The oldest evidence of humans in the San Luis Valley area dates back an estimated 11,000 years.  The area contains some of the oldest prehistoric archaeological sites in North America, according to Great Sand Dunes Park Ranger Patrick Myers. “Some of the first people to enter the San Luis Valley and the Great Sand Dunes area were nomadic hunters and gatherers whose connection to the area centered around the herds of mammoths and prehistoric bison that grazed nearby," Myers said. "They were Stone Age people who hunted with large stone spear or dart points now identified as Clovis and Folsom points.

The San Luis Valley is where Colorado was first settled by people other than Native Americans.  The San Luis Valley was primarily home to the Ute Indians who hunted the many buffalo, elk, deer, and other wildlife that roam the land.  Many famous explorers visited the San Luis Valley between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, including the Spaniards Juan de Onate, Juan Maria Rivera, and Juan de Bautista Anza. They were later followed by Zebulon Pike and John Fremont.

Hispanic pioneers from New Mexico founded settlements at San Luis and other sites in the southern end of the San Luis Valley as early as the 1840s.  The US Army established Fort Massachusetts, near the present location of Fort Garland, in 1852, to provide valley settlers with protection.

Known for it deep roots and history, here in the San Luis Valley you will find the oldest town, San Luis, and the oldest Church.  The first recording for water rights in Colorado were filed in this area.

Map of the Counties that make up the San Luis Valley
Click on the Map for a Larger Version

The Valley is Formed

Millions of years ago, volcanic eruptions to the west (San Juan Mountains) and massive earthquakes on the east side (Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range) formed the largest alpine valley in the world.  The floor of the Valley is approximately 7,500 feet above sea level.  Nestled high in the Colorado Rockies, protected by 14,000 foot peaks, the San Luis Valley offers breathtaking scenery year round.  The San Juan Mountain Range on the west side of the Valley is the continental divide. The jagged Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range to the east is one of Colorado's tallest mountain ranges.  Blanca Peak, the fourth tallest peak in Colorado at 14,345 feet, towers over the San Luis Valley.

Click on Map for Larger Version

The San Luis Valley was inhabited at different times by numerous Indian tribes.  Early Paleolithic hunters killed now extinct ice animals in the valley.  Indians from the upper Rio Grande Pueblos also hunted in the valley at times. Before the Ute's finally established their dominance in the valley, it was frequently raided by Plains tribes such as the Comanche, Cheyenne, Arapahoe, and Kiowa. Jicarilla Apaches lived in peaceful harmony with the Ute's and frequently camped in the southern end of the valley. The first contact with the Ute's was in the period 1630-1640. The Ute's were called "QUERECHOS" by the early Spaniards in the area.  The Ute Indians, who were removed from the valley in 1895.

The Ute's called this valley "Tavi-we-a-gat", Big Valley.  They came here following in the footsteps of their ancestors, the Shoshonean people. This fertile valley provided hunting grounds rich in buffalo, elk, deer, fish, and plants.

Many Native American groups believe this Valley is the source of life where humans and spirit enter and leave this world.

Early Spanish explorers are known to have passed through the Valley, each establishing small encampments and bound for bad luck.  When Coronado, the famous Spanish Conquistador, sought the fabled riches of the Seven Golden Cities of Cibola, he came in contact with the Indians of the San Luis Valley in the early 1500's.  They directed him east to the fateful end of his expedition.

Later, in 1708, Juan de Ulaterri claimed the San Luis Valley for the king of Spain.

In 1806, United States Army Captain Zebulon Pike, after his discovery of Pike's Peak, came into the San Luis Valley most likely over Medano Pass not knowing that he was on Spanish soil. At Pike's Stockade, south of Alamosa, he was captured and taken prisoner to Santa Fe.

Finally, in 1848, John Fremont led an ill-fated expedition into the San Luis Valley, northwest of Alamosa, during harsh winter weather. He is known to have gotten lost during his journey and disappeared.

First settled in 1851, the oldest town in Colorado, San Luis, is located in Costilla County in the southeastern part of the San Luis Valley.  San Luis was part of the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant, originally owned by Carlos Beaubien (who was also one of the original grantees of the Maxwell (Beaubien-Miranda) Land Grant). He convinced 50 families to move here and San Luis was officially founded on April 9, 1851.

San Luis lies at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range with Culebra Peak at 14,047 feet above sea level in elevation towering above.

San Luis is also home to the oldest business in the state of Colorado, the R&R Market which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2007.  R&R Market is still open today.

Coloradoans talk a lot about the state’s deep commitment to community. One place that demonstrates this well is San Luis. Here, families measure their connection to the area not in years, but generations. Situated in a broad valley riddled with farms and surrounded by peaks, San Luis has always been at a crossroads of cultures. As a result, it is rich with timeless customs and historic sites. The small country town of San Luis has a population of approximately 800 people.

The first irrigation water rights in Colorado were granted in this area during the 1800's.  This irrigation ditch is still in operation today.

The Historical Morphology of Our Lady of Guadalupe

It is not the building itself, but the parish, which gives Conejos, Colorado the historical honor of being the home of the "Oldest Church in Colorado". In fact, the building has gone through several astounding transformations since parishioners established Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1858. According to historic records the first building was erected in 1858 and was a jacal structure - a hut with a thatched roof and walls consisting of thin stakes driven into the ground close together and plastered with mud. No photographic records exist of the first structure.

In 1860, parishioners began construction of a new building, which was completed December 12, 1863. The new church was built around the old one, thereby eliminating the need for a completely new structure, and eliminating the disruption of religious services. When it was complete the church still had earthen floors. It is assumed that the above view photograph from the 1870's represents the 2nd building, constructed of adobe with mud plaster. The view shows the back of the building.

Above is a side view of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church from September 9, 1911.  It shows the church was adobe construction with brick trim, bell tower with a ladder hung on it, a cross on gable apex, pointed gothic windows and a pitched, gable roof. This means that between 1863 and 1911, a roof was added. Note the stone foundation near the base of the wall. It is either possible that the roof was added to the old flat roof adobe church, or a new building was constructed. The facade appears to be the same as in the 1870's photo.

Above is a front view of the church from the same day in 1911 and shows the plain facade with a single door, towers and facade that are either adobe or masonry plastered with earth or stucco.

Our Lady of Guadalupe experienced what must have been its greatest tragedy on Ash Wednesday, 1926. The historic church caught fire due to electrical problems and was destroyed except for a few walls and the towers. The above photograph of the new church, taken December 12, 1927 shows the building as brick construction, twin towers preserved from the original facade that are canted at the bottom and a curvilinear parapet with three arched doorways and arched windows were added.

The above photograph from 1948 shows the church with brick construction, twin towers with aluminum domes with straight bases instead of canted, and arched windows. Sometime between 1927 and 1948 a completely new facade was added to the church. It is unknown when or why the original facade was removed and a new one added.

The above photograph from 1966 shows the towers are no longer canted at the bottom and the gable is again pointed as it was before 1927. The building has remains unchanged today.

With the discovery of gold and silver in the San Juan and La Garita mountains on the west side of the San Luis Valley, a huge influx of miners and adventurers entered the area.  Many of you have heard of the mining town of Creede, Colorado.

By 1878 the railroad had reached the newly founded Alamosa which soon became destined to be the rail hub for the area.  The narrow-gauge line was later extended to Antonito, Colorado to the southwest and then on into New Mexico.

The historic narrow-gauge Antonito, Colorado to Chama, New Mexico line still exists and operates to this very day.

website:  cumbrestoltec.com

New immigrants arrived to exploit the rich soil of the valley for agriculture and ranching.  Thriving Mormon communities were established at Manassa, Sanford, Romeo, and adjoining areas in the early 1870s.  Dutch settlers developed productive farming communities at La Jara, Bowen and Waverly in the late nineteenth century.  Japanese settlers were early immigrants to the area and contributed greatly to the agricultural productivity of the valley.

This Tent City, inhabited by early settlers of the San Luis Valley, was originally known as Wayside Station and was located on North River Road.  In 1875 it moved to Front Street in Alamosa and became known as Alamosa Tent City.

San Luis Valley Museum Association

The San Luis Valley was the first area of Colorado to be settled.  An area rich in history and natural beauty, the San Luis Valley is home to no fewer than 14 museums, historical societies, and cultural centers.  Each tells a portion of a fascinating story, ancient peoples, Spanish Conquistadors, the Westward Expansion, the rush for precious metals, war and intrigue, farming and ranching, modern day heroes ...

MuseumTrail.org

Beneath the surface of the San Luis Valley you will find alternating layers of sand, clay and gravel from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east and the lava and volcanic ash from the San Juan Mountains to the west.  The valley floor is estimated to be between 7,000 and 20,000 feet below the present surface.  If it were exposed, the surrounding mountain ranges would be taller than Mount Everest.

Artesian water wells (wells that flow from underground pressure without a pump) are common in the San Luis Valley.  Rain and snow water enters the ground along the alluvial fans at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and accumulates in porous rock layers below the valley surface.  Those layers dip toward the valley floor sandwiched between impenetrable clay layers (locally known as the blue clay).  Since the water enters the ground at a higher elevation than it comes out, it flows from wells in the valley without being pumped.  Some of these artesian wells are geothermal permitting tropical fish and even alligator production in the Valley.

The first non-native Americans to settle in Colorado were from colonial Mexico.  They brought with them their ancient irrigation practices based on a community ditch called an "acequia", pursuant to which water was treated as a community resource and allocated based upon equity and need rather than priority of appropriation.

Colorado holds the unique distinction of being the first state to provide for the distribution water by public officials. Colorado's territorial session laws from 1868, 1872, and 1874 recognized the validity of acequias within the counties of Costilla, Conejos, Huerfano, and Las Animas.

In 1879, the Colorado legislature created a part of the present administrative system. It provided for the division of the state into ten water districts. In each district, the statute provided for a Water Commissioner to divide the water according to priorities of the various ditches within the district, in accordance with the Prior Appropriation Doctrine of first-in-time, first-in-right.

The priority of each ditch was determined by the district courts based upon the date the ditches were constructed and the water placed to beneficial use. The statute as passed by the legislature in 1879 did not provide for stream measurement.

The Office of the State Engineer was created in 1881. The primary responsibility of the State Engineer was to measure the water in each stream from which water was diverted for irrigation, starting with those mostly used for irrigation. Three water divisions were created, made up of water districts located within the South Platte, the Arkansas, and the Rio Grande basins (the San Luis Valley is in the Rio Grande basin). Within six years, each of the remaining four water divisions as they exist today were created. In 1887, the state created a Superintendent of irrigation - who is known today as the Division Engineer - to supervise Water Commissioners within each division.

FULL  STORY OF COLORADO WATER RIGHTS

The oldest water right in Colorado is attributed to the San Luis People's Ditch, with a priority date of April 10, 1852, in the amount of 21 cubic feet per second from Culebra Creek in Costilla County.

Present Day Water Rights

To learn more about present day water rights in Colorado, please visit the Colorado Division of Water Resources website:  http://water.state.co.us/

The Largest Alpine Valley In The World

The San Luis Valley, located in south-central Colorado near the New Mexico border (MAP), is an area rich in history and natural beauty.  The San Luis Valley is situated between the 14,000 foot peaks of the Sangre de Cristo, La Garita and San Juan Mountains, including the 4th highest peak in Colorado - Blanca Peak. The Valley has the second largest aquifer on the continent underground. This 8000 square mile, six county alpine valley is one of the most unique areas in the world.

 In the San Luis Valley you will find:

• more than 3 Million acres of Public land around the Valley

• Colorado's oldest town - San Luis

• Colorado's oldest church - in Conejos

• 4th highest mountain - Blanca Peak

• Great Sand Dunes National Park

• Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad - known as America's longest and highest narrow-gauge steam railroad

• The birthplace of the Rio Grande River

• Natural, underground Hot Springs and artesian water wells

• The birthplace of the famous boxer Jack Dempsy

• Wolf Creek Ski Area - 465  Natural inches average snowfall each year "The Most Snow in Colorado"

There is an abundance of wildlife from deer, elk, antelope, and big horn sheep to the American Bald Eagle and bunny rabbits.  More than 250 species of birds visit the San Luis Valley each year including sandhill cranes, geese, ducks and doves.

Located 5 miles east of the town of Monte Vista in Colorado’s beautiful San Luis Valley, Homelake is the former location of the Colorado Soldiers' and Sailors' Home and is the location of the Homelake Civil War Cemetery. Set amidst landscaped grounds, beautiful scenery, and a homelike campus atmosphere, the Colorado State Veterans Center at Homelake has been caring for our Colorado veterans and their families for over 115 years.

The Center exhibits a great sense of history and tradition. The Center includes a modern 60-bed skilled nursing facility and a 46-bed Domiciliary. The Domiciliary provides an "independent/ assisted-living" type environment with individual housing cottages. With its rich and colorful history, beautiful grounds, and many historic buildings, the Homelake was recently designated as a Colorado State Historical Site. Several of Homelake’s original buildings were constructed in the 1890’s when a group of local citizens together with the State Legislature established Homelake as a place for Colorado’s deserving Civil War veterans to live.

www.cdhs.state.co.us/svnh/Homelake.htm

Elk Outnumber The People

The San Luis Valley is the 4th largest producer of potatoes in the U.S.  The snow-covered peaks of the Rocky Mountains jut up 14,000 feet to surround the fertile plateau of the Valley.  Here, in the highest and largest alpine valley in the world, the potato flourishes.  The Valley's fertile soil, pure air, warm, sunny days and cool nights in the summer, are the combination for a perfect growing season.

Two natural underground water aquifers (one reported to the the second largest in the country), recharged from runoff from heavy snowfall in the surrounding mountains, offers a plentiful irrigation and water well source.

To the right is a pivot irrigation system which is most commonly used.

The sun shines an average of 320 days a year.

To the left is a photograph of a potato field.

Click Here for General Information on the San Luis Valley