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"Experts from across the country converged to restore Engine 168 for the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad straddling the Colorado-New Mexico border.

When Engine 168 chugs away from the station here in late June with about 60 passengers ensconced in four refurbished 19th century train cars, it will be the culmination of years of dreams, historic preservation work and an investment of nearly $4 million.  And perhaps less visible but surely onboard will be the hearts and souls of those immersed in this project."

Read full - Colorado Sun article

"Lost Trail Ranch was established in 1877 as a way station and resupply spot along Stony Pass Road from the San Luis Valley to the mining camps of the San Juan Mountains. Located at an elevation of 9,800 feet along the Rio Grande, the way station served travelers until the early 1880s, when traffic declined after the first railroad reached Silverton. The area became a popular summer cattle pasture site before being developed in the early 1920s as a dude ranch. Since then the property has offered guest lodging and outdoor recreation while continuing to be used for summer livestock grazing."  Read the rest of the article @ Colorado Encyclopedia


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#stoneypassroad #delnorte #sanjuanmountains #silverton #riograndecounty #losttrailranch

"From the sixteenth century to the mid-nineteenth, the king of Spain and the Mexican government awarded land grants to individuals and communities throughout the American Southwest. All seven of Colorado’s land grants, comprising more than 8 million acres, were awarded by the Mexican government after 1821. They are all near the state’s southern border, with three lying in the San Luis Valley and five sharing territory with New Mexico. Land grants in Colorado and throughout the southwestern United States have fostered shared identity, cultural heritage, and conflict that extend into present-day debates about race, language, ancestry, and land ownership...." Read the rest of the article @ Colorado Encyclopedia


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​#sanluisvalley #mysticsanluisvalley #

"The Barlow and Sanderson stagecoach in Monte Vista is a mud wagon like those that operated in the 1870s and 1880s along Barlow and Sanderson lines in the San Luis Valley. The only regional example of its type, the stagecoach was acquired by the Monte Vista Commercial Club and donated in 1959 to the Colorado Historical Society, which housed it for decades in the Fort Garland Museum. Because of conditions imposed on the original donation, in 2014 History Colorado (formerly the Colorado Historical Society) returned the stagecoach to Monte Vista, where it is in storage awaiting renovation and display in the Transportation of the West Museum....."  Read the rest of the article @ Colorado Experience


Photo credit: Museum of the San Luis Valley and Southern Colorado

#sanluisvalley #montevista #fortgarland #barlowandanderson #

"Covering nearly 8,000 square miles in southern Colorado, the San Luis Valley is the largest valley in the state and the largest high-altitude alpine desert in North America. Known as “the Valley” by locals and other Coloradans, the San Luis Valley is bordered by the Sangre de CristoMountains to the east, the Sawatch Mountains to the north, the San Juan Mountains to the west, and the Rio Grande Valley of northern New Mexico to the south. The San Luis Valley has a population of about 16,550 and encompasses six counties: Alamosa, Creede, Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande, and Saguache...."  Read the rest of the article at ...Colorado Encyclopedia


Photo credit: Yongli Zhou

#sanluisvalley #mysticsanluisvalley #coloradoencyclopedia #montevistawildliferefuge #sandhillcranes

Posting on behalf of the
Rural Women Led Business Fund
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"We would like to invite you to some exciting free programming being hosted by the Rural Women Led Business Fund! Next week we are hosting A Women’s History Month Presentation: Jefas, Leaders, and all-Around Bosses presented by Dr. Mari Centeno. In partnership with Adams State University. Please see the attached flyers in Spanish and English.
 
¡Nos gustaría invitarla a una emocionante programación gratuita organizada por el Fondo Empresarial Dirigido por Mujeres Rurales! La semana que viene presentaremos la Presentación del Mes de la Historia de la Mujer: Jefas, líderes y jefes integrales presentada por la Dra. Mari Centeno. En asociación con Adams State University. Consulte los folletos adjuntos en español e inglés.
  
Event description: Imagine if you had to ask your 17-year old son to co-sign your business loan?  Dr. L. Mari Centeno is a professor of Political Science and Women’s Studies at Adams State University. She specializes in the study of women’s mobilization in Latin America and heads the University’s Women’s and Gender Studies program.  She is a proud Latina mother, teacher, activist, and occasional scholar. You can also hear her on her podcast about women and politics—UNRULY.  During this Women’s History Month event, Mari Centeno will discuss the history and present of women’s leadership and entrepreneurship."
 
Date: Friday, March 19th 2021, 5:00-6:30 pm
 
Where: Zoom Meeting
 
Registration: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAvcuyrqjouEtY6ts-f0ttY39ffvALgeTeM


​Presentado por el Fondo Empresarial Dirigido por Mujeres Rurales
 
Evento: Presentación del Mes de la Historia de la Mujer: Jefas, líderes y jefes integrales
 
"Descripción del evento: ¿Imagínese si tuviera que pedirle a su hijo de 17 años que firmara conjuntamente su préstamo comercial? La Dra. L. Mari Centeno es profesora de Ciencias Políticas y Estudios de la Mujer en Adams State University. Se especializa en el estudio de la movilización de mujeres en América Latina y dirige el programa de Estudios de la Mujer y Género de la Universidad. Es una orgullosa madre latina, maestra, activista y académica ocasional. También puede escucharla en su podcast sobre mujeres y política: UNRULY. Durante este evento del Mes de la Historia de la Mujer, Mari Centeno discutirá la historia y el presente del liderazgo y el espíritu empresarial de las mujeres."
 
Fecha: Viernes 19 de marzo de 2021, 5: 00-6: 30 pm

The Rio Grande County Museum and Cultural Center enriches people’s lives by helping them to understand Rio Grande County’s past, to appreciate the present and to embrace the future. 
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There is hope on the horizon for a better year in 2021 than 2020. The museum will be looking forward to again being able to be open with less restrictions and have some events. The “Holiday at the Museum” 2nd Annual art show was successful and planning for the 3rd Annual art show is taking place. There were fourteen artists in the show, two of whom were students. The art show had more sales this year than last. People were shopping at home and helping to support the local artists and the museum. We are all thankful for that support. On January 26th the museum was featured as the program for the Monte Vista. A great opportunity to let the community know what we are doing. 
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As we look forward, the focus on student and young people is continuing. April 28th the second annual Del Norte School art show will open with work from Kindergarten through High School being shown. The reception may have to be modified to be within Covid guidelines, but the show will go on!! It will run for two weeks so there will be time for parents, families and the community members to drop in and see what our children are doing. 2 

A young man from Del Norte will be working with the museum staff to put up the World War II exhibit. He will bring an aspect to the exhibit which will not only show his art work, but bring a different perceptive as a young person interested in the history of this period of time.

My name is Joseph Hunter Trujillo. I was born on the 27th of October, 2006 in Alamosa, Colorado to Leroy J. Trujillo and Kathryn Trujillo. I was born with a full head of dark hair and brown almond shaped eyes. I was a whopping 8 ½ pounds which shocked the doctor and the nurses especially because they had told my mother they were sure I was going to a be a 6 pound baby. I am a native to Del Norte, Colorado as is my father. My mother was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico before marrying my father and coming to Colorado. My family has a rich history in the San Luis Valley and dedication to the country. Raymond Trujillo is my great -great uncle and his name is on the brass plaque in the Rio Grande County House and in the story of the military deaths in Rio Grande County done by the museum staff. Both of my great grandfathers are buried at the local cemetery with military headstones. My mother’s father with his seven brothers all served in a different branch of the service and were discharged with honors. 

I was born a middle child with an older brother who took after my grandfather and father with the name of Leroy. My sister, Julia, is 3 years younger. She was named after Julia Roberts who my mother loved since she was a child. I started enjoying and creating art at a very young age. I attended the Del Norte Head Start at the age of 3. I wasn’t content being at school so arrangements were made for me to attend half days. I was lucky enough to have a stay at home mother at that age and I was glad to be home with her the rest of the day. I began building with blocks, 3 ​drawing and painting. I found that I was pretty good at it and it gradually turned into a passion of mine. 

I don’t remember the first time I drew a picture about the military or how my fascination with the service started, but I have quite a collection of artifacts at home. I would beg my parents for airplanes, plastic army men and tanks to play with as young as age 5. I told anyone who listen that I was going to join the Army and I dressed up as a service member for Halloween for at least nine years. My drawing has continued and expanded into painting, wood work, stop motion movies and 3D printing. I have volunteered for the VFW to help hand out pin wheels for the 4th of July Parade, visited at Home Lake and still have intentions of joining the service. 
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I am grateful for the opportunity to showcase my work at the Rio Grande County Museum in Del Norte. I have only previously had my art on display during the school art show. In 2017 I won 2nd place in the San Luis Valley Conservation poster contest which consisted of ten schools in the valley competing to win the contest.

​The WWII Tribute at the museum is more meaningful than any other art presentation I have participated in because of my passion for the subject. I hope this inspires other to pursue their pass and live life to the fullest.

National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Mary Anne Carter has approved more than $84 million in grants as part of the Arts Endowment’s second major funding announcement for the fiscal year 2020. Included in this announcement is an Art Works award to M12 STUDIO for our Landlines Initiative. This is one of 1015 grants nationwide that the agency has approved in this category.

“These awards demonstrate the resilience of the arts in America, showcasing not only the creativity of their arts projects but the organizations’ agility in the face of a national health crisis,” said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “We celebrate organizations like M12 STUDIO for providing opportunities for learning and engagement through the arts in these times.”

Additionally, M12 STUDIO is thankful for the support from our neighbors at Arts in Society and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

About the M12 STUDIO Landlines Initiative:
Landlines is a two-year interdisciplinary art initiative developed by M12 STUDIO in order to stimulate collaborative projects between M12 and visiting researchers, artists, and writers. The initiative is focused on Colorado’s rural San Luis Valley and additionally partners with citizens, farmers, ranchers, and landowners in the area to create site-specific artworks, events, and art publications. The research, events, and artworks produced draw on a range of interests and expertise including architecture, agriculture, history, photography, physiogeography, traditional and contemporary community life, and environmental phenomena.

With Gratitude,
M12 STUDIO
More news coming soon!  Make sure to check back in!

While you are waiting check out their ongoing project:

"The Conejos Fieldwork Site is located outside of Antonito, Colorado, on a 10-acre historic adobe ranch between the Rio Grande river and BLM land. The site is part of a multi-generation family ranch of nearly 500 acres, where the Rael family grows hay, grazes cattle, manages historic acequias, and preserves historic adobe structures." read more...

#mysticsanluisvalley #sanluisvalley #southerncolorado #MuseumSLVandSoCo #m12studio #landlines