PRESS CONTACT:
Luke Perkins, Manager of Communications and Public Relations
303.866.3670 | luke.perkins@state.co.us 

The following is just a snapshot of the different programs maintained by History Colorado through its State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), State Historical Fund, and Office of the State Archaeologist and their recent contributions to preservation efforts across the state.

Signature Initiative - Colorado Heritage for All
Colorado Heritage for All is an intentional effort by History Colorado to address the lack of representation of all Colorado's diverse communities in the State and National Registers 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.

Identified as a statewide signature initiative by the America 250 – Colorado 150 Commission, Colorado Heritage for All is a key part of commemoration efforts for the upcoming twin anniversaries of the nation and the Centennial State in 2026. In the calendar year 2024, History Colorado’s SHPO added 16 sites connected to marginalized communities. So far in 2025, 15 sites have been added to the State and National Registers. 

Among the sites added in 2024 are:

• Denver Fire Station No. 3, which was recognized due to the valor and dedication of the all-Black fire crews who served the multicultural Five Points Neighborhood faithfully in the face of segregationist policies from 1931 - 1957
• Valley View/Hillcrest Cemetery in Rocky Ford, which is both significant for its remarkable landscape architecture and for the concentration of Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans who are buried there and played a vital role in turning the surrounding region into one of the most significant farming areas in Colorado
• Manzanola United Methodist Church, which was an essential center of community for The Dry, a predominately Black homesteading community in Otero County, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in fall of 2024

As part of Colorado Heritage for All, History Colorado is seeking community suggestions for properties that are vital to understanding the history of the Centennial State. Coloradans are encouraged to submit suggestions for sites that should be added to the State and National Registers of Historic Places through this online submission form or by contacting the State Historic Preservation Office via email at hc_oahp@state.co.us.

Additional Designation Efforts
The State Historic Preservation Office also runs several programs that designate historically and architecturally significant sites, certify the counties and municipalities that uphold the highest standards of preservation, and recognize ranching and farming families that have withstood the pressures of growth, changes in farming methods, drought, and economic conditions. This includes:

• The Centennial Farms & Ranches Program honored 20 Centennial farms, ranches, and families, bringing the total number of Centennial Farms & Ranches honorees to 684. The State Historic Preservation Officer and Commissioner of Agriculture also awarded two Agricultural Legacy Awards to Gabriel and Jody Lopez and the Sugar Beet Leagues of Northern Colorado, and to Deb Daniel, the General Manager of the Republican River Water Conservation District
• The Certified Local Governments Program (CLG) currently recognizes 67 local governments as meeting state and federal preservation program requirements. In 2024, the CLG program awarded seven general grants for $145,022 as well as 34 educational scholarships for eligible local governments totaling $26,342
  • A standout project funded by History Colorado’s CLG program that was completed in 2024 is an archaeological survey completed by Boulder County. This archaeological survey identified and documented cultural resources in a county open space area prior to wildfire mitigation work and embodied best practices in identifying and documenting cultural resources in a proactive manner before a disaster occurs
• In addition to contributions through Colorado Heritage for All, in 2024, the National and State Register Program assisted Coloradans in creating or updating the permanent records of 13 sites

Grants and Incentives Programs
History Colorado’s preservation arm has two major funds through which Coloradans can apply to support archaeology and historic preservation projects: 

• The Preservation Tax Credits Program, which provides credits on taxable income for the completion of eligible preservation projects. In calendar year 2024, History Colorado’s Preservation Tax Credits Program awarded nearly $18 million across 35 eligible projects 
• The State Historical Fund – which awards grants from tax revenue generated by limited stakes gaming in the towns of Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek to fund preservation projects across the state – awarded more than $11 million across 117 projects in fiscal year 2024 and has already awarded $5,824,111 across 61 projects in 2025

Examples of the types of projects funded through these two programs include:

• The Telluride Science Research Center which converted the historic Denver and Rio Grande Southern Railroad Depot into an internationally known science center in Telluride. The owner successfully applied for $830,278 in preservation tax credits after fully rehabilitating the depot to meet the needs of the science community while retaining the historic spaces and character of the building
• Located just outside of Genoa, the World's Wonder View Tower catches the eye of passersby on Interstate 70. Once a popular roadside attraction, the tower began to see a decrease in visitation after the interstate was completed in 1972. The tower still attracts much interest and – thanks in part to a $250,000 State Historical Fund grant – efforts are underway to bring the tower and site back into service for all to enjoy 
• Machebeuf Hall is the next historic building to undergo rehabilitation as part of efforts to adaptively reuse the historic Loretto Heights campus in Denver. Owners were awarded nearly $6 million in preservation tax credits to convert Machebeuf Hall into a multiple use space which includes a food bank, medical offices, and a food hall
• The oldest known extant wood frame commercial building in Fort Collins is the Emma Malaby Grocery, built in 1881. The building exemplifies the presence of small family-run general stores that are typically located within neighborhoods and was awarded $148,036 for structural stabilization and roof rehabilitation. For most of its life, the store was operated by women and located in a neighborhood that serviced a mixture of both Black and white families in Fort Collins

Education and Engagement
History Colorado maintains a robust archaeology program managed by the Office of the State Archaeologist. The State Archaeologist’s duties and responsibilities include investigating impacts to archaeological resources and providing technical assistance. One avenue through which the Office of the State Archaeologist provides assistance is the Program for Avocational Archaeological Certification. This program allows citizens to obtain formally recognized levels of archaeological expertise outside of an academic degree program, facilitates governmental management of cultural resources, conducts research, and helps protect archaeological resources in Colorado.

Review and Compliance Programs
A final avenue through which History Colorado helps Coloradans protect the places they love is through reviewing federal and state funded projects that might impact cultural resources and historic properties. Generally called Section 106 review, this program provides a tool for Coloradans to ensure efforts are made to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the effects of construction projects on historically and archaeologically significant properties. Highlighted Section 106 projects include:

• The Mariposa Center for Safety in Pueblo, which recently relocated its offices and clinic to the former Pueblo Young Women’s Christian Association building. Designed in 1935 by noted architect Walter DeMordaunt, generations of Pueblo residents learned to swim in the Pueblo YWCA’s elaborately tiled pool. Not needed for its current use as the Mariposa Center for Safety, this distinctive feature was encapsulated and preserved should future users of the building seek to restore the historic pool thanks to the Section 106 review
• The Colorado State Capitol Annex & Boiler Plant underwent an ambitious restoration and rehabilitation project starting in 2024. This project will bring the building into the 21st century, adding energy efficient systems, additional restrooms, and other amenities. Thanks to Section 106 review, this restoration and rehabilitation effort will preserve the original Work Progress Administration artwork, brass fixtures, tile floors, and marble walls from the building's construction during the Great Depression

About History Colorado
History Colorado is a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education and a 501(c)3 non-profit that has served more than 75,000 students and 500,000 people in Colorado each year. It is a 146-year-old institution that operates eleven museums and historic sites, a free public research center, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation which provides technical assistance, educational opportunities, and other access to archaeology and historic preservation, and the History Colorado State Historical Fund (SHF), which is one of the nation’s largest state funded preservation programs of its kind. More than 70% of SHF grants are allocated in rural areas of the state. Additionally, the offices of the State Archaeologist and the State Historic Preservation Officer are part of History Colorado. 

History Colorado’s mission is to create a better future for Colorado by inspiring wonder in our past. We serve as the state’s memory, preserving and sharing the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through educational programs, historic preservation grants, collecting, outreach to Colorado communities, the History Colorado Center and Stephen H. Hart Research Center in Denver, and 10 other museums and historic attractions statewide. History Colorado is one of only six Smithsonian Affiliates in Colorado. Visit HistoryColorado.org, or call 303-HISTORY, for more information. #HistoryColorado