SAN LUIS VALLEY — History Colorado is hosting an open houseto discuss the Colorado Heritage for All initiative in the San Luis Valley at a community-led nomination meeting from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Jan. 14 to be held at the Monte Vista Church Project, 256 S. Broadway St., Monte Vista. 

Supported by funding from the Mellon Foundation, this event allows History Colorado to engage and collaborate with residents of the San Luis Valley to develop a sustainable, community-led preservation plan that safeguards meaningful sites that provide economic and social benefits, while also increasing representation of marginalized communities to be listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.  

Members of the San Luis Valley community, your input is invaluable. Join Katie Dokson, San Luis Valley Community Engagement Manager for History Colorado, at this Monte Vista Church Project open house to discuss sites crucial to understanding the region's unique history. 

According to History Colorado, "Historic places don't only offer a connection to our past, they help to build identities, boost understanding of contemporary places, and strengthen communities in various ways. However, not all communities have been treated equally. Too often, important histories and places are obscured or erased by our preservation practices. Less than 3% of the buildings and sites on Colorado's Register of Historic Places represent the stories of our state's Black, Indigenous, Latino, Chicano, Asian American, and LGBTQ+ communities. The same patterns appear nationwide on the National Register of Historic Places and local preservation programs." 

This free meeting is open to the public and light snacks and refreshments will be provided. The event will inform the ongoing Colorado Heritage for All work in the San Luis Valley by helping to identify 10 priority sites for nomination and preservation efforts. 

Priority for sites to be researched and nominated will be based on the public benefit of these sites as determined by: - Community access to the site, - Learning opportunities involving the site, - And the site's relationship and contributions to the local economy and social infrastructure.  

The San Luis Valley's history is a treasure trove waiting to be unearthed. 

"The San Luis Valley was historically both a geo-political and cultural borderlands, in which the combination and collision of Indigenous, Hispano, and Anglo peoples formed a hybrid culture that is like no other in the United States," said Dawn DiPrince, President/CEO of History Colorado and State Historic Preservation Officer. "Preserving the sites that tell the authentic stories of the Valley and provide collective meaning to its people is critical to recognizing the full breadth of our state's history before it is lost to time. This effort will also provide us an opportunity to invest in the future prosperity of the Valley as historic designations can provide access to funding avenues that can be used to protect sites that define communities." 

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation's largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. 

Colorado Heritage for All is an intentional effort by History Colorado to address the lack of representation of all Colorado's diverse communities on the State and National Register of Historic Places. Colorado Heritage for All supports nominations and the listing of 150 currently unrecognized historic resources that tell the stories of marginalized communities by the end of 2026. As part of the Colorado Heritage for All, History Colorado is seeking community suggestions for properties that are vital to understanding the history of the Centennial State.