Construction of a school building reflected the importance of universal education and a community's desire to establish permanence in the ever-expanding Western frontier. Since 1859 when Colorado's first one-room schoolhouse was established in Denver City, over six hundred school buildings have been built across the Centennial State. These schools were often the social centers of the community. Civic town meetings were held in them, as well as other political events. Some of these schoolhouses were still operating in rural communities through the 1950s. Today, these schools are the touchstones to Colorado’s pioneering past. Colorado’s Historic Schools is part-regional history, and part-travel guide featuring over 140 of the most significant schools across the state, all recognized as historic landmarks. Along with interesting school stories and building descriptions, there are historic photos and stories of legendary teachers, tragedies, and even murder over the 150-year history of Colorado’s schools.

Boulder County's long and well-documented history provides a unique opportunity to study the life of a school system, from its inception to the consolidation of its many districts almost 100 years later. The first three chapters of this book describe the establishment of school districts within Boulder County, the characteristics and working conditions of the frontier schoolteacher, and the architecture of the frontier schoolhouse. The greater part of the book consists of 67 short segments each containing a photograph, a list of historical facts, and a brief anecdotal account pertaining to the 67 school districts in Boulder County. Much of the information on these early districts was found in county school records and photographs scattered among several archival repositories. Personal stories about the schools are from oral history tapes and interviews. Sources of information are cited with each school description. Appendices list Boulder County school superintendents from 1863-1961 and the status of existing historic schools in 1991. Besides its many photographs, this book includes an index and a map marked with the sites of the original school districts. (KS)

More than 600 landmark locations restored to their former glory are featured in this guidebook for the benefit of residents and visitors alike. Noted historian, Tom Noel, has compiled this book including notes on the historical significance of each site, fascinating photographs, and lively tales about the people and events in Colorado's past.

"In Sacred Trust: The Birth and Development of Fort Lewis College, renowned Colorado historian Duane Smith presents the full story of this uncommon institution and the people who campaigned, lived, taught, and attended school there. Their story is an epic of individual successes and encompasses a dream to create a better tomorrow. It is told as much as possible through their experiences, supplemented by a rich variety of photographs"--Back cover.