CelebratingColorado 150 Southwest
Make History with Us!
CelebratingColorado 150 Southwest
Make History with Us!
CelebratingColorado 150 Southwest
Make History with Us!
CelebratingColorado 150 Southwest
Make History with Us!
America 250 - Colorado 150
Commemorating our Past, Preparing for our Future
On July 4, 2026, the United States of America will observe the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. One month later, on August 1, 2026, Colorado, the “Centennial State”, will celebrate 150 years of statehood. These twin milestones are a rare and exciting opportunity to unite with fellow Coloradans and Americans around our shared ideals and imagine our future together. In Southwest Colorado, we’re adding our own nonpartisan commemorative experiences and activities.
Our Initiatives
These projects demonstrate Southwest Colorado’s history, resilience, and belief in the future.
-
Calendar of Events
Checkout upcoming history and heritage events all around the Southwest region.
-
Moments that Made Us
This initiative, both at the state and local level, seeks to tell the story of Colorado’s origins through exhibits. Exhibits tell stories by thoughtfully combining objects, images, and personal narratives to create a compelling journey through history. They use artifacts to spark curiosity and connect visitors with tangible pieces of the past, while interpretive panels, audio recordings, and multimedia displays provide context and meaning.
-
Passport to Southwest Colorado
Produced by fourth-grade teachers for young students, this fun, interactive print and electronic media project will encourage students and parents to visit and learn more about fascinating places in their region.
-
Power of Place
The Power of Place Initiative explores, through conversations, exhibits, and student field camps, how geography, climate, and historic cultures have shaped our world in SW Colorado today. Projects within this initiative will help produce a better understanding of our connectedness to the natural world and each other.
-
Power of Place Podcasts
Power of Place Podcasts explores Southwest Colorado's history one conversation at a time. Local voices share the people, stories, and terrain that shaped this region. Ten episodes in so far, each one a real conversation with someone who has a stake in this place. Watch the full series on YouTube.
-
Storytelling: A Portrait of Southwest Colorado at 150
Storytelling, especially through oral histories, adds a layer of richness and personal experience to our understanding of the past. Learn more about our current inventory of oral histories and how you might add to them.
-
Becoming Southwest Colorado
A magazine that celebrates the shared history and culture of Southwest Colorado
Twenty fascinating articles from historians and long-time observers illuminate the rich tapestry of our history. Combined, they tell the story of how we became who we are.
-
Sing Colorado!
Music is a powerful expressive force and cultural foundation. Sing Colorado! offers a toolkit of resources to enable groups around Southwest Colorado to hold local musical events in 2026, highlighting Colorado’s rich musical tradition.
Power of Place Magazine
2026 Caroline Bancroft Award Winner
Congrats to the Colorado 150 Southwest Organizing Committee
Congratulations to the Colorado 150 Southwest Organizing Committee, recipients of the Caroline Bancroft History Prize, an annual award recognizing outstanding contributions to Colorado or Western American history. This prize is named after Caroline Bancroft, an influential journalist and historian known for her work on Colorado's history.
View the award letter.
What’s Happening Around Southwest Colorado,
the State, and the Nation
The Colorado Commission has designated “250-150” regions across the state and organizing committees have formed at the local level. We are the Southwest Colorado Local Organizing Committee (LOC) comprised of eight counties. The SW Colorado LOC’s counties are, alphabetically: Archuleta, Dolores, Hinsdale, La Plata, Montezuma, Ouray, San Juan and San Miguel. Our LOC is open to all interested volunteers who will help guide, support, and promote activities and events to celebrate and commemorate our shared history, honoring what makes Southwest Colorado, its history, landscape and people unique, while also an important part of the state of Colorado and our nation.
We have LOC Signature Initiatives (projects) already underway that you can be a part of - many are focused on fun, interactive experiences for all ages about the history and heritage of SW Colorado, going as far back as Ancestral Puebloan days to today. We also can help promote your organization and activities for the dual commemorations. This website contains information on planning, events, and opportunities to join this history-making journey in Southwest Colorado.
Check in often for news and updates on local activities!
Stay up-to-date with events across the nation and Colorado
What’s happening around Colorado for 2026. Learn more at historycolorado.org/colorado-150
Follow nationwide events and celebrations. Learn more at america250.org.