Colorado 150 Southwest

On July 4, 2026, the United States of America will observe the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  One month later, on August 1, 2026, Colorado will celebrate 150 years of statehood. These twin milestones are an exciting opportunity to unite with fellow Coloradans and Americans around our shared ideals and imagine our future together. 

An all volunteer group known as the Colorado 150 Southwest local organizing committee is excited about this rare chance to connect with neighbors and Coloradans to be a part of the 2026 commemorations, under the umbrella of the statewide America 250-Colorado 150 commission.  Work on this project began over a year ago and we will use 2025 to further plan and implement the community projects and events culminating in 2026.  

Join us in the Southwest Colorado region in planning diverse, educational and fun community projects and events.  Let’s celebrate our collective journeys to and in this place we call home and look ahead to our shared future! 

Here in Southwest Colorado - a region of 8 counties, (Archuleta, Dolores, Hinsdale, La Plata, Montezuma, Ouray, San Juan and San Miguel) - we've adopted 4 key project initiatives, each able to be tailored to the local communities' desires on how to honor and celebrate our history together.

The four signature initiative projects for this region will complement those taken on at the state level.  The local projects are:

• Sing Colorado!  - This initiative category celebrates the power of music in bringing people together and covers all types of musical performances related to the celebration. One feature of this initiative is the creation of , a "tool kit" to help any group prepare their own choral production in 2026. The local organizing committee is supporting the free distribution of the toolkit and will help promote any performances under the Sing Colorado! banner.
• Oral History – Knowing and learning from our past includes hearing from those who lived in it. This initiative includes 1.) the production of a series of 3-5 minute oral histories to be broadcast over 2026, 2.) the creation of a travelling exhibit of historical objects representing our area, paired with recorded audio stories that provide meaning to the objects, and, 3.) the preparation of an inventory of existing oral history collections in our region so students, researchers and anyone interested in our diverse and rich heritage can easily learn more from those who have gone before us.
• History Passport for Young Students and Families – Through a history passport locally designed for 4th graders by the students and their teachers, our regional history will come alive and engage young and old! Using the passport as a guide to our region's fun and interesting history-rich places to visit, this educational tool with help engage kids and their families in an exploration of the 8 counties and two Ute reservations in SW Colorado.
• "Power of Place"  - We live in a beautiful, remote area, that at times can be challenging for human habitation - yet, looking back to the ancestral Puebloan times to today, people continue to be drawn to the power of the land creating a strong, visceral connection with this place.  Through a collaboration of several key local institutions, this initiative creates the opportunity for expanding educational offerings and outreach to all who are interested in learning more about the natural landscape of SW Colorado and how it has shaped the human history of those who choose to call this home. 

We need your support to make 2026 a terrific lifetime experience for residents and visitors alike, filled with fun, connection and exploration of the diverse people and places of this region. We're a proud partner of the Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado. Please contribute today!