This week on #COVirtualHeritageJourney check out some local history in the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area.
In this video, we will learn about the history and rehabilitation of the Antonito Depot. “The Depot was a bustling hub of activity and the businesses in Antonito flourished!”
For more information, visit: sangreheritage.org
#AntonitoDepot #SdCNHA
This week on #COVirtualHeritageJourney, Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area takes us on a trip down memory lane. We will learn about La Placita de San Rafael.
“The truth is, you never outgrow where you come from. You carry it with you everywhere you go. I was raised in the shadow of the church of San Pedro y San Rafael, not the San Rafael Presbyterian church in Mogote but the Catholic church by the same name. Sufficed to say that since I lived right across the fence from church, I spent a lot of my time there; attending mass, helping in the maintenance and upkeep and even playing guitar in the three-person choir.
When I’m asked where I grew up, a sense of pride and satisfaction comes over me. I was brought up in San Rafael and educated by Catholic nuns, it was all I knew. As far as other religions were concerned, they didn’t exist, everybody was Catholic. I’m not proud to say that my church attendance has lessened over the years but I’m still a Catholic, it’s my identity, my culture. The entire population of the “placita” felt similarly, and we all felt as if the little church belonged to all of us.
My family, as well as our relatives and neighbors all shared a common bond, our little church. From the changing of “mayordomos” to the annual “función” and our monthly mass, it was all about family and community. Father Felix Lopez was the pastor, he was from Spain and spoke little English, all our interactions with him, including mass, were in Spanish. That was fine though, since it was our native language anyway. When my father passed in 2014, my aunt Fedelina and I rang the church bell to announce his passing. I was told that it was the tradition.
Who I became and my perception of the people and places around me was forged in this placita. I don’t live there anymore and I wish could spend more time there. But I carry it with me everywhere I go.
I hope you enjoy this documentary as much as I enjoyed growing up “en la placita de San Rafael”.
– Toby A. Madrid Jr.
Thank you to Rick Vigil at Down to Earth Media for sharing this piece with the heritage area to share with the world!!
This week on #COVirturalHeritageJourney check out a video from Visit Alamosa Colorado.
Alamosa County is centered in the middle of the San Luis Valley, and offers unique outdoor recreation, majestic views, trail systems, steam engine train rides and quiet dark night skies in a quaint railroad and agricultural town .
Walk along the trail systems of the Alamosa Ranch or paddle board along the Rio Grande River. Explore one of three local breweries or ride on the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. Hike up and sandboard down the nation’s highest dunes at Great Sand Dunes National Park and preserve or quietly view a variety of birds and wildlife at the Alamosa Wildlife Refuge or Blanca Wetlands. View Colorado Alligators or take a dip in a hot springs swimming pool. Dine at local family own businesses or take lunch on the road and play a round of Golf at Cattails Golf Course. Stroll around Alamosa’s downtown to experience its history and small-town charm. From red brick to pressed metal ornamentation, Alamosa is a study in the architectural trends that have passed through the nation since the 19th century. There are also 16 locations on the National and State Register of Historic Places. Fine tune your historical knowledge by visiting the San Luis Valley Museum and the Luther Bean Museum.
Today on #COVirtualHeritageJourney watch Denis Lopez talk about what a national heritage area is, and also takes us through some of the places in the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area.
For more information, visit: sangreheritage.org
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.
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”
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.
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.
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!