National Register of Historic Places listings in Conejos County, Colorado facts for kids
Welcome to Conejos County, Colorado! This area is home to many amazing places that are super important to American history. These special spots are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Think of it like a Hall of Fame for buildings, bridges, and other sites that tell us stories about the past.
The National Register of Historic Places is a list kept by the United States government. It helps protect and celebrate places that are important because of their history, architecture, or what happened there. In Conejos County, there are 13 places on this list. Two of them are even more special, called National Historic Landmarks! These are places that are important to the history of the entire country.
Let's explore some of these cool historic places in Conejos County!
| Adams - Alamosa - Arapahoe - Archuleta - Baca - Bent - Boulder - Broomfield - Chaffee - Cheyenne - Clear Creek - Conejos - Costilla - Crowley - Custer - Delta - Denver - Dolores - Douglas - Eagle - El Paso - Elbert - Fremont - Garfield - Gilpin - Grand - Gunnison - Hinsdale - Huerfano - Jackson - Jefferson - Kiowa - Kit Carson - La Plata - Lake - Larimer - Las Animas - Lincoln - Logan - Mesa - Mineral - Moffat - Montezuma - Montrose - Morgan - Otero - Ouray - Park - Phillips - Pitkin - Prowers - Pueblo - Rio Blanco - Rio Grande - Routt - Saguache - San Juan - San Miguel - Sedgwick - Summit - Teller - Washington - Weld - Yuma |
Contents
Historic Places in Conejos County
| Name on the Register | Image | Date listed | Location | City or town | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Costilla Crossing Bridge |
 |
(#85000194) |
County Road over the Rio Grande 37°04′43″N 105°45′22″W / 37.078611°N 105.756111°W |
Antonito | Built 1892, rehabilitated 2006 [1] |
| 2 | Denver & Rio Grande Railroad San Juan Extension |
 |
(#73000462) |
Between Antonito and Chama, New Mexico via Cumbres Pass 36°51′56″N 106°23′56″W / 36.865556°N 106.398889°W |
Antonito | Now a scenic railway, the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad; extends into Archuleta County |
| 3 | Engine No. 463 |
 |
(#75000502) |
Off U.S. Route 285 37°04′12″N 106°00′38″W / 37.07°N 106.010556°W |
Antonito | |
| 4 | La Jara Depot |
 |
(#75000503) |
Broadway and Main Sts. 37°16′31″N 105°57′35″W / 37.275278°N 105.959722°W |
La Jara | |
| 5 | McIntire Ranch |
(#08000204) |
Approximately 1.5 miles north of County Road V 37°16′50″N 105°49′05″W / 37.280556°N 105.818056°W |
Sanford | ||
| 6 | Palace Hotel |
.JPG) |
(#94001013) |
429 Main St. 37°04′35″N 106°00′30″W / 37.076389°N 106.008333°W |
Antonito | |
| 7 | Pike's Stockade |
 |
(#66000244) |
4 miles east of Sanford on State Highway 136 37°17′37″N 105°48′36″W / 37.293611°N 105.81°W |
Sanford | |
| 8 | Rio Grande Engine No. 168 |
 |
(#79000601) |
5234B U.S. 285 37°04′07″N 106°00′50″W / 37.068611°N 106.013750°W |
Antonito | |
| 9 | S.P.M.D.T.U. Concilio Superior |
 |
(#01000322) |
603 Main St. 37°04′35″N 106°00′30″W / 37.076389°N 106.008333°W |
Antonito | |
| 10 | Warshauer Mansion |
 |
(#74000564) |
515 River St. 37°04′34″N 106°00′36″W / 37.076111°N 106.01°W |
Antonito |
Railroad History in Conejos County
Many of the historic places in Conejos County are related to railroads. Trains were super important for moving people and goods across the country, especially in the old days.
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad
The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad San Juan Extension is now known as the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad. This isn't just any train track; it's a famous scenic railway! It runs between Antonito, Colorado, and Chama, New Mexico. Imagine riding a historic train through beautiful mountains and valleys. This railway is a National Historic Landmark, meaning it's one of the most important historic sites in the whole country. It shows us how trains helped connect distant places.
Historic Train Engines
You'll also find historic train engines listed, like Engine No. 463 and Rio Grande Engine No. 168. These old steam locomotives are amazing machines. They remind us of a time when trains were powered by steam and coal. These engines are preserved so we can see what transportation was like long ago. They are like giant, powerful museum pieces that used to chug across the landscape.
La Jara Depot
The La Jara Depot is another important railroad site. A depot is like a train station. It's where passengers would wait for trains and where goods were loaded and unloaded. The La Jara Depot shows us what a busy hub it once was for the community. It's a reminder of how towns grew up around these important transportation links.
Historic Buildings and Structures
Beyond trains, Conejos County has other interesting historic buildings.
Costilla Crossing Bridge
The Costilla Crossing Bridge was built way back in 1892. It's a bridge that crosses the Rio Grande river. Bridges are vital for travel and trade. This old bridge has seen a lot of history pass over it. It's a great example of engineering from over a century ago.
Palace Hotel
The Palace Hotel in Antonito is a historic building that once welcomed travelers. Hotels were important places for people to stay when they were traveling by train or stagecoach. This hotel tells us about the daily lives of people in the past and how communities provided services to visitors.
Warshauer Mansion
The Warshauer Mansion is another historic building in Antonito. Mansions like this were often homes of important or wealthy families in the community. They show us the architectural styles and living conditions of people from different times.
S.P.M.D.T.U. Concilio Superior
The S.P.M.D.T.U. Concilio Superior building is also in Antonito. This building likely served as a meeting place or headquarters for a community organization. Such places were important for people to gather, support each other, and work together on community projects.
Important Historical Sites
Some places are historic because of significant events that happened there.
Pike's Stockade
Pike's Stockade is a very important site, so important that it's a National Historic Landmark! This is where Zebulon Pike, an early American explorer, built a small fort in 1807. He was exploring the western territories of the United States. This stockade marks a key moment in American exploration and the history of the West. It's a place where you can imagine what life was like for explorers over 200 years ago.
McIntire Ranch
The McIntire Ranch is another historic property. Ranches played a huge role in the development of the American West. They were centers for farming and raising livestock, which were essential for feeding growing towns and cities. This ranch helps us understand the agricultural history of Conejos County.
These historic places in Conejos County offer a wonderful glimpse into the past. They help us understand how people lived, worked, and traveled many years ago. Protecting these sites means we can continue to learn from them for generations to come!
