History Talks!

The Mexirado Building in Cortez was constructed in the 1920s on the site of Perley Wasson's old stable.

Southwest Colorado's KSJD Radio hosted a conversation recently about history and historic preservation in Cortez, Colorado. Check out this link to San Juan Dryland Radio to hear radio host Tom Yoder interview the chair of the town's historic preservation commission- Linda Towle- and me about the recent historic building surveys in Cortez.

Located just down the road from Mesa Verde National Park, Cortez boasts its own fascinating history as a water town. It was created as part of a grand scheme in the 1880s to develop real estate by diverting water from another drainage to this arid region. While local cowboys and the Ute Indians explored the cliff dwellings that would eventually become part of Mesa Verde National Park, the little town of Cortez set down roots and started to grow.

There is a lot of interest in honoring the local history of Cortez. Residents of the Montezuma Avenue neighborhood are moving towards establishing a historic district. This would be the very first historic district in this town that has many hidden gems.  I've just  finished a survey of buildings within the original townsite,  If all goes well,  the commercial buildings on Main Street will be next.

Many thanks go out to KSJD Radio for their coverage of local Cortez history. If you want to know more about my work, scroll through this blog or check my site at Linked In.

Here's a nice honor from the La Plata County Historical Society in Durango.  Tickets are available at the Animas Museum at 970-259-2402 or online at animasmuseum.org.

Welcome !  If you have found this site from the link on the old website, we are glad you are here.  Cultural Resource Planning is alive and well and going strong and will be posting on this website.

My current projects include historic research on some spectacular buildings at the Grand Canyon National Park.  Did you know that this tower, called the Watchtower, was designed by Mary Colter based on her extensive research of Hopi culture and construction traditions?  It's quite a place.  Here's a photograph of the interior...

I'm also continuing the historic building surveys in Cortez, Colorado, an interesting small town in southwest Colorado, located just a few miles from Mesa Verde National Park and the lands of the  Ute Mountain Utes. This town has everything from cute little bungalows to the mid-century modern office buildings.  I really like the one below.

In addition to fascinating archaeology and fun mountain biking, Cortez and Montezuma County are welcoming new kind of agriculture that emphasizes the small farm and the farm to table movement. Cortez residents are also looking into establishing a historic district along Montezuma Avenue, and I'm helping with that. 

Here's another unique and special place. The Animas City Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in La Plata County. It's tucked onto bench on the steep slopes below Fort Lewis College.

The cemetery is home to the graves of famous outlaws, early homesteaders, Civil War veterans and, sadly, the many children who died very young. Although the property has been owned by the City of Durango since 1985, they have done nothing to preserve the headstones or care for the land. A support group--The Friends of the Animas City-- has been working to conduct research and work with the City to develop a maintenance plan and repair the most damaged headstones. For more information, check out the great website with information about the Cemetery and the people buried there at  http://www.animascitycemetery.org/