From data processing to sound to phonographs to typewriters and calculators, they are forms of communication.  The current exhibit now opening is simply called “Communications”.  It has been arranged in a fashion that these items show how they relate to each other.  It also shows the wide variety of items housed in the museum collection.

Brad Henderson, volunteer who is 16 years old, has had the lead in the assembling and researching the items in the exhibit.  Albert Warren, volunteer, and Louise Colville, Museum director, have assisted in the technical aspect and the arranging of the artifacts.  Many of the items displayed were placed in the exhibit for two purposes, showing the artifact and also having them available to be touched by the visitors.  The items that can be touched will need to have assistance from the museum staff. 

 An old table top Silverstone record player fills the museum with music of a century ago.  An antique pump organ gives a work out as the music is made.  The almost century and a half square grand piano thrills everyone with the quality of music that it gives.

The stereoscope was the first 3D viewer of its kind.  The person using the viewer can see photos that are printed with two pictures side by side and when looking through the two lenses at the photos, the viewer can get a 3D picture.  This special item is one of the artifacts that can be view with assistance from the museum staff.

A small 1940s typewriter has been used in the school display for several years and each class from the area who visited the museum has had the opportunity to type on it.  Many students have never seen a typewriter of this vintage.

The exhibit will run through July.  
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For more information, please contact the Rio Grande County Museum at (719)657-2847 or check our Facebook page.  The Museum is located at 580 Oak Street in Del Norte.  The hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 am to 4 pm and Saturday 10 am to 3 pm.

From Land to Hand: Fiber Arts Festival


22 June Saturday / 9 am - 5 pm
23 June Sunday / 9 am - 1 pm
Join us for two days of all things fiber, from "sheep to shawl." Learn about the tradition of sheep ranching and the new industry of hemp fiber production, and see works by fiber artists of the San Luis Valley. Throughout the day you'll see demonstrations by artists who'll share their skills and their love of the craft, as well as have the opportunity to attend classes to learn technique. At a marketplace, vendors will sell supplies for your own projects and some of the region's most beautiful fiber work. Food carts with a wide selection of cuisine will be on site, along with local musicians playing throughout both days. There will also be a wooly petting zoo, where children can meet the animals that so many fibers come from. It's guaranteed to be a weekend full of all the wonderful things the fiber industry in the San Luis Valley has to offer!

Museum Store Spotlight

Photos and Postcards: "With the Spirit of the Wild Horse" by Judy BarnesSee these beautiful photographs and cards in the museum store this month!





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Have you enjoyed the Fort?
One of the most common ways new people find Fort Garland Museum is by seeing great reviews on sites like TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Google. If you've found interesting or fun or inspiring things here, we'd appreciate a 5-star review.Want text reminders for our lectures?
Sign up here!
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Want to support the Fort?
As a member of the Friends of Fort Garland you get free unlimited admission to the museum, receive a discount in the museum store, and get invitations to special museum events!
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Deadline: must be postmarked or received online by June 30th, 2019

Project Summary
The nation’s earliest and unheralded victory in the war against educational segregation took place in the San Luis Valley between 1912 and 1914 and it “was the first time in the history of America that a court fight was made over an attempt to segregate Mexicans in school.” The suit grew from local grassroots concern for equal education of Alamosa’s children. The case is Alamosa Case No. 6 Francisco Maestas et al vs. George H. Shone et al and was filed on 11-21-1913 with a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs on 4-17-1914. The case was filed as part of political efforts and mass struggle. The commemoration will be by bronze statue depicting the main subject child, Miguel Maestas, at his then age of 11. It is the hope that the placement of this statute would be a fitting tribute to the “rule of law” and its role in the historical advancement of Hispanics in the southwest.

Project Description 
This is a commission for on original bronze that will be publicly displayed in Alamosa County, CO. The deadline to apply is June 30th. The proposed project will begin fabrication after selection and the desired completion date is September 30th, so that the statue can be erected during Hispanic Heritage Month(Sept 15-Oct 15). The budget is currently around $20,000-$30,000 dependent on final size. Eligibility is open to all artists.

Art goals 
The objective of this project is to commemorate an important national milestone in overcoming educational segregation. The purpose it to bring awareness of our local history, to visually recognize this historical court case and remind local youth that they will be treated equally in the eyes of the law.

Art Location Description
The final location of the finished statue is under discussion but most likely be at an outdoor location in Alamosa, CO.

Budget
The amount of funding allocated to art for this project at this time is $20,000-$30,000 dependent on final size and amount of funds received. The amount paid to the artist will cover the artist’s fee, materials and fabrication of the piece.

Artist Eligibility
The artist is open to professional artists and artist teams. The artist must have completed a project with a similar budget, scale and scope. The final piece will be highly visible and important to the local community so artist who have experience interacting with the community are encouraged to apply. The qualifications that an artist must meet in order to be eligible for a project. 

Application Requirements
The list of materials artists should send by mail or online with applications.
Statement of interest (up to 500 words) Describe your specific interest in a project, your potential approach to the project or creating public art, and any past relevant experience.

Resume or short biography
Self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) for the return of hardcopy materials
Project proposal: project description, drawings/renderings, materials list, budget, timeline, references, fabrication, installation, and maintenance information.

Visual support materials: can include digital images in exact formats, slides, videos, CDs, or prints. Include Annotated List for 1-3 projects: description, material, location, budget, client or commissioning organization.

Deadline: must be postmarked or received online by June 30th, 2019

Submission Address:
Alamosa Courthouse
℅ Martin Gonzales 
8955 Independence Way
Alamosa, CO 81101
martin.gonzales@judicial.state.co.us

Selection Process 
All applications will be reviewed by the Maestas Case Committee. This committee is made up of local judiciary officials, professionals, community representatives, artists, and non-profit representatives. Applications will be reviewed within 5 days of the deadline. Finalists will be chosen and interviewed by phone or in person by the Maestas Case Committee before July 5th, 2019 and the final artist selection will announced by July 10th, 2019. 

​Selection Criteria
Applicants should have evidence of working in their field for 5 years or more then they will be individually judged on their application meeting the needs of the committee.

Rio Grande County Museum is pleased to announce our participation in the nationwide Blue Star Program.  The Blue Star program is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and more than 2,000 museums across the United States.  This is the tenth season for this program and Rio Grande County Museum has participated for seven seasons.  Many of the other San Luis Valley Museums also participate in the program.  The following museums in southern Colorado are participating:

Rio Grande County Museum
Fort Garland Museum

The 2019 program will start on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 18, 2019 and runs through Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 2019.  As a Blue Star Museum, we are part of a national appreciation program for military families and all those who have served our country through military service. Exhibits of the Civil War, World War I and the stories of the Rio Grande County servicemen who didn’t return home from  World War II will be included in the Armed Forces Day celebration.

The Rio Grande County Museum is proud to be able to honor our active and retired military along with those who served with this program and with proper documentation, the admission fee to the museum is waived.  The museum extends this for the entire year.  
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For more information, please contact Rio Grande County Museum at (719)657-2847 or our Facebook page. The museum is located at 580 Oak Street in Del Norte. The hours are Tuesday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

To see all the participating museums around the country click here.

Memorial Day Living History Encampment

25 May Saturday / 9 am - 5 pm
25 May Sunday / 9 am - 1 pmFort Garland Museum will be holding its annual Living History Encampment on Memorial Day Weekend with a variety of events hosted, starting at 9 am on both days. Throughout the whole weekend, the Fort Garland Memorial Regiment and the Artillery Company of New Mexico will be presenting activities and displays recreating nineteenth-century life at the fort.

On Saturday, the ladies of the garrison will gather in the Soldier's Theatre to demonstrate nineteenth-century domestic arts. All attendees are invited to join them for a cup of tea and conversation! That night starting at 8 p.m. the garrison will be hosting a Regimental Ball. This event will be open to the public, but all attendees must be attired in period costume.

Sunday will begin with a flag-raising ceremony at 9 am, followed by a non-denominational service held in the Soldier's Theatre, and the soldiers will break camp soon after. The event ends Sunday at 1 pm.


11 May Saturday / 2 pm"Legacy of Oppression"
Benjamin Waddell

Professor Benjamin Waddell will share his lecture "Legacy of Oppression: Southern Colorado, the Electoral College, and the Future of Democracy in the United States." In this talk, he will discuss the impact that discriminatory lending practices against Hispanic farmers and ranchers in communities such as the San Luis Valley has had on the electoral system. He will ground the conversation in empirical data and personal interviews with San Luis Valley elders and community members.

Benjamin Waddell is a professor at Fort Lewis College, where he has taught a wide variety of courses on topics as varied as poverty, inequality, and international migration. His research focuses on the intersection of international migration with develpment and crime in Latin America and the United States. He has been published multiple times in a variety of journals, including The Social Science Journal, Contemporary Sociology, and Latin American Research Review.  This event is sponsored by Colorado State University-Pueblo and the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area. Refreshments will be provided.


23 May Thursday / 6 pm"The Violent Killing of the Espinosas"
Virginia Sanchez
Stories about the escapades of and the murders committed by the Espinosas of Conejos have been published in books, aired on television programs about Western desperados, and posted on various websites. However, these stories all tell the same version, the same perspective. Sanchez will introduce new historical documents and will discuss the events taking place in Conejos during Colorado's early Territorial Period to provide an alternative explanation about a place and time when the murders occurred and why the Espinosas were violently hunted down and killed.

Virginia Sanchez is an independent historian, research, and author, and a member of the Colorado Historical Society, the Colorado Society of Hispanic Genealogy, the Huerfano County Historical Society, and the New Mexico Historical Society. Her work has appeared in journals including Colorado History, the New Mexico Genealogist, and more. In 2008 she was recognized by the Hispanic Annual Salute for her contribution to the Hispanic community in the area of history.  This presentation is sponsored by Colorado State University-Pueblo and the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area.

The Fiber Studio now OpenThe Fiber Studio is open for the summer season. Come spin up some lovely threads on our spinning wheels or weave a beautiful scarf on our many looms. For just $10.00 a day you can work on any project you’d like. Spinning wheels and ridged heddle looms are available to rent as well.
Call Kelley at 719-379-3512 for more information.


11 May Saturday / 9 amHow To Dye Wool (and other fibers)
Acid dyes are used on wool (and all other fibers from animals), silk, and nylon. In this class, we’ll learn the basics of using acid dyes, using a microwave to heat-set the dyes. We will completely cover studio safety, choosing and mixing dyes, how to make them washfast, and how to finish up dyed articles. Everybody will take home samples, written guidelines, and a list of supply sources. Students should wear clothes they don’t mind getting dye on, and closed toe shoes, and bring a pair of kitchen-type rubber gloves. All other minimum safety equipment will be provided. This class is for age 13+ (age 10+ with registered adult).  This class is taught by Michelle Bowman. Class fee is $65.00 per person with a material fee of $25.00. Tickets available online at Eventbrite or at the Fort.


18 May Saturday / NoonHow To Dye Wool (and other fibers)
Knitters (and anybody who plays with yarn) benefit a lot from understanding how yarn is made, and this hands-on class will help add some valuable knowledge to your crafter’s toolbox. We will spend some time de-constructing some yarns we normally work with to see their twist and structure, and we’ll take that information and construct some yarns of our own. This will also be a great introduction to spinning, if you were thinking about spinning on a wheel.  This class is taught by Michelle Bowman.

Class fee is $55.00 per participant with a $15.00 material fee. Tickets available online at Eventbrite or at the Fort.  Fort Garland looking for "New Skills" InstructorsDo you have a special skill or talent you would like to share? We are looking for instructors in anything from fiber arts, to flint napping, to cooking and canning - the possibilities are endless! Apply here to teach your class!


Museum Store SpotlightPhotos and Postcards: "With the Spirit of the Wild Horse" by Judy BarnesSee these beautiful photographs and cards in the museum store this month!

Have you enjoyed the Fort?
One of the most common ways new people find Fort Garland Museum is by seeing great reviews on sites like TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Google. If you've found interesting or fun or inspiring things here, we'd appreciate a 5-star review.Want text reminders for our lectures?
Sign up here!


Want to support the Fort?
As a member of the Friends of Fort Garland you get free unlimited admission to the museum, receive a discount in the museum store, and get invitations to special museum events!

Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center
29477 Highway 159
Fort Garland, CO 81133
719-379-3512

Honoring a story never told, the Rio Grande County Board of County Commissioners opened their meeting on Wednesday, April 24 with a presentation from Suzanne and Gordon Off recognizing Virgil Simon Off for his service in World War II. Adding Virgil’s name to the dedication in the Rio Grande County courthouse and memorial wall at Home Lake finally honors the man who perished when the USS Arizona suffered a surprise attack in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

“We had a nice little ceremony today,” noted Commissioner and Board Chairperson Suzanne Bothell before kicking off official discussions. Born in Del Norte, Virgil served in the U.S. Navy and received the Pacific Fleet assignment aboard the USS Arizona in Hawaii. County staff and local residents attended the commemoration before the regularly scheduled meeting.

Read full story.... Commissioners recognize WWII veteran

The gallery room at the Rio Grande County Museum will be filled with the artistic creations of the Del Norte School Art Departments starting on April 30th and continuing through May 12th .

The opening reception will be held on May 1st from 10am to 8pm. This will be the perfect opportunity to see what our Del Norte kids are doing with their art work. The Rio Grande County Museum is extremely
pleased to be able to coordinate with the school district for this occasion. Susan Carrasco and Jenna Randolph have worked hard with their students to keep art in our schools.

For more information, please contact the Rio Grande County Museum at (719)657-2847 or email at rgmuseum@riograndecounty.org. Check with our Facebook page for additional stories and information.
The Rio Grande County Museum is located at 580 Oak Street in Del Norte.

DENVER – The Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways Program, which has helped guide the development of the state’s roadways that have exceptional scenic, ecological, cultural, and historic attributes, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. 

“Over the span of three decades, some byway names have become legendary, such as the San Juan Skyway, Alpine Loop, and the Highway of Legends,” said CDOT’s Colorado Byways Program Manager Lenore Bates.  “The initial byways roster envisioned between 15 and 20 routes but the Scenic Byways Commission settled in with 26 of them.  They are truly the best of Colorado.”

Eleven of those are national routes, known as America’s Byways, two are All-American Roads, ten are National Forest Scenic Byways and two are Bureau of Land Management Back Country Byways.  Their mutual characteristics are fascinating history, unique natural resources, and scenery that includes mountains, high plains, plateaus and canyons.

Throughout 2019, as part of its 30th Anniversary, the program will be promoted through sponsorship booths at the Saving Places Conference and Partners in the Outdoors Conference, and a proposed affinity tour for the National Preservation Conference. In addition, a photo collection of all the byways are exhibited at the State Capitol through April, in partnership with Colorado Creative Industries. History Colorado also will exhibit the photos at its History Colorado Center in Denver around Memorial Day. Additionally, a Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop will promote new itineraries that mix soaking and driving for pleasure.

​A 2016 economic analysis of the state’s economy pegged the cumulative impact of visitor spending while traveling the byways from 2009 to 2014 at nearly $4.8 billion, or nearly $800 million annually.  These economic impacts signify that byways are an exceedingly popular tourist draw and contributor to regional and state economic development.
 
“However, the program isn’t just about promoting tourism for the benefit of the local economy,” said Bates.  “Locals and visitors alike are interested in the history of these areas, the natural resources found there, and how to protect them for future generations. The byways program is deeply involved in all of those areas.”

The program has been promoted over the years through a highly-successful online and printed brochure (Colorado: The Official Guide to Scenic & Historic Byways), www.ColoradoByways.org, news articles and partnerships. After 30 years, a new mobile friendly website is on the horizon with a recent History Colorado State Historical Fund grant and matching funds through the Colorado Tourism Office.  

Former CDOT staff historian and State Byways Coordinator Sally Pearce is recognized for developing and guiding the program for more than 20 years. Bates has lead the program for most of the last decade through wayfinding, redevelopment and collaboration with local byway groups, CDOT staff, and with traditional and non-traditional partnerships.

The Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways Commission also has played a significant role.  Initially, it helped establish the program and prioritize national grant funding and nominations.  As directed by the most recent Executive Order, the Commission is providing program planning and support to sustain the byways for future generations.

For more information about the Scenic and Historic Byways, please visit www.ColoradoByways.org.

COLORADO BYWAYS MILESTONES
1989 – Program created by Executive Order
1989 – First five byways designated
1990 – Three more byways designated
1991 – Five more byways designated
1996 – Three byways receive national designations
1998–2005 – One to two byways are designated each year
2009 – Colorado hosts National Scenic Byways Conference
2014 – Tracks Across Borders designated 26th byway (and final one to date)
2014 – Colorado Byways 25th Anniversary
2018 – Colorado hosts International Preserving the Historic Road Conference
2019 – 30th Anniversary
 
Colorado Byways connect the state by providing access to:

• 23 Colorado State Parks
• 13 National Recreation Trails
• Four National Parks: Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde (a World Heritage Site), Rocky Mountain
• Eight National Forests
• Eight National Monuments
• Two National Historic Sites
• Two National Heritage Areas
• Two National Wildlife Refuges
• Two National Recreation Areas
• Two National Grasslands
• One Tribal Park (Ute Mountain)

 
Colorado Byways also provide access to 26 other environmental points of interest (including National Natural Landmarks), a minimum of seven federally recognized Wilderness Areas, many Colorado Welcome Centers, Colorado Main Streets and Colorado Creative Districts.  Byway sponsors list approximately 50 local and state museums and historical sites, including eight scenic and historic trains.  Many byways feature CDOT highways and local and regional roadways that are in and of themselves historic and worthy of national recognition for their pioneering engineering.
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