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It's Our Town, Our School, Our History--It's Worth Saving
It is the 11th hour for Columbian School in Las Animas-demolition is
scheduled next week. "Friends of Columbian’ are hoping to save the school, but
offers to the school board have been rejected...
Will it be another victim like Aguilar or McClave?
Columbian School is on the National Register of Historic Places and is on the
2004 Colorado Most Endangered Places List for its Mission Architecture. It is
also the only known school in Colorado with a grassy courtyard and covered
arcade with a colonnade of brick arches. It is significant as the alma mater of
US Ambassador L.Thompson and singer/ actor Ken Curtis, aka "Festus" of Gunsmoke,
who attended the school.
Many still useful and historically significant schools in Colorado are being
destroyed in a wave of mindless modernization. The situation is typified in Las
Animas where the Old Bent County High School/Middle School was replaced by a new
Middle School elsewhere in the city-even though the bond issue failed. Columbian
was abandoned last fall for the new Las Animas Elementary nearby and the board
has requested bids for its demolition-scheduled to begin next week.
School Superintendant Cuckow, in the Rocky Mountain News of Feb. 6, 2004,
said that no one has come forward with solid financial backing for renovation
and reuse.
Many offers have been made to purchase it for reuse for a children’s museum,
heritage intergenerational center, or a skating and recreation area, but the
school board staunchly supports demolition-for more parking or space. Many
believe the school has ample playground and that the Columbian building is much
more valuable as a Community Center that could also provide before and after
school activities.
Why can’t historic schools continue to serve their communities?
Other communities have made creative use of their older school buildings. Ft.
Collins honors its historic schools. The new Centennial High is next to the
Laurel Street Building. The former Smiley School in Durango has been converted
to studios for community arts. Two former Fowler schools are reused for city
offices, another for a church.
Over the years many fine educational buildings have been converted to
offices, apartments, housing and community centers. The buildings are attractive
older schools that have roots in their communities and enhance the community
fabric. As with many older churches, they were designed as monumental structures
for their communities. They are missed when they are demolished.
Columbian was built in 1916, and is an imposing majestic example of Mission
Architecture. Given a replacement value of over $8 million, it represents a
major investment for the community, as about $500,000 was invested in
renovation, heating, mechanical, ADA updates and more recent investments by a
former board supporting National Register status and renovation.
That former school board acted upon expert planners’ advice, hired a
feasibility study, approved a master plan by expert engineers for renovation and
planned to put the buildings on National Register of Historic Places, which
qualified the building for historic grant funding.
Unfortunately, a new superintendent and board abandoned this plan and signed
a contract in the fall of 1991, with new consultants intent on passing bond and
building new. Since then the community has been divided, with many suspecting
hidden motives behind the rush to turn a historic and potentially useful
building into a playground, parking lot or other "space". (This Oct. 22, the
District auctioned surplus--to the bare walls and reported making $18,500)
Before the wrecking ball starts swinging, perhaps Las Animas residents should
step back and ask themselves questions that might clarify the issue. Questions
such as, "Do we need more parking?" Could we use more culture and history? Could
we use a place in which to gather, to celebrate being a community?
I look forward to hearing those answers.
Elva Tull
Las Animas, CO
Can anyone help save or move this Historic landmark?
Near the Historic Santa Fe Trail, south of the Arkansas River, once known as
Mexico, in Las Animas, CO, sits an abandoned Columbian School of 'high artistic
value', exquisite craftsmanship, and a Spanish Patio, surrounded by a
covered arcade and colonnade of brick arches.
Columbian School recognized as a building deserving to be preserved
Columbian School is listed in the Buildings of the United States, Buildings of
Colorado by Tom Noel. This is a series of books on American architecture
compiled in each state, with the objective to identify and celebrate the rich
cultural, economic and geographical diversity of the US reflected in the
architecture of each state.
Columbian School. BCHS and the Bent County Courthouse were the only buildings
that were selected from Las Animas. Description: BN03, Columbian School. 1916,
Nels T. Nelson, W.F. Mowbrayh, and F.W. Foote, builders. L946, addition. 1026
6th St.
This single-story brick school on a rectangular plan has a central open
courtyard and a two-story gymnasium on the north. The Mission Revival style is
evident in the curvilinear parapets with quatrefoil ornaments and in the arcade
on three sides of the courtyard. The two-story addition at the northeast corner
is larger but sympathetic, with light and dark beige brick contrasting subtly in
tone to highlight brick patterns in the full-height entry surrounds. The nearby
cottage, built for band practice, has been remodeled for classrooms. Builder,
Nels T. Nelson, who came from Sweden via Ishpeming, Michigan, built many stone
buildings in Fort Lyon, Las Animas, and Cripple Creek.
Despite efforts to develop a regional architecture, modern Colorado
communities differ little from others in the US. However, somewhat distinctive
are the Hispanic towns of southern Colorado. Columbian is the only known Mission
Revival School with open Mission Courtyard in Colorado. It should be preserved.
Demolition of Colorado’s architectural heritage sparked a grassroots
movement. In l! 966, SHPO offices in each state were federally funded to
identify, designate, and preserve the buildings of architectural value and
significance.
The President of the US supports Preserve America Awards and grants to
communities that undertake preservation efforts.
As a national reaction to urban renewal demolitions and some Americans trend
toward disposable architecture, the preservation movement found strong support
in Colorado.. Now many communities consider their architectural heritages and
undertake preservation efforts and many have passed preservation ordinances with
controls over demolition or abuse of landmarks.
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