The Huerfano Heritage Center

02/22/2025

Check out this wonderful page - lots of great information about the history of Huerfano County!

Huerfano County Historical Society - Colorado

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08/16/2021

Come enjoy a walking Tour of Historic Walsenburg! On Saturday, August 28th, there will be a walking tour of south Walsenburg that will highlight several important historical sites. It will take a bit of imagination, but with the help of knowledgeable tour guides, walkers will visit the location of La Plaza de Los Leones, the first settlement in the area, including the sites of Walsenburg’s fort and its well-known adobe hotel and learn about the buildings now gone and the history which once took place there. The tour will also visit a few buildings that are still standing.

Speakers at each site during the two-hour walk will describe life from about 140 years ago up to 90 years ago. Registration will be at the Huerfano County Community Center, East 10th and Russell, from 9 am to 10 am. Groups of 20 will start out with their guide along the Cucharas River and then will cover six blocks. A shuttle bus returns walkers to the starting place. Cost is $15 and includes handouts. No advance reservations will be taken. In case of misty rain the walk will go on as scheduled. If a downpour begins, the tour will be cancelled. For more information call the Huerfano Heritage Center at 719-738-2346 or Carolyn Newman at 719-738-2840. For information on the day of the walk, call 719-989-0651.

08/06/2021

At 1:30 today: the grand opening of the new Huerfano Judicial Center. The adjacent Walsenburg Mining Museum will also be open with free admission for all. Come help celebrate!!

06/15/2021

Here is a possible opportunity for students to become involved in helping preserve American History. The Application to be involved in the Colorado National Monument Youth Summit during August 2-5 is Due June 30th. Information available at this site:

The Preserve America Youth Summits are dedicated to supporting locally based conservation, preservation and educational service programs that empower individuals.

06/02/2021

Here is some good news from the San Luis Valley Museum Association, a listing the many museums in the association that opened starting on memorial day and continuing through the summer. There is much to enjoy and learn at the museums in this list.

The museums of Colorado's Museum Trail are opening up starting this Memorial Day Weekend!! Get out and explore the history of the Mystic San Luis Valley!

05/07/2021

We are pleased to announce that our museums have reopened to the public for the summer!

The Huerfano Heritage Center has reopened to the public, during regular hours: Wed 2-5pm, Thu 11am-3pm, Fri 2-5pm.

The Walsenburg Mining Museum will be open Fri 10am-12pm & 1pm-3pm; Sat 1pm-3pm. Note: hours subject to change due to limited staff. Call ahead to confirm 719-738-2840 or 719-738-1992 (seasonal)

Francisco Fort Museum is open during regular summer hours, Tue-Sat 10am-4pm.

Check with individual museums for possible mask requirements. Watch this space for updates.

Adobe Fort in continuous use since 1862. Now a museum, the site houses eight historic buildings.

04/08/2021

Step back into history with this tour of this historic adobe structure built in 1869 near the Huerfano River, which apparently served, over time, as fort, jail, home, and general store.

The Montoya Ranch dates from the 1860s, at a time when Southern Colorado was undergoing a change from Spanish colonial control to Mexican control, ultimately...

01/13/2021

A couple of weeks ago Huerfano County Historical Society Board members, Dianne Hanisch and John Van Keuren, displayed a banner at the entrance of the Walsenburg Mining Museum, celebrating its role in preserving the history of Huerfano County. The Historical Society can't wait for the Mining Museum, the Huerfano Heritage Center, and the Francisco Fort Museum to reopen sometime this year when control of the COVID-19 Pandemic makes it safe to do so.

12/15/2020

On November 29, we posted a photo of the Huerfano County High School 1910 girls basketball team. That post was based on information included with the photo. We've edited the caption of that photo based on online research done by Charles Solomon, using the Colorado Historical Newspaper Collection. It turns out that, contrary to the information accompanying the photo in our archive, the Walsenburg team did not win the championship in 1910 but came very close, as described in an excerpt from an article titled "Championship Honors." (article courtesy of Charles Solomon):

11/30/2020

The Huerfano County tradition of producing championship girls basketball teams began early in the county's history. This photo features the 1910 Huerfano County High School girls basketball team, along with their coach S. M. Andrews. This Walsenburg team played against the Raton girls team for the 1910 championship of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico, coming up just short in a hard-fought, close game (20-24). Due to research by Charles Solomon (see his comments below), we know that the members of the 1910 girls basketball team were: Mary Hill, Caroline Sporleder (elected Captain), Margueritte Hendershot, Eleanor Cowing, Elizabeth Tennant, Maude Windsor, Gladys Brand, Laura Shaft, Blanche Blinkhahn, Gertrude Elliot, Esta Fiegel, Vernie Unfug, Alice Sherwood, and Laura Richey.(Photo courtesy of Caroline Young)