Chaffee County Heritage & Byway

Chaffee County Heritage Area and the Collegiate Peaks Scenic and Historic Byway

As the Board’s administrative arm, GARNA helps to implement a plan to protect the rural landscapes, scenic views, public natural areas and historic places that give Chaffee County its sense of place. Under direction of the Chaffee County Heritage Area Advisory Board, GARNA obtained Colorado Byway designation and administers byway management along the 57-mile corridor highlighting historic sites, scenic vistas, interpretive centers and world-class recreational activities in Chaffee County.

INTERACTIVE MAP!
view the Collegiate Peaks Scenic & Historic Byway Conservation Plan

Key Accomplishments via Federal Highway Administration and State Historical Fund grants:

2019 – Completed nominations of the Gas Creek School House, Garfield Miner’s Cabin and Turret Post Office for the National and State Registers of Historic Places made possible with a grant from the Colorado State Historical Fund.
2017 – Completed nominations of the Nachtrieb-Kelly Ranch, Smith-Friskey Ranch and Cleora Cemetery for the National and State Registers of Historic Places made possible from a grant from the Colorado State Historical Fund
2016 – Completed nominations of the Buena Vista Rodeo Grounds and Pine Hall in Granite for the National and State Registers of Historic Places made possible from a grant from the Colorado State Historical Fund
2016 – Completed Collegiate Peaks Scenic & Historic Byway Conservation Plan
2015 – Completed Colorado Scenic Byways Economic Development Strategies Plan including the Collegiate Peaks Scenic & Historic Byway
2015 – Grant awarded by the Colorado State Historical Fund for the nomination of 5 more historic properties to the National and State Registers of Historic Places
2015 – Completed nominations of 7 historic properties for the National and State Registers of Historic Places – Commercial Hotel/Granite Stage Stop, Kelley/Coleman/Wallace/McDonald House, Pease/Dake/Fay House, Comanche Drive-In, Wilber Homestead/Rock Ledge/Franzel Ranch, Salida Livestock Sales, Inc, and Pedro/Botz House
2014 – Beginning work on nominations of 7 historic properties for the National and State Registers of Historic Places made possible from a grant from the Colorado State Historical Fund.
2013 – Five more interpretive waysides installed at in downtown Salida and Buena Vista, in Poncha Springs at the Crossroads Welcome Center, at the Chalk Cliffs overlook on Hwy 285 and at Fisherman’s Bridge rec site
2013 – Chaffee County Historic Resource Survey completed – a survey of 65 properties to determine eligibility for state and national historic registers; view the Historic Resource Survey Report
August 2012 – Crossroads of the Rockies Welcome Center in Poncha Springs completed
2011 – Chaffee County Reconnaissance Survey completed – volunteers documented over 1,000 historic resources county-wide
March 2011 – Development of Wayside Interpretive Plan adopted
June 2009 – Three interpretive waysides installed at the Ohio-Colorado Smelter, at the Zebulon Pike Historic Wayside on Hwy 285 and overlooking the Leadville Stagecoach Road near Granite on Hwy 24
2009 – Collegiate Peaks Scenic & Historic Byway brochure completed – View the BROCHURE
November 2008 – Chaffee County Heritage Area / Collegiate Peaks Scenic & Historic Byway Management Plan adopted – Final plan pages 1-101; Final plan pages 102-184
November 2005 – Colorado’s 25th Byway, the Collegiate Peaks Scenic & Historic Byway was designated

Chaffee County Heritage Area Advisory Board meetings

The Heritage Board usually meets every six weeks on Thursday; alternating between Salida and Buena Vista.

Upcoming Meetings:

January 24, 2019 – Methodist Mountain Room, Touber Building, Salida
March 7, 2019 – Buena Vista Public Library
April 18, 2019 – Methodist Mountain Room, Touber Building, Salida
May 30, 2019 -Methodist Mountain Room, Touber Building, Salida
July 11, 2019 – Buena Vista Public Library
August 22, 2019 – Methodist Mountain Room, Touber Building, Salida
October 3, 2019 – Methodist Mountain Room, Touber Building, Salida
November 14, 2019 – Buena Vista Public Library