Homelake Veterans' History Museum
Old soldiers remembered!
3749 Sherman Ave
PO Box 97
Homelake, CO 81135
Contact:
719-852-8235
719-580-0023
Email Us: homelakeveteransmuseum@gmail.com
Hours/Admission:
Closed for 2021 until further notice.
Free Admission - donations appreciated
Website - www.homelakeveteransmuseum.org
Colorado State Veterans Center Homelake is the first and oldest veterans center in the state of Colorado. Homelake Veterans' History Museum is sponsored by the Homelake Historic Preservation and Restoration Foundation and run by volunteers. The museum is located on the 24-acre campus of the former Colorado Soldiers' and Sailors' Home in the San Luis Valley. The museum exhibits memorabilia from the veterans who lived at the home, and veterans from the area. The museum houses artifacts from the hospital and barracks that were on campus. We are located in the Old Dining Hall.
The home was established by an act of the Colorado State Legislature in 1889 at the behest of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) to provide a home for the aging and disabled veterans of the Civil War. The first resident was admitted in October, 1891.
Soon-to-be-renovated old Admin Bldg
The campus also includes a cemetery which began with the death of Freeman T. Morris, Resident No. 28, on Dec 20, 1891. The cemetery with its concentric circles around a Civil War/Spanish-American War monument is the resting place of more than 1,600 veterans from the Mexican War to present. Shortly thereafter a cemetery was established at the Home and between 1898 - 1905 the barracks, commander’s residence, administration building, and chapel were added to the community. Most of the buildings were built of a rhyolite stone quarried between Monte Vista and Del Norte. The hospital and barracks were torn down in the 1960's, as well as some of the smaller buildings. In 1995 Homelake was placed on the state's list of Historic Sites. In 2003 the state legislature named it as the official repository for unclaimed military memorabilia. In 2005 Homelake was placed on the endangered sites list by Colorado Preservation Inc.
More than 4,000 veterans have lived at the facility -- starting with those from the Civil War and continuing to those from current conflicts.
Sponsored by -- Homelake Veterans' History Museum is sponsored by the Homelake Historic Preservation and Restoration Foundation and managed by volunteers. It is located on the campus of the former Colorado Soldiers' and Sailors' Home -- now the Homelake Veterans' Center -- in the San Luis Valley outside Monte Vista, Colorado.
Walking Tour - Check out this twenty-two (22) point walking tour including the original Post Office, Game Room, the Ladies Lounge, Stone Gazebo, Howitzer Cannon, M60A3 Tank, the Chapel, the Cemetery- the final resting spot for Veterans from the Civil War to present. Download a PDF of the brochure by clicking on image.
Database
- The museum has also compiled and made available for public access to the records of the residents and the veterans of the San Luis Valley through an online database. This database is being developed from the records of the Veterans' Center, newspaper articles, personal communications, cemetery records, etc. Search the database by clicking here.
The Homelake Historic Preservation and Restoration Foundation (HHPRF) is working on restoring various buildings on campus. They recently helped with the renovation of the Chapel. The most current project is the renovation of the old Administration building. Stage 1 funded the stabilize the building's foundation at a cost of $330,000 that was completed in 2012. Stage 2 saw the restoration of the windows by Older Than Dirt Construction out of Salida at a cost of $200,000. Stage 3 looks to restore the first floor. Stage 4 to restore the second floor.
Administration building of the Soldiers and Sailors Home, built in 1905. Built of locally mined andesite lava.
The vision of the HHPRF - we exist in partnership with the community of Homelake and the broader communities of the San Luis Valley to memorialize the multitude of veterans who have been, are, and will be served by Homelake. We will accomplish this primarily through the stabilization, restoration and preservation of the historic buildings of Homelake; the preservation of the cemetery where many rest in peace; and safeguarding and displaying of military mementos and memorabilia that have been entrusted to us by veterans, their families and the State of Colorado. Please join us in this worthy undertaking by supporting us through gifts and/or participation in this restoration.
The Homelake Veterans' History Museum is supported in part by an award from the Colorado State Historical Records Advisory Board, History Colorado, through funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, National Archives and Records Administration, the Denver Foundation's Greenwood Fund, and the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Veterans Community Living Center
To learn more about the staff and residents of Veterans Community Living Center @ Homelake go to: https://homelakenews.com
