Buena Vista Grace Church
Buena Vista, Colorado

State Historical Fund Project # 03-02-052 and 05-02-008

Buena Vista Grace Church was organized in 1882 as one of the "Arkansas River Missions" and initially held services in a school room. In 1889 pioneer settlers of the South Park and Buena Vista area, many immigrant English ranchers, built Grace Church in the center of town on Main Street. They built it in the Carpenter Gothic style, which is manifested in the pointed arch windows and doors, vertical board and batten siding, wood buttresses and the steep gable roof.

Recognizing the church’s significance, today’s small congregation applied for and was awarded three SHF grants to restore the church. First they completed a historic structure assessment, which led to a two-phase restoration project. The first phase, completed in 2004, included site work, foundation repair, siding and window restoration, electrical work and painting the exterior according to a historic paint analysis. The second phase included a new roof, belfry restoration and interior door and lighting rehabilitation. The full restoration project was completed in October 2005.

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