Help Save the Most Endangered Places in Colorado

The Fruita Bridge was built in 1907 and for many years was used for Highway 340 to cross the Colorado River. While it's been out of commission for years, it is hoped that enough funds can be raised to make it a safe thoroughfare for pedestrian and bike traffic across the river.

The Grand Junction Depot was built in 1906 and opened the same day as the tragic San Francisco earthquake. It was once considered the finest depot of its size in the west. The depot has been vacant since the 1980s, but was purchased in 2015 and restoration work has begun.

Three homesteading sites in Delta County are in serious need of help, Captain Smith's Cabin and Walker Homestead built in 1911, and the Gunnison River Water Wheel built around 1933. Vandalism and deterioration have taken their toll on these sites, so they are in a dire situation. These elements are a precious part of western Colorado history that need to be saved.

The Colona School was built in 1915 with virtually no change to the inside or outside of the building. A painted stage curtain, old school books, a wood stove, and a piano purchased in 1915 are some of the features that remain in the building. Through the years, the building has been used at least once a month since the school closed, and preservation efforts are ongoing.

The barn is the oldest major structure in the valley around Hotchkiss, built in 1881 by Enos T. Hotchkiss. The barn's unique structure consists of 12-inch thick walls made of brick. In recent years, weather damage has left a hole at one end, and walls in danger of collapse.

[COLORADO PRESERVATION.ORG]