Colorado Chautauqua Receives National Park Service Save America’s Treasures Grant

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The Colorado Chautauqua Association has received a $280,721 Save America’s Treasures grant from the Department of Interior, National Park Service in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services. A total of $24.25 million in grants have been awarded to fund 80 projects in 32 states and the District of Columbia. With these funds, organizations and agencies conserve significant U.S. cultural and historic resources, which illustrate, interpret, and are associated with the great events, ideas, and individuals that contribute to our nation’s history and culture.
The Colorado Chautauqua is an extraordinary American treasure nestled between thousands of miles of open space and the thriving City of Boulder, Colorado.

Unfortunately, we know from recent devastating wildfires plaguing western states, sites located in a wildland and urban interface are increasingly more vulnerable to cataclysmic wildfires. The unique combination of geographic, topographic, and physical conditions makes the Colorado Chautauqua particularly susceptible to wildfire. Even more alarming, we have seen wildfires erupt at a relentless pace these past few years. As recently as a decade ago, wildfire season was limited to a few short summer months. However, in the past two years alone, two of the most catastrophic wildfires in Colorado history threatened and destroyed multiple nearby Boulder County communities in October and December–months that were never even considered part of the wildfire season a few short years ago.

The major goal of this project is to protect the Colorado Chautauqua National Historic Landmark District from wildfire threats. The funded activities provide the best physical protection against an approaching wildfire and form the foundation of a decade-long wildfire mitigation plan developed in conjunction with several agencies and leaders in wildfire science. The Colorado Chautauqua Save America’s Treasures project will also inform the development of policies and protocols for a full wildfire mitigation plan. This will serve as a model for other historic sites around Colorado and the nation.

For more information on this project please contact Chautauqua Director of Development and Community Partnerships, Debbie Stewart. For questions regarding the Save America’s Treasures grant program, or to comment on this or any other proposed Historic Preservation Fund grant project, please contact Megan Brown, Chief – State, Tribal, Local, Plans & Grants Division, National Park Service, at 202-354-2020 or [email protected].