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CO Virtual Heritage Journey: Recreation Along the Poudre River

CO Virtual Heritage Journey: Recreation Along the Poudre River

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On today’s #COVirtualHeritageJourney we have a short video about recreation along, and on, the Cache la Poudre River. This time of year, as runoff kicks into high gear and the river starts to rise, you will start to see a lot of rafters, kayakers and tubers out on the Poudre. It’s also a great time of year for biking, walking, and running on the Poudre Trail. And, of course, the birding in the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area is world class!


Please remember that rivers can move deceptively fast and exert great amounts of force. Colorado’s melting snowpacks increase river flows during this time of year. Exposure to cold water can quickly lead to hypothermia, which can be deadly. The Poudre River also contains hazards such as rocks and boulders, trees, large rapids and dams. To learn more about “Playing it Safe on the Poudre” visit https://poudreheritage.org/play-it-safe/ for river maps, safety tips, and more!

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CO Virtual Heritage Journey: Hello Neighbor

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Today on #COVirturalHeritageJourney check out a collaboration between Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area and Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area.
 
Discovery Road crosses the border into southern Colorado and northern New Mexico to find out how people are connected through history, culture and the landscape itself. “Hello Neighbor” examines early Mormon settlement in southern Colorado and visits with descendants of some of the first families in the San Luis Valley.

 

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CO Virtual Heritage Journey: The Great Western Sugar Beet Flume

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Today, on the #COVirtualHeritageJourney, we visit the Great Western Sugar Beet Flume located within the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area. Local historian, Ron Sladek reviews the fascinating history of the Great Western Sugar’s 1926 suspension bridge that’s located along the Poudre Trail at Fort Collins’ Natural Area, Kingfisher Point. The flume is proudly listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Colorado once had more than 20 sugar beet factories, supporting tens of thousands of farmers, field hands, and factory workers from the early to mid-1900s. The Great Western Sugar Company (GWSC) operated the factory in Fort Collins, which was located on the site of the current City of Fort Collins Streets Department (625 Ninth Street).

In 1926, a GWSC engineer designed a suspension bridge that supported a metal flume to carry slurry of mostly lime, beet pulp, and water across the river for deposition on company land. The flume was operational until the mid-1950s when the plant closed. 

The bridge is a rare example of suspension engineering in Colorado and the flume and bridge together are surviving examples of a historic industrial effluent disposal system, and were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

 

Learn more at the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area website: 

Great Western Sugar Beet Flume and Bridge

 

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CO Virtual Heritage Journey: Colcha Embroidery

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Today on the #COVirtualHeritageJourney watch a collaboration between Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area in New Mexico and the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area in southern Colorado.

https://youtu.be/hIxsGKxHzLE

Colcha embroidery is a Cultural Art shared within both heritage areas. Learn how local artists thought up and created these beautiful art pieces that tell a story!

“I really feel it’s my purpose to pass on this art,” says Gomez, a 75-year-old retired home-economics teacher. “It’s not my art. It’s a part of our history.”

Learn more at this New Mexico Magazine article “A Stitch Out of Time”

 

Lower Poudre Diversion

CO Virtual Heritage Journey: Western Water Law

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Today, as part of Colorado’s Virtual Heritage Journey, hosted by the 3 Colorado National Heritage Areas, we are exploring the basics of Western Water Law.

The Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area was designated as nationally significant in part for the areas role in influencing water development, water law, and water management in the West. In fact, the Poudre River valley has emerged as the leader in western water law management. But, most people do not understand the complexities of our water law and management systems. Stay informed with this short video from the Poudre Heritage Alliance!

Tune in next week for more Virtual Journeys with South Park National Heritage Area on Tuesday, Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area on Wednesday and more from the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area on Thursday.

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CO Virtual Heritage Journey: “El aqua es vida: Acequia Communities of Southern Colorado”

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Today on the Colorado’s Virtual Heritage Journey, we learn about acequias and their importance within the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area.

Acequias are mutually managed, irrigation channels that have been in continuous operation in the arid American Southwest since before the formation of the United States. This communal water system traces its roots to the Spanish conquistadors, who brought their traditions to the territory in the 1600s, and who themselves borrowed it from the Muslims who invaded Spain in the 8th century. Indeed, the word acequia (pronounced ‘ah-seh-key-uh,’ stress on the ‘seh’) is an adaptation of the Arabic as-saqiya, meaning water carrier.

The original settlers of Southern Colorado brought with them a form of land settlement and irrigation that was based on principles of equity, shared scarcity and cooperation in which water was viewed as a resource in place, rather than a commodity. This type of water system is called an acequia. Acequias continue to be the lifeblood of residents in Southern Costilla County – they not only serve to provide the water for the farms on which 270 families depend, but they also serve as a conduit for community services and support.

Stay Tuned for more of the #COVirtualHeritageJourney tomorrow, with Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area and next Tuesday with South Park National Heritage Area.

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CO Virtual Heritage Journey: The Como Project

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On this week’s first stop on Colorado’s Virtual Heritage Journey, we learn about the restored Como Depot, a National Historic Site located in the South Park National Heritage Area.

“In this episode join host Taylor Kanne and special guest Pat Mauro from the South Park Rail Society as they talk about the restored Como Depot making it on to the National Registry of Historic sites. Also learn about the fully functioning steam engine Klondike Kate and her new home at the historic Como Round House.”

Stay tuned for more of the #COVirtualHeritageJourney tomorrow, with Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area and on Thursday, with Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area!

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CO Virtual Heritage Journey: A River of Stories

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Today, on the first leg of the #COVirtualHeritageJourney through the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area, we are joining Ranger Chip on an entertaining discovery of the Poudre River. Enjoy “River of Stories” and we will see you next week for more of our Colorado Virtual Heritage Journey!

Don’t forget to check out our friends at South Park National Heritage Area and Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area for more virtual resources from our beautiful state’s two other National Heritage Areas.

Colorado Virtual Heritage Journey

Colorado Heritage Areas Launch Virtual Heritage Journey

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During this unprecedented time in our Nation’s history, when over 250 million Americans, including the entire state of Colorado, are under stay-at-home and social distancing orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we would like to offer you a way to continue to learn about and explore the State of Colorado’s National Heritage Areas from the safety and comfort of your home.

This week, working with our fellow Colorado Heritage Areas, we’re launching “Colorado’s Virtual Heritage Journey” on social media. Discover and experience Colorado’s culture, history, and recreational activities with high-quality, virtual resources provided by Colorado’s three National Heritage Areas – Cache la Poudre River, South Park, and Sangre de Cristo.

A National Heritage Area is a site where the historic, cultural, and natural resources combine to create a landscape of national importance. Its significance is like that of a national park, but these are largely lived-in landscapes. Of the 55 National Heritage Areas in the U.S., Colorado hosts three: Cache la Poudre River, South Park, and Sangre de Cristo. They boast the natural beauty, activities, and Western history Colorado is known for, while also representing Colorado’s many contributions to our nation’s diverse ancestry.

To join the virtual journey, follow #COVirtualHeritageJourney or look out for posts from the Colorado Heritage Areas on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Enjoy and stay well!