Front Matter - Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area

Sangre de Cristo
National Heritage Area
Management Plan
February, 2013
Sangre de Cristo
National Heritage Area
Management Plan
February, 2013
*i
o.
SANGRETOTTCRISTO
NATIONAL
HERITAGE
AREA
Mr. Ken Salazar
Secretary of the lnterior
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW
Washington , DC20240
Dear Secretary Salaza r:
We are pleased to submit to you the Management Plan for the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
pursuant to Title Vlll, Subtitle A of Public Law 111-11.
For the past l-1 years a broad array of partners in Colorado's lower San Luis Valley have
pursued recognition of our unique heritage by undertaking a feasibility study, obtaining Congressional
designation of the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, and collaborating on a plan that will
promote widespread public appreciation of nationally significant historic, cultural, and natural resources
under the care of many organizations, agencies, and private individuals. We envision implementation of
a comprehensive program of interpretation, preservation, revitalization, and stewardship aimed at
raising awareness about our common heritage, energizing our communities, honoring and perpetuating
our traditions, and contributing to the quality of life of our citizens.
you
We sincerely appreciate the support that the Congress, the President, your Department, and
personally have provided to our efforts. The Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area is a grassroots
initiative of many community-based and regional organizations and individuals. The guidance and
support of the Federal government in general and the National Park service in particular have been
crucial in catalyzing the initiative and providing it with the visibility and resources necessary for its
success. We look forward to our continuing partnership.
Sinceqely yours,
'/
.---'
/
'1f,,', ,, ri((. *z'*(:"ftd-L'a*rence
Gallegos
y''
Chairman
p.o. Box
844. ALAMOSA, CO 811O1'rNFO@SDCNHA.ORG
Dedication
Ubaldo Francisco “Frank” Padilla returned to his roots in Costilla County in 2007 after a long life of
public service. He was among the early leaders serving on the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage
Area’s Board of Directors. His family remembers that among his favorite sayings was, “Don’t forget
your roots and where you come from!” Frank thrived as a community advocate, directing the San Luis
Valley & Southern Colorado Low Income Tax Clinic and volunteering for the Land Rights Council
and Los Padres, a father/son/daughter mentoring-parenting program. As chairman of the Costilla
County Democratic Party in 2008, he attended the county, state, and national conventions as a
strong supporter of President Obama. Frank was born in San Pablo and raised by his grandmother.
He attended Mercy High School, where he was in the National Honor Society and lead conductor
for the school band. At age 15, his grandmother passed away and he moved to Laramie, Wyo., where
he graduated from high school and studied accounting at the University of Wyoming. In 1961, he
Ubaldo Francisco Padilla enlisted in the US Air Force, serving as a Morse Code Interceptor during the Vietnam War. In 1965,
(1941 - 2009)
he trained as an Air Traffic Controller, which – along with his Spanish speaking skills – took him
to the Panama Canal Zone, where he served for two years and later returned to work. He also worked at the Denver Control
Center, 1976 to 1981, and owned and operated Padilla’s Janitorial along with his wife and daughters, 1981 to 1987. Returning
to federal service in 1987, he worked for the US Department of Labor as a compliance specialist until his retirement in 1999, a
short-lived retirement as he then continued a career with Ford Motor Credit Company until returning to the San Luis Valley.
Emerita Romero-Anderson was one of the early leaders who initiated the Sangre de Cristo National
Heritage Area. She participated in the feasibility study and was among those who presented it to
Congress. Her life was tragically cut short by a rare cancer in the spring of 2012. On her personal
website she wrote, “A Colorado native, I wake up to a glorious sunrise over the Sangre de Cristos and
the scent of piñon pine rising from chimneys. My birthplace, San Luis, is a small community with a richly
woven tapestry of Hispano culture, traditions and family history, which reveal an important part of our
national story.” Her mother was a fifth-generation descendant of Spanish colonials who were Colorado’s
first settlers – including the builder of the state’s oldest store, still being run by the family; her father’s
people were the mestizo (Indian and Spanish mix) who came to Colorado from New Mexico. She
studied education at Adams State and earned an M.A. in bilingual/multicultural education from the
University of Northern Colorado. A teacher for 27 years, she worked in public schools in Colorado and
Emerita Romero-Anderson Guam, USA, and in continuing education at four colleges and universities. She also authored acclaimed
(1948-2012)
children’s books: Grandpa’s Tarima (The Wright Group/McGraw-Hill, 2001); a biography of her greatgreat-grandfather, Jose Dario Gallegos: Merchant of the Santa Fe Trail (Filter Press, 2007); and Milagro of the Spanish Bean Pot (Texas Tech
University Press, 2011), recipient of seven awards to date, including the National Western Heritage Museum’s award as Outstanding
Juvenile Book. The Latino Author website says, “Emerita’s passion for writing and telling her people’s stories was sparked by her
strong desire to get more books in circulation about Latinos, by Latinos into the hands of children....Her legacy will be found in the
compassionate stories she told in her books about her heritage and about her culture.”
In the fall of 2012, we were saddened again by the tragic loss of a member our Board of Directors, Dr.
Stuart Hilwig, Adams State University professor of history, to an auto accident. Dr. Hilwig loved the San
Luis Valley and its rich history and was a talented professor at Adams State University who brought out
the best in everyone he met. Dr. Ed Crowther, the chair of the History, Government, and Philosophy
department, told ASU’s The Paw Print website, “He had a well-deserved following because he was an
outstanding instructor. He loved being an historian, but he loved teaching students even more than
he loved history.” Dr. Hilwig earned his B.A. from Vanderbilt University in 1991 on a full scholarship
and studied history at Ohio State University for his master’s and Ph.D., completed in 2000. Raised in
Allentown, Pa., he became interested in European History due to experiences as an exchange student
to Germany and while working for Sicilian immigrants in a pizzeria. He joined the Adams State faculty
in 2000, where he taught European and Latin America history and historiography. He received the
Dr. Stuart Hilwig
university’s Exemplary Faculty Award for 2005–2006, served as president of the faculty senate from
(1969 - 2012)
2005 to 2007, and was faculty representative to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education in
2005–2006. His book Italy and 1968:Youthful Unrest and Democratic Culture was published in 2009 by Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave
Macmillan, part of his body of “plentiful and original” scholarly work mentioned in the American Historical Association’s Perspectives
on History (December 2012), where he was also praised as an eloquent lecturer, vigorous researcher, and keen analyst.
Acknowledgements
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
SANGRE DE CRISTO NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA
Board of Directors
Dana Maestas
Tawney Becker
Rick Manzanares
Christine Canaly
Crestina Martinez
Lawrence Gallegos
Loretta Mitson
Jamie Greeman
Bob Rael
Mitchell Jarvies
George Wilkinson
Felix Lopez
Staff
Christina Gallegos, Executive Director
Ashley Martinez, NPS Intern
Rogelio Briones
Joe Gallegos
Matthew Gallegos
Debra Goodman
Dr. Stuart Hilwig
Mary Hoffman
Freddie Jaquez
Ulbaldo Jimenez
Franklin Kuhn
Dennis Lopez
Former Board Members and Staff
Cindy Medina
Frank Mestas
Joe Mestas
Ubaldo Francisco “Frank” Padilla
Emerita Romero-Anderson
Barry Shioshita
Randle C. W. Swan
Michele Trujillo
Ann Marie Velasquez
Ed Vigil
Founding Steering Committee Members
Patrick Myers
Mike Atencio
Emerita Romero-Anderson
Aaron Calicutt
Victor Salazar
Ken Frye
Vince Spero
Dennis Lopez
John Stump
Dana Maestas
Ann Marie Velasquez
Rick Manzanares
Crestina Martinez
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar
Alan J. Gilbert, Senior Advisor to the Secretary
AND TO THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Intermountain Regional Office
Alan Ragins
Lisa Carrico, Superintendent
Greg Kendrick
Fred Bunch
Shirl Kasper
Kathy Faz
Art Hutchinson
Patrick Myers
Kay Salazar
Ayesha Williams
UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
Senator Mark Udall
Senator Michael Bennet
Representative Scott Tipton, 3rd District
Former Representative John Salazar, 3rd District
WE ARE PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL TO THE ALAMOSA, CONEJOS, AND COSTILLA BOARDS OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS,
WHO HAVE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE DEDICATED SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO THE
SANGRE DE CRISTO NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA THROUGHOUT ITS DEVELOPMENT.
HOSTS OF PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE MEETINGS IN 2010
Town of La Jara
City of Alamosa
Town of Manassa
Town of Blanca
Town of San Luis
Village of Capulin
Town of Sanford
Village of Conejos
Village of Hooper
WE GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE FOLLOWING AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR
GENEROUS ASSISTANCE, SERVICE, ADVICE, TIME, AND PARTICIPATION IN THE MANAGEMENT PLANNING PROCESS:
Adams State University
Mary Hoffman, Director, Office of Community
Partnerships
Alamosa County
Juan Altamirano, Land Use Manager
Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge (and Monte
Vista, Blanca)
Mike Blenden, Refuge Manager
Patrick Gonzales, Assistant Refuge Manager
Alamosa Tourism Development Board and
Marketing District Board
Jeff Woodward, President
Tom Bobicki, Board Member
Fred Bunch, Board Member
Jamie Greeman, Executive Director
Matthew Beckner, Graphic Designer/Webmaster
Carol Osborn
David Osborn
Volunteers serving the Colorado Welcome Center
City of Alamosa
Kathy Rogers, Mayor
Antonito Depot Task Force
Ted DeHerrera
Jay Warner
Bureau of Land Management
Andrew Archuleta, Field Manager
Alicia D. Beat, Archaeologist
Angie Krall, Archeologist
Jill Lucero, Wildlife Biologist
Colorado Division of Wildlife
Lauren Buchholz, Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator
Conejos County Tourism Council
Ann Marie Velasquez
Adele Barr
Ted Morrison
Ed Sowards
David Van Berkum
Costilla County Economic Development
Council
Curtis Garcia
Bernadette Lucero
Huberto Maestas
Rick Manzanares
Theresa Medina
Lawrence Pacheco
Bob Rael
Felix Romero
Emerita Romero-Anderson
Costilla County Lodging Tax Board
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad
Nick Quintana
Marvin Casias
Roger Hogan
Leo Schmitz
Fort Garland Museum
Rick Manzanares
Fort Garland Revitalization Committee
Helen Gonzales
Ila Gonzales
Rick Manzanares
History Colorado
Edward C. Nichols, President/CEO
The Land Rights Council
Norman Maestas, Executive Director
Juanita Martinez
The Nature Conservancy
Paul Robertson, Project Director
Office of U.S. Senator Mark Udall
Erin Minks
History Colorado State Historical Fund
Cynthia D. Nieb, Deputy Director
Steve Turner, Director
Office of U.S. Senator Michael Bennet
Charlotte Bobicki
Office of U.S. Congressman Scott Tipton
Brenda Felmlee
Old Spanish Trail Association
Douglas M. Knudson, President
Suzy Off
Rio Culebra Cooperative
Bernadette Lucero
Eugene Jacquez
Rio Grande Watershed Conservation and
Education Initiative
Judy Lopez, Conservation Education Specialist
Rio Grande Land Trust
Nancy Butler, Executive Director
Rio de la Vista, Coordinator, Rio Grande Initiative
Aaron Derwingson, Stewardship Director
Rio Grande Scenic Railroad
Ryan Weeks, Operations Manager
Rio Grande National Forest
Dan Dallas, Forest Supervisor
Lorrie Crawford, Education Technician
Kelly Ortiz, Landscape Architect
San Luis Valley Development Resources
Group
Michael Wisdom, Executive Director
Roni Wisdom, Chief Financial Officer
San Luis Valley GIS/GPS Authority
Pete Magee, PhD, Executive Director
Rachel Doyle
San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition
Julie Gallegos, Program Director
San Luis Valley Museum Association
Joyce Gunn
Kat Olance
San Luis Valley Small Business Development
Center
Donna Wehe, Director
San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District
Mike Gibson, Executive Director
Heather Messick
Town of San Luis
Theresa Medina, Mayor
Gabrielle V. Aragon, Town Trustee
Town of Sanford
Gary Bailey, Mayor
Ventero Open Press
Randy Pijoan
WE ALSO THANK THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR GENEROUS SERVICE, ASSISTANCE, ADVICE, TIME, AND
PARTICIPATION DURING THE MANAGEMENT PLANNING PROCESS:
Cliff Aragon
Lynette DePriest
Debra Downs
Kathleen Figgen
Paige Fringer
Kent Holtcamp
Teresa Howell
Frank & Patsy Mestas
Felix Romero
Eddie Roybal
Don Thompson
Mathew Valdez
Raymond Valdez
Bernard Van de Boogaard
WE GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MANY MORE SUPPORTERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN
COMMUNITY MEETINGS, GATHERINGS, AND COMMUNICATIONS AND WHO ALSO HELPED TO SHAPE THE
MANAGEMENT PLAN.
CONSULTANT TEAM
Heritage Strategies, LLC
A. Elizabeth Watson, AICP, Project
Manager
Peter C. Benton, RA, Preservation Planner
Krista L. Schneider, RLA, Historical
Landscape Architect
National Trust for Historic Preservation,
Heritage Tourism Program
Amy Jordan Webb, Heritage Tourism Planner
Progressive Urban Management Associates
Anna Jones, Principal Community
Development Planner
Erica Heller, Research Associate
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 • A Vision for the Heritage Area
Introduction
A Brief Description of the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
The National Heritage Area’s Beginnings
The National Heritage Area’s Legislation
Vision, Mission, and Goals
Planning for the National Heritage Area
Approach to Historic Preservation (Chapter 4) Approach to Conservation and Recreation (Chapter 5)
Approach to Conserving Community and Tradition (Chapter 6)
Approach to Interpretation (Chapter 7)
Approach to Heritage Tourism and Marketing (Chapter 8)
Approach to Community Revitalization (Chapter 9) Management and Implementation for the National Heritage Area (Chapter 10)
1
4
5
7
8
9
10
11
13
15
18
21
23
Chapter 2 • The Natural Landscape
Introduction
Physiography
Geology
Climate Hydrology
Soils and Land Use
Ecoregions
Biodiversity
1
2
3
6
6
12
13
15
Chapter 3 • The Cultural Landscape
Introduction Prehistoric Period: Fertile Hunting Grounds Folsom Man: Paleoindian Period (10,000-5500 BC) Upper Rio Grande People: Archaic Period (5500-500 AD)
Pueblo Indian Influences: Formative Period Historic Period: Exploration and Settlement Spanish Exploration and Dominance (1580-1822)
Trading and Trapping (1803-1880) Mexican Land Grants and Disputed Territory (1830-1848)
Early Hispano Settlement (1848-1900)
American Exploration and Military Conflict (1806-1920)
Early Farming and Ranching (1840-1870) Trails, Roads, and Railroads (1820-1945) Late 19th and Early 20th-Century Agriculture and Settlement (1870-1930)
Modern Agriculture and Water Management (1945- Present) Socio-economic Change and Reflection in Today’s Cultural Landscape (1930-Present)
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
5
5
7
9
11
11
14
16
16
Chapter 4 • Historic Preservation
Introduction
Preservation Context
The Planning Foundation for Preservation Strategic Objectives for Historic Preservation
1
1
11
12
Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
Management Plan
Table of Contents
Chapter 4 • Historic Preservation (continued)
Connecting with Federal and State Initiatives
Inventory and Study Resources
Providing Regional Preservation Leadership Providing Technical Assistance and Financial Support for Projects
13
16
18
22
Chapter 5 • Conservation & Recreation
Introduction
The Planning Foundation for Conservation and Recreation
Strategic Objectives for Conservation and Recreation Forge Close Ties and Partnerships with Federal, State, and Regional Land Stewardship Entities
Build Public Awareness through Interpretation Build Visibility of Existing Opportunities and Encourage Public Access Encourage Public Access through Recreation-related Business Development
Support Planning and Development of Local and Regional Recreational Trail Networks Support Watershed Restoration Efforts
Monitor Solar Energy Zone Development Initiatives 1
1
1
3
7
9
12
13
15
17
Chapter 6 • Conserving Community & Traditions
Introduction
The Planning Foundation for Conserving Community and Traditions Strategic Objectives for Conserving Community and Traditions
Promoting Heritage Pride and Community Memory Community Engagement Higher Education Programs
Youth Education and Leadership Development
Youth Leadership
Local Foods and Agriculture
1
1
2
3
5
10
11
14
17
Chapter 7 • Heritage Area Interpretation
Introduction
The Planning Foundation for Interpretation Strategic Objectives for Interpretation
Interpretive Themes
Heritage Area-wide Presentation Community Presentations Support for Interpretive Sites
Experiencing our Natural Landscapes
Implementation and Phasing
1
1
2
8
11
16
22
24
26
Chapter 8 • Heritage Tourism & Marketing
The Planning Foundation for Heritage Tourism
Guiding Principles for Heritage Tourism
Strategic Objectives for Heritage Tourism Heritage Area-wide Graphic Identity and Messaging Campaign Leverage Connections to the National Park Service and Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Encourage a Welcoming Culture through Hospitality Training Fully Inform Visitors
Public Relations and Targeted Marketing
Festivals and Events
Measuring Success
ii
2
4
5
6
8
11
11
16
18
19
Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
Management Plan
Table of Contents
Chapter 9 • Community Revitalization
Introduction
The Need for Community Revitalization
Strategic Objectives for Community Revitalization Community Revitalization Program
Community Interpretation and Heritage Tourism
Establishing a Quality Assurance Program Creating a Regional Brand for Local Products
Encouraging Local Entrepreneurs Chapter 10 • Management & Implementation
Introduction
The Planning Foundation for Management Strategic Objectives for Management and Implementation
Organizing for Leadership Cultivating Partnerships Partner Development
Achieving Visibility through Good Communications Resource Development Evaluating Progress
Conclusion: The Challenge of Implementation 1
2
5
7
9
10
11
12
1
1
2
2
16
20
21
23
29
31
References
Appendices
A - Public Law 111-11, Title VIII, Subtitle A, Section 8001, Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area (federal enabling legislation)
B - The Planning Process
C - Existing Socio-economic Conditions
D - Existing Conditions – Tourism
E - Existing Conditions – Downtown San Luis, Antonito and Alamosa
F - Existing Conditions – Historic Resource Inventories and Interpretive Sites
G - Interpretive Themes (Section 5) from the Feasibility Study (2005)
H - Sample Implementation Guide for Annual Work Planning
I - Listing of Strategic Objectives and Actions
J - The Potential for Sustained Local Funding
Figures
1-1 Context map showing boundaries of the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
2-1 Physiographic Subdivisions
2-2 Geology (map)
2-3 Hydrology of the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area (map)
2-4 Schematic Cross Section of Aquifer Types
2-5 Aerial photo showing the concentration of circular fields irrigated by center pivot irrigation
2-6 Principal Land Cover (map)
2-7 Ecological Regions (map)
2-8 Element Occurrences (map)
2-9 Potential Conservation Areas (map)
4-1 National and State Register Listed Properties (map)
4-2 National and State Register Listed Properties within the City of Alamosa (map)
4-3 National and State Register Listed Properties within the town of Antonito (map)
4-4 National and State Register Listed Properties within the town of San Luis (map)
4-5 Centennial Farms (map)
2-3
2-2
2-3
2-7
2-8
2-9
2-10
2-12
2-14
2-15
4-3
4-4
4-5
4-6
4-7
iii
Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
Management Plan
Table of Contents
Figures (continued)
5-1 Conservation Lands & Recreational Amenities (map)
7-1 Recommended Interpretive Presentation
Tables
3-1 Population Change within the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, 1980-2010
6-1 Ways to Use Local Resources to Meet Colorado’s Social Studies Standards
6-2 Ways to Use Local Resources to Meet Colorado’s Science Standards
6-3 Ways to Use Local Resources to Meet Colorado’s Visual and Performing Art Standards
6-4 Ways to Use Local Resources to Meet Colorado’s World Languages Standards
10-1 Potential Matching Funds for Annual Appropriations, 2013 - 2016
10-2 Potential Project Funding Options
Sidebars
The Feasibility Study’s Statement of Importance
Primary Goal 1 for the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
Primary Goal 2 for the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
Primary Goal 3 for the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
Goals for Conservation and Recreation
Goals for Conserving Community & Tradition
Goals for Interpretation
Primary Interpretive Themes
Goals for Management and Implementation
The Heritage Area’s Enabling Legislation (Historic Preservation)
Preservation Goals for the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
National Trust for Historic Preservation
History Colorado
Colorado Historical Foundation
Colorado Preservation, Inc
State Historical Fund
The State Historic Preservation Plan (Goals)
The National Heritage Area’s Enabling Legislation (Conservation & Recreation)
Conservation and Recreation Goals for the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
Areas of Critical Environmental Concern
Rio Grande Natural Area
The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
National Wildlife Refuges (Alamosa, Baca, Monte Vista)
Wilderness Areas and Wilderness Study Areas
San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council
Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust
Blanca Wetlands Special Recreation Management Area and Area of Critical Environmental Concern
City of Moab Information Site (Example)
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
The Nature Conservancy and the Medano Zapata Ranch
The San Luis Valley Small Business Development Center
Alamosa Ranch
The Costilla County Trails, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan
Rio Grande Regional Trails Plan
The Rio Grande Water Conservation District
Rio Grande Basin Round Table
San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District
iv
5-5
7-13
3-17
6-12
6-12
6-13
6-13
10-25
10-24
1-2
1-6
1-7
1-8
1-11
1-13
1-15
1-16
1-24
4-11
4-12
4-13
4-13
4-14
4-14
4-19
4-20
5-2
5-3
5-3
5-4
5-6
5-7
5-8
5-9
5-9
5-10
5-11
5-12
5-12
5-13
5-14
5-14
5-14
5-15
5-15
5-16
Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
Management Plan
Table of Contents
Sidebars (continued)
Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project
Groundwater Management Subdistricts
Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust
Visual Resource Management Classes I-IV
The National Heritage Area’s Enabling Legislation (Conserving Community &Traditions)
National Heritage Area Goals for Conserving Community & Tradition
The Novela Project
The Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives (Example)
Adobe de Oro Arts Council (Concilio de Artes)
Ventero Open Press
Rio Costilla Studio Tour
The Community Partnerships Gallery
Colcha Embroidery
Weaving
Santos
Mariachi
Monte Vista Crane Festival
Hispano Heritage Day
Hilos Culturales Summer Institute
Ties that Bind (Lesson Plans)
Junior Ranger Program
Colorado Preserve America Youth Summit
Southwest Conservation Corps Model
Colorado Field Institute
Future Business Leaders of America
Rio Grande Watershed Conservation and Education Initiative
Local Foods, Local Jobs Act
Farm to School Program
San Luis Valley Local Food Coalition
Rio Culebra Cooperative
Interpretive Goals for the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
San Luis Museum and Cultural Center
San Luis Valley Museum
Sanford Museum
Jack Dempsey Museum
Luther Bean Museum
Primary Theme 1: A High Desert Valley’s Wind, Water, and Sand Dunes
Primary Theme 2: Land of the Blue Sky People
Primary Theme 3: Interwoven Peoples and Traditions
Primary Theme 4: Hispano Culture: Folklore, Religion and Language
Fort Garland
Los Caminos Antiguos Scenic & Historic Byway(Wayside Exhibits)
The Sacred Circle Tour
SPMDTU: Sociedad Proteccion Mutua De Trabajadores Unidos
Historic Downtown Alamosa Walking Tour
Heritage Tourism and Marketing Goals for the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
Current Visitor Research Findings
Fun and Games with Hospitality Training
Economic Conditions of the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
The Planning Foundation for Community Revitalization
Small Business Assistance
Goals for Community Revitalization
5-16
5-17
5-17
5-19
6-2
6-2
6-3
6-4
6-5
6-5
6-5
6-5
6-6
6-6
6-7
6-8
6-9
6-6
6-9
6-11
6-15
6-15
6-16
6-16
6-17
6-17
6-18
6-19
6-19
6-20
7-2
7-3
7-4
7-5
7-6
7-7
7-9
7-9
7-10
7-10
7-11
7-14
7-15
7-18
7-19
8-2
8-3
8-11
9-2
9-3
9-3
9-4
Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
Management Plan
Table of Contents
Sidebars (continued)
San Luis Valley Development Resources Group
Adams State University Community Partnerships Program
Creating Community Revitalization Plans
Guiding Principles for Heritage Area Management
A Big-picture Checklist for Examining Progress
Colorado’s Community Resource Center
Colorado’s Center for Nonprofit Excellence
Typical Skills, Knowledge, and Experience Needed for Heritage Area Support: Administration
Typical Skills, Knowledge, and Experience Needed for Heritage Area Support: Finance
Typical Skills, Knowledge, and Experience Needed for Heritage Area Support: Programs and
Partner Development
Evaluating a Project or Program
Critical Questions for Board Review
Critical Questions for Committee Review
Specific Commitments for Implementation
Key Principles for Resource Development
A Checklist for Ways to Raise Funds
Evaluation Requirement in P L 111-11
Priorities for the First Phase of Implementation
vi
9-5
9-6
9-7
10-3
10-4
10-9
10-10
10-10
10-11
10-12
10-13
10-14
10-14
10-15
10-22
10-23
10-28
10-31
Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area
Management Plan
Table of Contents
Cover photographs, from top left: Steam engine on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, a National Historic Landmark,
photo by Cheryl Fountain; hiker in the wilderness of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, with the Sangre de
Cristo Mountains as backdrop, photo by Scott Hansen, courtesy National Park Service; “Dios es Amor” (God is Love) gate
and San Rafael Presbyterian Church, photo by Ann Marie Velasquez; Fort Garland commandant’s quarters, photo by Peter
C. Benton, Heritage Strategies, LLC; the People’s Ditch, first acequia in Colorado (1851), photo by Peter C. Benton; Rio
Grande style of Spanish Colonial weaving by National Heritage weaver Eppie Archuleta, credited with saving the tradition
and the type of loom used, photo by Kathleen Figgen; one of the Stations of the Cross sculptures by Huberto Maestas,
which is located along a steep trail to the top of San Pedro Mesa overlooking San Luis; grassland sunflowers, photo by
Patrick Myers; sheep grazing in San Luis shrublands ecoregion in northern Conejos County below the foothills of the Rio
Grande National Forest, photo by Peter C. Benton. The photo by Ms. Figgen is courtesy of the Southern Colorado Council
on the Arts Folklorist Collection, Adams State University, Nielsen Library.
Photographs throughout the management plan were taken by Peter C. Benton, RA and A. Elizabeth Watson, AICP of
Heritage Strategies, LLC, except where otherwise noted. We are grateful for all contributions. Report design by Krista L.
Schneider, RLA, LEED-AP of Heritage Strategies, LLC.
vii