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Supporting History State Historical Fund Awards Nearly $4 Million in GrantsOriginally published in Colorado History NOW, October 2005 
The bell tower of the former Highlandlake Church, visible from Weld County Road 5 and nearby farms, is a reminder of the heritage of Highlandlake—the town that got left behind. “It is our community’s only connection to our pioneer roots,” resident Pauli Smith says of the Historic Highlandlake Church, now a community center. Built in 1876, it is one of the few remaining buildings from the former town of Highlandlake, two miles west of Mead in Weld County. Highlandlake thrived in the 1870s and 1880s with a population of 600 to 800 people and many businesses, including a bank and a post office. A hoped-for railroad connection would have assured the town’s prosperity. But in 1906, the railroad bypassed Highlandlake and went through Mead instead. Nearly all the buildings were moved to Mead. All that remains of Highlandlake is the church, the parsonage, and a few farms. The graceful Victorian building “is the guardian of our history,” said Smith. When time and heavy snows buckled the foundation and threatened the landmark’s survival, Smith and her neighbors applied for a grant from the State Historical Fund (SHF). With the help of the Fund, the structure is being stabilized and returned to its former glory. “Without our special landmark, the last traces of our community’s rich past would have been lost,” said Smith. “She is a part of us and we are grateful to the State Historical Fund because without their help, she would not stand.” Including the Highlandlake Church grant, the SHF awarded 56 grants totaling $3,958,150 during the program’s first competitive grant round for Fiscal Year 2006. The grants will help support a variety of local preservation initiatives in communities across the state. Funded projects range from the restoration of grave markers at Columbia Cemetery in Boulder, to the stabilization and repair of Temple Aaron in Trinidad, Colorado’s oldest synagogue in continuous use. Other funded projects include a master plan for the preservation of historic structures at the Colorado State Fairgrounds in Pueblo, rehabilitation of the Russell-Gates Mercantile Building in Elbert, a historic structure assessment to guide future restoration of the Pueblo County Courthouse, and restoration of the main lodge of the Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp near Steamboat Springs. Several heritage tourism sites have also been awarded grants, including the Chimney Rock Archaeological Area near Pagosa Springs, which will produce a new interpretive guidebook; and the restoration of Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gauge locomotive 315 in Durango. In addition, grants were awarded for preservation work on the following historic public places and spaces: The A.R. Mitchell Memorial Museum in Trinidad ”These historic sites connect us with our history and heritage,” said Mark Wolfe, SHF’s director and Colorado’s deputy state historic preservation officer. “The cultural benefits of saving these places can be measured in terms of pride in our heritage, which is being passed on to future generations. The economic benefits to communities come in the form of increased tourism, more jobs, and a boon for local businesses. Historic preservation is a win-win proposition for everybody.” BY LAURIE DUNKLEE, Public Relations Specialist
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