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LA PLATA COUNTY |
BayfieldZABEL CANYON INDIAN RUINS/SPRING CREEK ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISTRICT The district shows a long occupancy, possibly beginning as early as 300 B.C. and lasting through the Basketmaker and Pueblo periods of the Ancient Pueblo People, to proto-historic Athabascan and Ute Indian occupancy. DurangoCOLORADO UTE POWER PLANT Constructed in 1893, the two-story stuccoed building is the earliest known example of Mission style architecture in the state, as well as a rare example of the utilization of the style in an industrial application. Although a popular style for domestic and public architecture, the Mission style is rarely seen on industrial buildings. DARKMOLD SITE This multi-component site was occupied as early as circa 220 BC through AD 750. Excavation has revealed several bell-shaped pits and slab-lined roasting pits. The site has the potential to provide a better understanding of the transition from foraging to farming, the eventual adoption of pottery, the shift in settlement patterns, and architectural diversity. It is one of the few sites in southwestern Colorado that reflects a Late Archaic/Basketmaker II occupation. DURANGO HIGH SCHOOL Extensively ornamented with terra cotta, high artistic values are embodied in this three-story, buff brick building. Constructed in 1917, it served as the city’s only high school until 1976. Designed by the Colorado Springs architectural firm of Thomas MacLaren and Charles Thomas, the Classical Revival style building is the only collaborative effort in Durango by these two important architects. DURANGO MAIN AVENUE HISTORIC DISTRICT The district consists of 86 contributing buildings which collectively reflect the late 19th- and early-20th-century history and architecture of the downtown area. Since its founding in the early 1880s, with the arrival of the railroad, Durango grew first as a mining supply and smelter center. It soon became a focal point for agriculture and logging in southwestern Colorado. Notable buildings in the district include the 1887 Strater Hotel, the 1895 Palace Hotel, the 1897 Newman Building, and the 1902 General Palmer House. The property is associated with the Mining Industry in Colorado Multiple Property Submission.[Editor’s Note: A fire on February 23, 2008, heavily damaged three buildings in the historic district.] DURANGO ROCK SHELTERS ARCHAEOLOGY SITE Pioneer southwestern archaeologist Earl Morris conducted excavations in 1938 at these two rockshelters, which constitute the type site for dwellings of the Basketmaker II Period of the Ancestral Puebloan tradition. Basketmaker II houses were first identified at these sites. DURANGO-SILVERTON NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD The narrow gauge rail line, constructed between 1880 and 1882, connected the rich silver mines of the Silverton mining district with the smelters in Durango. The line formed an important transportation link for moving ores to processing centers and supplying the high mountain community with the necessities and comforts of life. From an engineering perspective, the route represents the accomplishments of late 19th century railroad builders who constructed a slender rocky ledge for the railbed through the deep and narrow Animas River canyon. The railroad continues to operate as a summer tourist attraction. Listed under Railroads in Colorado, 1858-1948 Multiple Property Submission. EAST THIRD AVENUE HISTORIC RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT In 1880, Durango was platted by employees of General William Jackson Palmer of the Denver Rio Grande Railroad. East Third Avenue, known prior to 1893 as the "Boulevard", remains a prestigious residential area located along the bluffs overlooking the downtown commercial district. The quality of design and the variety of styles establish the district as the best local collection of late 19th and early 20th century residential architecture. The property is associated with the Mining Industry in Colorado Multiple Property Submission. FLORIDA RIVER BRIDGE 437A The bridge is associated with the development of transportation and commerce in southwestern Colorado, having served as part of the Denver & Rio Grande rail route between Durango and Alamosa. The circa 1887 structure is a well-preserved example of a Pratt through truss, a bridge type important in the history of American bridge building. KERR HOUSE Constructed in 1884, the house is an example of residential construction by early Animas Valley settlers who established farms and ranches during the late 1870s and early 1880s. This unusual farmhouse is one of a few remaining from this period. NEWMAN BLOCK/KIVA BUILDING Construction began in 1891 on this three-story sandstone commercial building, which is the only expression of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture in Durango. The building is associated with Charles Newman, an important businessman and politician in southwestern Colorado, and it has played an important role in the commercial development of the region. OCHSNER HOSPITAL With its corner tower, steeply pitched multi-gabled roof, and prominent decorative porches, this 1890 building is an important local example of the Queen Anne style. It served as one of Durango’s earliest private hospitals from 1913 through 1942 before becoming La Plata County’s first public hospital. RADER HOUSE The circa 1884 wood frame house, of Victorian eclectic design, is an early example of residential construction by Animas Valley settlers. Very few homes from this early settlement period still exist. ROCHESTER HOTEL The 1890 Rochester Hotel represents a working class hotel/boarding house typical of the type that catered to tourists, salesmen and long term tenants less affluent that those attracted to Durango’s more elaborate and expensive hotels. The circa 1909 facade and rear expansions illustrate part of the commercial history and successful operation of this century old facility. SMILEY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 
As Durango’s first educational facility dedicated solely to junior high classes, the building served as the city’s only junior high school from its construction in 1937 until a second junior high opened in 1961. Designed by prominent Colorado Springs architect Charles Thomas, this rare local example of the Mission Revival style was the community’s largest federally funded project during the Great Depression. The style is reflected in the brick building’s curvilinear parapets, arched entrance and niches, and decorative grilles. TALUS VILLAGE Talus Village is one of only three excavated Basketmaker II sites in Colorado, and the extent of wood preservation at the site allowed for the first complete understanding of Basketmaker II pithouse construction. The site is associated with Earl Morris, a pioneer of Southwestern archaeology, who was one of the first professional archaeologists to conduct scientific research in the Durango area. His work at Talus Village in 1940 marked the end of his site excavation career. Red MesaUTE MOUNTAIN UTE MANCOS CANYON ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISTRICT The archaeological resources of Mesa Verde and this adjoining area constitute the largest archaeological preserve in the United States. This 125,000-acre tribal park contains thousands of pueblo ruins and cliff dwellings. The ruins of Mancos Canyon are some of the best preserved remains existing of the Anasazi Culture of the Four Corners Country. |
State Register 8/8/2001, National Register 10/20/2001, 5LP.3443