- Home
- Government
- Boards & Commissions
- Historic Preservation
- Historic Preservation Days
- Historic Cortez Coloring Book
- Suggestions for Coloring Book Entries
Suggestions for Coloring Book Entries
Artists may choose any building, site, living space, or event of historical significance for their entry. City staff & the Public Arts Advisory Committee members have curated ideas for inspiration. Our lists are not exhaustive, don't be confined to them!
Remember, you do NOT need to draw an exact replica of the provided photos. We welcome your creativity and imagination.
The true history of this community stretches further back than the naming & designation of Cortez. We welcome diverse & nuanced submissions to tell this story.
Combine what the Calkins Building might have looked like as a school in 1910 with how it looks today. Merge the current Cortez High School Marching Band with the uniforms shows in the photo from 1926. Consult with an archeologist and imagine what Hawkins Pueblo may have looked like while inhabited over 1,000 years ago. Have fun! Be creative!
Historic Buildings
| Historic Buildings | Historic Name | Address | Year Built & other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calkins Building | 121 E 1st Street, Cortez | Built in 1909, this was the first high school in Cortez. Before the Calkins building was built, students had to go to Mancos for high school. Photo from 1909. | |
| Wilson Building | Stone Block Building | 16 W Main Street, Cortez | Built in 1889, this was constructed by Peter Baxstrom using stone from a quarry in Hartman Draw. Photo from 1900's Photo from 1940's. |
| KSJD & Sunflower Theater | Montezuma Valley Bank | 8 E Main Street, Cortez | Built in 1909. |
| Cortez Cultural Center | EL Lamb Mercantile | 25 N Market Street, Cortez | Built in 1909. |
| St. Barnabas Church | 110 W North Street, Cortez | ||
| Burger Boy Drive-In | 400 E Main Street, Cortez | ||
| Slaven's Tru Value | 1953 | 237 W Main Street, Cortez | |
| Brand Central | Bru's House of Color | 113 E Main Street, Cortez | The block & brick front portion was built in 1944. The brick work displays a southwest style design. |
| Ertel Funeral Home | 42 N Market Street, Cortez | The Ertel family has been running the funeral home since 1921. The building was constructed circa 1935. Recent Photo of Ertel Funeral Home | |
| The Farm Bistro | Cortez Post Office | 34 W Main Street, Cortez | The original building from 1886 was destroyed in a fire in 1908. The new building was constructed in 1909 and served at the Post Office for over 40 years. |
| Retro Inn | 2040 E Main Street, Cortez | *this is not a designated historic building, but it pays homage to the autotourism era of Cortez. | |
| Main Street Brewery | 21 E Main Street, Cortez | Built in 1927. | |
| Love on a Hanger | McEwen Hall | 34 E Main Street, Cortez | This building supposedly came from Rico, Colorado after Mr. McEwen won it in a Poker game. The first movie in Cortez was shown here in 1911. |
| Montezuma County Courthouse | 109 W Main Street, Cortez | ||
| Blatchford Home | 207 E First Street, Cortez | built in 1889/1890 and is one of the oldest homes in Cortez. | |
| St. Margaret Mary Church | site of Congregational Church, 1889 | 28 E Montezuma Street, Cortez | The current church, built in 1950, sits on the site of the first church in Cortez. That church, the Congregational Church, was built in 1889 and burned in 1930. Photo of Congregational Church c. 1900 |
| Zu Gallery | Havran Cleaners | 48 W Main Street, Cortez | The original building (no longer present) on this location was built in 1890. The current building was remodeled in 1948 to its present-day appearance. |
| ***More buildings & longer descriptions can be found in the Walking Tour Brochures section at the bottom of the Historic Structures & Preservation Page | |||
Historic Signs
| Historic Sign | Address | Year Built |
|---|---|---|
| Tomahawk Lodge | 728 S. Broadway, Cortez | The motel was built in 1950. Postcard of the Tomahawk Lodge. |
| Fiesta Theater | 21 W. Main Street, Cortez | |
| Aneth Lodge | 645 E. Main Street, Cortez | The lodge was built in 1957. |
| Cork 'n Bottle | 443 E. Main Street, Cortez |
Historic Sites, Natural & Living Spaces
| Archaeological Site | Address | *other notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castle Rock Pueblo | Sand Canyon Trail, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument | |||
| Carpenter/Geer Natural Area | Cortez | There is some evidence of a CCC camp from the 1930s in the area. Photo of Carpenter Trail Sign Photo of Geer Trail Sign Photo of cattails in the park Photo of the paved trail Photo of the mountain biking trail | ||
| Hawkins Preserve / Hawkins Pueblo | 1490 S. Cedar Street, Cortez | |||
| Indigenous Animals | coyote, porcupine, fox, desert cottontail, black bear, mountain lion, bobcat, beaver, gopher, prairie dog | Check out these images from Mesa Verde National Park | ||
| Indigenous Plants | yarrow, sagebrush, big gama grass, ferbrush, whipples cholla, rabbitbrush, claretcup cactus |
| ||
| McElmo Canyon Flume | 29815 US-160, Cortez | Photo of Flume in use, c. 1980 Flume long view Photo of Flume in 2002 | ||
| Mesa Verde National Park | *established in 1906 - the first national park to protect human-made structures | |||
| Mitchell Springs | ||||
| Montezuma Avenue | Cortez | |||
| Saddle Horn Pueblo | Sand Canyon Trail, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument | Saddle Horn Pueblo Saddle Horn Pueblo smaller | ||
| Sleeping Ute Mtn | Towoac, Colorado | Photo from Scott Smith |
Community Events
| Event | Year Began | Photos |
|---|---|---|
| Cortez Celtic Fair | 2018 | Celtic Musicians |
| Cortez Rendezvous Balloon Event | 2007 | |
| Cortez School Band | Photo of the School Band in 1926 | |
| Cortez Farmer's Market | 1973 | Video about founder, Bessie White Photo of People at Farmer's Market Vegetables at the Market Farmer's Market Vendor |
| Four Corners Fly-In | 2021 | |
| Third Thursday | Third Thursday Third Thursday - Band | |
| Ute Mountain Mesa Verde Birding Festival | 2005 | Festival Website |