Colorado's 150th Anniversary
Honoring multi-generational heritage families calling Colorado home for 100+ years. Every family has a story—help us tell yours!
Celebrating 150 Years of Colorado Heritage
In celebration of Colorado’s 150th Anniversary on August 1st, Colorado Preservation, Inc. is introducing our new Centennial Member program. We are welcoming and recognizing families who have resided in our beautiful state for over 100 years.
These years do not have to be consecutive—we celebrate your enduring connection to our land, communities, and structures. As a Centennial Member ($100/year), your family history and historic photographs are published here in our Centennial Registry, helping us inspire the next generation to cherish and preserve Colorado’s tangible history.
The Registry
The Centennial Registry
A living record of the families who built, shaped, and preserved Colorado.
The three entries below are illustrative samples showing the kind of story your family could submit — real Centennial Family entries will appear here as members join and share their history.
Sample Story
Larimer County • Settled 1912
The Henderson Family
First arriving in Larimer County in 1912, the Henderson family homesteaded a pristine tract of land near Estes Park, helping establish local ranching and early guest lodging structures that welcomed Colorado’s first eco-tourists. Across four generations, they have maintained a deep commitment to preserving the handcrafted timber structures and cabin lines of their original settlement.
Their long connection to the Rocky Mountains has shaped a fierce dedication to historic preservation, championing the restoration of local schoolhouses and historic ranches in the Estes Valley.
Sample Story
El Paso County • Settled 1898
The Eflin-Rojas Family
The Eflins arrived in Manitou Springs in 1898, drawn by the mineral waters and healing mountain climates. Engaging in early limestone quarrying and structural masonry, they physically helped build the stone storefronts and residential retaining structures that define Manitou’s designated National Historic District today.
Today, their descendants continue to champion urban architecture preservation, volunteering to document historic masonry crafts and helping protect Manitou’s unique natural-cultural springs corridor.
Sample Story
Morgan County • Settled 1918
The Bowles Family
Settling on Colorado’s sweeping dry eastern plains in 1918, the Bowles family dedicated themselves to dryland agriculture, farming wheat and helping fund and construct early one-room schoolhouses for rural plains children. Their family legacy is tied closely to the preservation of disappearing agricultural landscapes and historic farm structures.
Having witnessed the loss of several historic plains schoolhouses, the Bowles family works closely with CPI’s Endangered Places Program to support preservation calls-to-action on the eastern plains.
Is Your Family a Colorado Centennial Family?
We invite you to share your story, celebrate your deep roots, and inspire others to preserve our state’s beautiful heritage!
Applying is simple. Join at the Centennial Member ($100) level, then fill out our secure registry application form below to submit your 2-3 paragraph history, traditional legacy stories, recipes, and heritage photographs.