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It all began in the mid-1850's when Colonel John M. Francisco first looked upon the future site of La Veta and declared, "This is paradise to me."
Since then, La Veta has changed and grown into a charming little community of over 900 residents located just six miles off US 160 on Highway 12, also known as the Scenic Highway of Legends.
Today there are some structures in La Veta that appear much the same as in Colonel Francisco's time.
This is especially true of the fort built in late 1862 by the Colonel and Henry Daigre.
Before its construction, Francisco was stationed at Fort Garland, then moved on to Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and later the Cuchara Valley.
Suzanne “Sam” de St. Jean (left), Museum Gift Shop Manager, and Pam
Munroe (right), Museum Director.
It was said an earlier fort was built on the site in 1720 by Lieutenant Pedro Villasur, who led soldiers, settlers, and Pueblo Indians on an expedition to an Indian settlement called Quartelejo.
No documentation is available because Villasur, all of his soldiers, and many others were killed by Indians.
However, the Cucharas Valley was referred to as the Valley of the Soldiers in an 1812 Spanish document, leading historians to believe an earlier structure existed there.
Construction on the fort began when several log cabins nearby became too small for those who tended crops, looked after Francisco livestock, and worked at the grainary.
Francisco Fort was an adobe structure with walls 18 inches thick, built in a square around an open plaza with the only opening to the
north . When completed, the fort offered total protection from the Ute Indians.
The plaza became an important commercial center for Francisco, Daigre and other early settlers with farm and ranch enterprises as more settlers came to the beautiful, fertile valley.
The first post office, called the Spanish Peaks, opened in 1871. By July 4, 1876, Colonel John Francisco had the old east wall of the fort knocked down so tracks for the D&RG Railroad could enter.
On October 9, 1876, La Veta was incorporated as a town. Although the tracks are no longer present at the fort, the depot is two blocks north.
Now the fort is a museum and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In addition to the old adobe fort, there are also several other historic buildings on the grounds, including a log cabin schoolhouse built in 1876, a saloon from the 1880's, a blacksmith shop
originally built as a frontier home in the 1860's, and a general store from the 1880's which now holds several coal mining exhibits.
The buildings contain numerous artifacts, generously donated by county residents, such as household furnishings, a clothing exhibit, an outstanding collection of American Indian artifacts, a natural history gallery, and a tack room.
Step back into Huerfano County’s past by visiting the historic fort and gift shop open 10am - 4pm, Wednesday through Saturday and Sunday 1-4pm.
For more information, call 719/ 742-5501 or log onto www.hchstoc.org.
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