Monte Vista Downtown Historical Walking and Driving Tour

The printed version of this information was produced in recognition of -- Celebrating Monte Vista's 125th anniversary 1886-2011

1 - San Luis Valley Information Center (2002)

947 First AVenue

This Visitor's Center with a community room and an office for the Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce, was designed by Mark Jones and built in collaboration with CDOT and the Department of Local Affairs on the site of the early Faus Coal Company.

2 - Railroad Depot Building (1953)
1035 Grande Avenue
A replica of the 1878 Rio Grande Southern depot at Mancos, this building was originally constructed as the Narrow Gauge Museum. In 1969, it was moved to Cole Park in Alamosa. In 2010, it was moved to Monte Vista to the site of the original 1882 D&RG Railway depot. (Photo shows the 1909 depot.)

Fullenwider Park (1904)
South of the original D&RG Railway tracks and east of the Railroad Depot (#2) the park was named for John Fullenwider, chairman of the Monte Vista Street Committee.

3 - Home of L.B. Sylvester (1904)
1030 Park Avenue
As of April 2020 the - Mansion Bed and Breakfast. This was the large brick home of L.B. Sylvester, a pioneer sheep man. The plans for the first Ski-Hi Stampede in 1919 were formulated on this front porch.

All Good Things/Gallery & Gifts (c. 1900)
Down the alley south, to 1021 Second Avenue. An early boarding house, in which one room was occupied by DeWitt Wallace as a young man. Wallace later went on to create the Reader's Digest.

4 - Monte Vista's First Library (1895) - National and State Historic Register: 1995
110 Jefferson Street
Now the Monte Vista Historical Society. Built in 1895, this locally quarried pink lava stone building was built by the Women's Literary Club. The Women’s Literary Club was organized on August 4, 1884 for the purpose of establishing a circulating library. Initially books were kept in the back of the Fassett General Store, with Lillian L. Fassett serving as the first librarian.

5 - Carnegie Library (1919) - National and State Historic Register: 1995
120 Jefferson Street
The Carnegie Corporation, funded by Andrew Carnegie, built this large, handsome brick library. The expansion, compatible with the original structure, was completed in 2000.

6 - Transporation Museum of the West (1898)
916 First Avenue
In 1906, this was the east 25-foot section of the Fassett building. Restored in 1997 with funds from CDOT and the State Historical Fund, it houses a unique museum. Displays include D&RG Railway equipment and a 100+ year old horse-drawn buggy.

7 - L.L. Fassett Department Store (1898, 1906, 1909) - State Register of Historic Properties: 1993
Now housed in the building at 102 Adams-Farm Fresh; 104-Alltel; 108-Curves
This rusticated rhyolite stone and brick building replaced Lillian L. and Charles Fassette's 1898 frame store. After 99 years of family management, the building was sold and various businesses have occupied the restored structure.

8 - Adams Street Business District (Early 1900s)
Monte vista Urban Renewal Renovation Project: 2001

Adams Street East Side
112 - Sndyer and Co, meats - as of 2011 Adams's Street Salon
118 - W.R. Carter clothing store - as of 2011 Nino's Restaurant
124 - Savage & Dunker Barber - as of 2011 Attorney's office
132 - City Bakery - as of 2011 Petal'er Flowers & gifts
138 - Iris Theatre (1911) - as of 2011 Johnny B. Goods
144 - J.C. Penney's - as of 2011 2001 Video Store
148 - Cameron Bowling Alley - as of 2011 True Value Hardware

9 - Monte Vista Main Post Office (1933) - National and State Historic Register: 1984
NE Corner of Second Avenue and Washington Street
This two-story red brick building with a "combed" face and terra cotta detailing is a fine example of Beaux-Art Classicism. The builidng remains a dominant structure in Monte Vista.

10 - First Christina Church (1909)
200 Washington St
The church originated in 1887, when members met in a tent. A frame building was placed on this property in 1893, but was replaced in 1909, with this yellow brick sanctuary. An addition was built in 1953.

11 - Monte Vista United Methodist Church (1924) - National and State Historic Register 2003
215 Washington St
​The First Methodist Episcopal Church was erected on this site in 1886. The first church in the new town, it partially burned in 1992. This Prairie Style purple/tapestry brick structure with an Akron plan interior, was then built. The name was changed worldwide in 1968.

Methodist Church Parsonage (1901-04) - National and State Historic Register 2003
219 Washington St
The parsonage, a home for the pastor, is a two-story Queen Ann-style brick residence.

12 - ​Firest Presbyterian Church (1899)
705 Second Ave
This beautiful rhyolite stone church was built and dedicated in 1899, using the bell from the original Rock Creek church. It was built on the Akron plan with oak pews and a pipe organ, which are still in use.

13 - Broadway Opera House (Early 1890s)
205 Broadway
Built of rhyolite stone, this building served the community well for many years for operas, silent movies, school graduation, and many other functions. The original open pulley elevator is still useable. In 1920, the interior was remodeleed and became the Woods Mortuary. It served as a funeral home since that time with several different owners.

14 - Central School Auditorium (1938)
612 First Ave
Chrles E. Thomas desinged this multi-purpose building wiht Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival elements. It is a two-story, T-shaped brick building with a total seating capacity of 920, builit iwht school bonds and WPA funds. It remains the only original building on this Central School block.

Stone Buildings
All of the buildings in teh Monte vista Downtown Historic District (HD) were considered of locally quarried stone. This stone is described as crystal poor rhyolite, high in silica. It is soft and light in color when quaried and weathers to a hard grey stone that is both atractice and durable. Large quantities of this volcanic stone were available in 11 quarries, located between Monte Vista and Del Norte.

In the late 1880s, the firm of Campbell and Edwards, stone masons, made Monte Vista their home. They built most of these stone structures. The shanty period of the town has passed and people were looking for building materials that were less combustible and more duralbe than wood. in 1886, the town became a permanent site and began to muchroom with new businesses, using the sotne structures which reflected stability and permanence.

Monte Vista Downtown Historic District
All 11 buildings are on the National and State historic Register (1991)

15 - Hunter mercantile company (1906)
747 First Avenue - HD Building #4
Through the years, this rhyolite stone building has remained a mercantile store with 2,000 sq foot French plate glass display windows.

16 - Monte Vista Jounal (1908-1910)
37-39 washington St (HD Building #5
Now Hinkley Optometry Office/storage spac. The first occupant was a newspaper, the Monte vista Journal. Originally, the building had a stone facade but it was refaced with full brick veneer in 1978, giving it a non-contributing status in the Historic District.

17 - Monte vista Armory (1922)
15 Washington St - HD Building #6
Now Hope's Castle (Professional Centre). Presently a renovated office building, architects Mountjoy and Frewen designed this Romanesque Revival and Fortess=style sotne structure.

18 - Monte Vista Bank and Trust (1919)
803 First Ave - HD Building #7
Now Business and Professiona lBuilding
The architectural significance of this rectagular building represents the permanence and solidity of stone construction. It replaced two wood store-fronts housing restaurant and confectioners. When the nation's banking system failed in 1933, it closed and has been used by businesses since then.

19 - Looking south Across First Avenue State Bank (1890)
800 first Aven - HD Building #3
Now a Legal Office
The oldest building in the Historic district, this two-story stone structure served the community originally as a bank, with law offices and the Monte vista Journal on the top floor. The original bank vault still remains.

Utility Office (1892)
806 First Ave - HD Building #2
Now Edward D. Jones Investments
This elegant stone building originaly housed the electrict Light & Cas Company. it is represents the period of permanent development in the downtown area.

Legal office (1892)
810 First Ave - HD Building #1
Now a real estate office
A lava stone building, it has seen few changes in more than 100 years.

20 - Ditton Jewelery Store (1902)
809-811 first Ave - HD building #8
Now a Real Estate Office
This lava stone building was originally one store, then later a center partition was put down. This allowed two businesses a barbershop and Pollard Plumbing and Heating Co.

21 - Roughton Sheet Metal (1903)
813-815 First Ave - HD building #9
Now Monte Vista Hair Cutting Company
The angled double entrance of this stone building provided double occupancy over the years. Built the interior and exterior have been modernized.

22 - Correll-Dunker Candy Kitchen (1905)
Town Hall (1903)
819-823 First AVe - HD Building #10/11
Now Hunan Chinese Restaurant
The rhyolite stone building replaced a frame building. It housed teh candy kitchen from 1928 to the 1940s. It has since been remodeled and has served as several restaurants.

In 1903, Monte Vista's first Town hall was built as 823 First Ave, a two-story brick structure wiht a corner town. The building was sold in 1962. Due to its shared wall with the next building it is included as a non-contributing structure in the Downtown Historic District.

23 - Bonner mead Block (1889)
845 First Ave
Now Video Shack 
The original two storye stone building stored teh town's records and library books. After it burned in 1894, the structure was replaced with this lava stone building.

24 - Looking North Down Adams Street - The Aldrich House (1884-1885)
901 Acequia Drive
C.S. Aldrich, one of the town's original founders, had this two and a half story Victorian Stick-style house built. It features the eclectic American style of architecture with wood-frame construction and a square tower. The unusual eight-fireplace configuration with its central chimney still remains.

25 - The El Monte Hotel (1930)
925 First Ave
Now the Monte Villa Inn
Designed by E. Floyd Redding as a Spanish=style structure with stucco and brick, the hotel was financed by subscription of the people in Monte Vista in 1930. A beautiful skylight in teh Victorian lobby is a highlight.