Rhythms of the Red Willow: Traditional Drums by Phillip C. Martinez now on display in Delaney Library

Miss Indian World visits the Center of Southwest Studies

Miss Indian World, Marjorie Tahbone and
Delaney Librarian Elayne Silversmith



Miss Indian World, Marjorie Linne Tungwenuk Tahbone

Park County program scheduled for April 10th has cancelled

We are sorry to announce that the Park County Resource Protection program has cancelled. Gary Nichols was to present on April 10th in the Center's Lyceum. We hope to reschedule this program at another time. Below is further information on Gary's good work.

Gary Nichols has served as the director of Tourism & Community Development in Park County since 1988. During this time he has secured nearly $25 million in grants for community projects and published several articles and guidebooks of public interest. Both of Gary’s parents were descendants of Colorado pioneers and his grandfather worked for the historic Colorado & Southern Railway that served South Park. Gary holds a master’s degree in environmental quality engineering from the University of Alaska, and worked as a consulting engineer in Fairbanks prior to returning to Colorado.

His accomplishments include numerous projects designed to conserve the natural, cultural, and recreational resources upon which the Park County economy depends. In addition to establishing a fee-based ranch recreation program, Gary has been instrumental in rehabilitating several miles of riparian habitat and securing conservation easements on 20 local cattle ranches. Current projects include creating new economic uses for ten protected ranches, two railroad depots, and a 19th Century gold processing mill.

Successes in Land Conservation program- Tuesday, March 27th

The Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College continues its program series, “Celebrating the Preservation of our Natural and Cultural Heritage”, on Tuesday, March 16th with a talk on “Successes in Land Conservancy”. Speakers will include Kathy Roser and Scott Perez of La Plata Open Space Conservancy, and Nina Williams formerly of Montezuma Land Conservancy.

The La Plata Open Space Conservancy and Montezuma Land Conservancy have successfully worked with dozens of private property owners to conserve in excess of 54,000 acres of land, water and a way of life in southwest Colorado. These land owners have chosen to restrict development on their private property in order to protect agricultural lands, water, wildlife habitat, scenic beauty, and historic and archaeological resources that make our region special to both our community and visitors.

A reception honoring Kathy Roser's retirement from LPOSC will begin at 5:00pm in the Center of Southwest Studies’ lobby. The program will start at 6:00pm in the Center’s Lyceum classroom. This event is free and open to the public.

Photo credit: Redburn Ranch, Montezuma Land Conservancy

CSWS to host History Colorado talk

The Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College continues its program series, “Celebrating the Preservation of our Natural and Cultural Heritage”, on Wednesday, March 14th with a talk from Steve Turner, Vice President of History Colorado, formerly the Colorado Historical Society. A reception will begin at 5:30pm, with the program starting at 6:00pm in the Center’s Lyceum.

Mr. Turner manages both the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, and the very popular State Historical Fund grant program. On March 14, he will discuss the preservation programs of History Colorado and provide an overview of State Historical fund preservation projects in southwest Colorado. This event is free and open to the public. Please call 970-247-7456 for further information.

Photo of hanging flume by Tom Carr.

Center of Southwest Studies to host talk on Mesa Verde’s new visitor center

The Center's new program series, “Celebrating the Preservation of our Natural and Cultural Heritage”, continues on Tuesday, February 21st. Carol Sperling, Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services at Mesa Verde National Park, will present a program on the park’s new Visitor and Research Center that is under construction. A reception will begin at 5:30pm, with the program starting at 6:00pm in the Center of Southwest Studies’ Lyceum.

The new visitor center is located at the junction of the park entrance road and Highway 160, and has been a goal of the park for many years. It will replace Far View Visitor Center as the primary location for visitor orientation, information, and ticket sales. Far View Visitor Center is located 15 miles inside the park, and has operated only during summer months. The new Visitor and Research Center, located close to the highway and open year round, will provide information and visitor services to travelers at the beginning their drive into Mesa Verde. In addition, the new building will also house the park’s research collection, archives and research library, greatly improving public access and stewardship of more than 3 million artifacts, archives and library collections.

Park staff, partners, and twenty-four Native American Tribes associated with Mesa Verde have worked together for the planning and design of the new facility. Designed using the standards of the US Green Building Council, it is expected to be LEEDS certified at the platinum level. Initial completion of the building is expected in spring, with expectations to open the building for public use in late fall 2012, followed by events to celebrate its completion in spring 2013.

Opening Reception for 'Ancient Skywatchers of the Southwest' on Thursday, February 9th

The Center is pleased to open a new photography exhibit by John Ninnemann, Ancient Skywatchers of the Southwest. A reception will be held at the Center of Southwest Studies Museum/ Gallery on Thursday, February 9th from 4:00-6:00 pm.

The Ancestral Puebloan people on the Colorado Plateau were sky watchers with a sophisticated knowledge of solar and lunar events. This collection of photographs exhibits the sun, moon and shadows in significant alignments occurring only on specific dates. Ninnemann is a photographer, scientist and Fort Lewis College Dean Emeritus.