. First National Bank (Paonia). Click to expand.
226 Grand Avenue, Paonia, Colorado 81428
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106. Columbus Building
106. Columbus Building. Click to expand.
740 Main Street, Ouray, Colorado 81427
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107. Sociedad Proteccion Mutua De Trabajores Unidos (S.P.M.D.T.U)
107. Sociedad Proteccion Mutua De Trabajores Unidos (S.P.M.D.T.U). Click to expand.
603 Main Street, Antonito, Colorado 81120
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108. Bethesda Chapel at Denver Academy
108. Bethesda Chapel at Denver Academy. Click to expand.
4400 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80222
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109. Reynolds Ranch
109. Reynolds Ranch. Click to expand.
225 North Gate Road, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921
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110. Rose Lime Kiln
110. Rose Lime Kiln. Click to expand.
12 Miles SW of Lake City on CR 20, Lake City, Colorado 81235
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111. Mesa School
111. Mesa School. Click to expand.
33985 South US Hwy. 40, Steamboat Springs, Colorado 80487
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112. Kneisel Building
112. Kneisel Building. Click to expand.
509 6th Street, Georgetown, Colorado 80444
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113. Spruance Building
113. Spruance Building. Click to expand.
511 6th Street, Georgetown, Colorado 80444
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114. Boggsville
114. Boggsville. Click to expand.
Two miles south of Las Animas on Highway 101, Las Animas, Colorado 81054
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115. Leadville Odd Fellows Building
115. Leadville Odd Fellows Building. Click to expand.
721 Harrison Avenue, Leadville, Colorado 80461
Beyond the Buildings
Members of the La Sociedad Protección Mutua de Trabajadores Unidos (S.P.M.D.T.U.) Concilio Superior in Antonito pose on the south side of the building in 1938. Photo courtesy of Dr. Antonio Esquibel.
Although we're deeply committed to Colorado's treasured buildings and cultural landscapes, we're also drawn to the diverse people who lived, worked, and worshipped within our historic conservation easement properties.
From left to right:
Statue of Celedonia Mondragón, who founded the La Sociedad Protección Mutua de Trabajadores Unidos (S.P.M.D.T.U.) in 1900.
Wendall “Wink” Hamlet (left), architect and owner of Wink's Panorama, and his brother, Clarence, in the 1950s. Photo courtesy of Denver Public Library Special Collections.
Minette Miller, born in Leadville, Colorado in 1894, worshiped at Temple Israel and is buried in Leadville's Hebrew Cemetery. Photo courtesy of Temple Israel Museum Collection.
Charlotte Perry (left) and Portia Mansfield founded the Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp in 1914. Photo courtesy of Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp.
Featured Historic Conservation Easement Property:
Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Perry-Mansfield students strike a pose on the Main Lodge patio.
A Routt County Creative Legacy
Camp founders Charlotte Perry (left) and Portia Mansfield dance in the style of Isadora Duncan. Photo courtesy of the Perry-Mansfield Archives.
Perry and Mansfield met while students at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, and were both well versed in the arts. Mansfield's main interest was dance. As an affluent young woman, she attended Broadway shows and plays in Chicago and New York. Perry's first love was drama. A Denver native, Perry was raised in a prosperous railroad and mining family and attended nationally known theater productions before heading east for college.
Upon graduation, neither woman was interested in the typical high-society path of their peers. Perry invited Mansfield to visit Colorado in the fall of 1912. During the visit, Perry's father asked the two young women to join him on a bear hunt in the remote mountains, where they rode horses and camped under the stars. This experience inspired their shared dream to open a summer arts camp in the Rocky Mountains.
Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp is located near Steamboat Springs in Routt County.
The History of Modern Dance
Founded in 1914 by Perry and Mansfield, the camp is located outside of Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Today Perry-Mansfield is the oldest continuously operating performing arts school and company in the country.
The camp is frequently credited as the birthplace of modern dance.
At One with Nature
Perry and Mansfield purposely designed the properties to help incorporate the natural surroundings into teachings and performances.
"The Ladies" were also known to never move a tree or shrub to build a cabin.
The camp is located in a:
"V-shaped agricultural valley, receiving its name from the abundant strawberries raised during the early part of the century. The valley is surrounded on the north and east by foothills of the Park Range and Zirkel Wilderness Area of the Routt National Forest."
Excerpt from the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
High-Country Creativity
Perry and Mansfield built a creative haven when there were few opportunities for professional performing artists or students in the early twentieth century.
Campers learned ballet and modern dance and experimental theater techniques.
Numerous influential dance and theater pioneers attended and taught at Perry-Mansfield, including Doris Humphrey, Agnes DeMille, Jose Limon, Julie Harris, Dustin Hoffman, and Lee Remick.
The Main Lodge
Designed by Perry and Mansfield, the Main Lodge was built in 1918 by carpenters from the local Oak Creek coal mines.
The Main Lodge was also used for dance classes and plays. For the first ten years of the camp, light was provided by candles, lanterns, and kerosene lamps.
In the early days, water was obtained from a spring 200 feet below the camp. A pump, started by hand, forced the water up to a tank on the hillside.
It was often necessary for Perry or Mansfield to run out of a class when the dining staff called for water, climb down the embankment to Soda Creek, and prime the pump.
The Main Studio
The Main Studio was built in 1922. Perry and Mansfield used a cruciform plan and designed the masonry fireplace that runs along its west wall.
"All of the buildings are designed to harmonize with the natural surroundings—rustic log for the wilderness-like milieu. The weathered logs of the cabins blend with the bark of the trees, and the warm browns create a relationship to the earth. The simplicity of design establishes an intimacy with nature."
Excerpt from the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
“Creative practice through art and nature manifests in an insightful, compassionate, and courageous life."
- Charlotte Perry and Portia Mansfield
Various outdoor activities, including horseback riding, have been camp traditions for decades.
Watch this short video to discover a place where innovation and imagination have been soaring since 1914.
Perry and Mansfield’s early vision for the camp, and their own lives, continues to inspire.
Young campers rehearse for the Fourth of July Parade held in downtown Steamboat Springs.
Perry and Mansfield fostered individuality, creative experimentation, and an appreciation of nature that lives on today in the buildings they designed and built over a hundred years ago.
Become an active participant in Colorado's story.
Support the study and preservation of Colorado’s unique history and historic sites like Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp and many others.
Your support of the Colorado Historical Foundation helps sustain the financial, legal, and technical resources needed to archive, protect, care for, and commemorate Colorado’s diverse, complex, and inspiring history.
Thank you to Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp for the use of their photographs and video.