Annual Report
Museo de las Tres Colonias Annual Report 2024
Museo de las Tres Colonias Annual Report 2024
Museo de las Tres Colonias
1. Tours:
Over a 1000 in attendance throughout the year from the various schools and organizations:
a. Blevins Middle School
b. Harris Bi lingual School
c. Historic Home Tours partnered with Poudre Land Mark Foundation
d. City of Fort Collins tours
e. Individual and small group tours.
f. Dia de las Muertos event and tours
g. CSU El Centro tour
h. History artifacts that folks brought to the Museo
Narrative: The Museo de las Tres Colonias had successful year sharing the history of Mexican/Hispanics Sugar Beet workers in Fort Collins. Our tours and events were well attended. We have received many compliments from the participants.
2. NNO Events:
Narrative: We were rained out on NNO last Auguest. We gave the food and drinks away to families in the neighborhood. The families were very appreciative of the giveaways.
3. Spring Planting Event:
Narrative: This event was led by our board member, Evie Ruter, of course our board members and volunteers participated. We planted flowers and vegetables. During the summer, residents would come by and harvest the vegetables consisting of cucumbers, chiles, squash, tomatoes and others. We look forward to continuing this planting in 2025 along with the addition of sugar beets being planted.
4. Dia de las Muertos:
a. The Museo was open on weekends during the month of October.
b. DOD event and open house.
c. Partnered with Harris Bilingual first grade classes, who created ofrendas to display at the Museo.
d. Community and other board members set up ofrendas for departed loved ones.
e. Traditional DOD artifacts were on display
Narrative:
5. Display Rotation: The Museo sets an annual display of a theme
a. Dia de las Muertos
b. Hispanic Boxing Display
Narrative: The Museo sets up rotating displays during the year. We have received very nice compliments from the neighbors and community. We have invited the neighbors to contribute to the rotating displays
6. Helped sponsor and supported Jose Rodriquez Car show at Sugar Beet Park.
Narrative: The car show was successful at the Streets Department parking lot. It was well attending and very nice cars too. The city was very helpful so we can stay at Sugar Beet parking lot and at Sugar Beet Park.
7. CSU Department of History
Narrative: The Museo’s liaison to CSU Oscar, who is currently part of CSU’s Department of History graduate cohort, facilitated collaboration with Drs. Jessica Jackson and Sarah Payne’s History Matters project during Fall 2024. The History Matters project seeks to bring together public educators, community partners, and student researchers to develop local, placed-based curriculum for Poudre School District. During a summer teacher training for PSD that introduced the History Matters project, Oscar attended as a representative of the Museo to help connect teachers with our historical resources.
During November when the History Matters project collaborated with the Museo to conduct a history harvest, Oscar served as a site supervisor and historical interpreter for the Museo. The history harvest documented historical artifacts and oral histories that visiting members of the community shared. The event documented just over ten artifacts and interviews, and the Museo saw over thirty visitors despite the frigid weather conditions. Visitors, students, and faculty expressed great interest and satisfaction with Oscar’s interpretations and the Museo’s space.
The collaboration with the Department of History has helped to further connect the Museo with the Colorado State University community. The Museo hopes to continue strengthening this relationship into the future and to continue participating in the public engagement works of the Department of History.
8. School Supplies provided to families in the Tres Colonias.
Narrative: Board Members were able to secure donated backpacks and other school supplies for families in the Tres Colonias. Feedback was very positive with many thanks shared.
9. Thanksgiving baskets provided in conjunction with Fort Collins Rotary Club:
a. 21 families from the neighborhood benefited from the Fort Collins Rotary and Museo involvement.
Narrative: We provided the names, address and other information to Fort Collins Rotary Club, under the leadership of David Dunne who then provided a food basket with a gift card to each family a weekend prior to Thanksgiving. The families were very appreciative of the baskets in our time of inflation and unable to provide on their own.