Homesteading Resources of Escalante Canyon

Listed: 2013

Constructed: Captain Smith: 1911; Walker Homestead:1911; Waterwheel: 1933

Threat: Demolition by neglect; vacant Closest Town to Resource: Delta

Significance: The three Homesteading Sites of Escalante Canyon (Captain Smith’s Cabin, Walker Homestead, and the Waterwheel) are all unique to the canyon area, not only for their manner of construction but for the historical elements attached to them. The Homesteading Sites of Escalante Canyon have experienced severe deterioration due to a lack of maintenance, the elements, and vandalism. It is hopeful that with a land transfer between the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the Bureau of Land Management, these resources will be fully restored.

Site Needs: Funding, repairs to the Captain Smith building, interpretive signage?

Update: An HSA was completed for the site. CPI worked with the Interpretive Association of Western Colorado to limit vandalism to the site and host a Weekend Workshop at the property in late 2017. The Walker Homestead and the Smith Cabin were “mothballed” during the workshop to prepare for restoration. An initial SHF grant was secured for the Walker Cabin in 2018, which will be completed in early 2022.

Listed: 2001

Constructed: 1893

Threat: Demolition

Closest Town to Resource: Durango

Significance: The Durango Powerhouse was the first power plant in the nation to supply AC power. The plant was shut down in the 1970s, and without a new use, it was in danger of being demolished. In 2002, Durango City Council passed a resolution supporting the rebirth of the Powerhouse as the Durango Discovery Museum. After a few years, the museum struggled to gain footing and was reorganized and re-opened as the successful Powerhouse Science Center. The center features interactive exhibits and displays that creatively incorporate equipment and building features and includes public meeting space and an adjacent “maker space” that allows for community use for woodworking, pottery, experimentation, and small-scale industrial projects.

Fruita Bridge

Listed: 2002

Constructed: 1907

Threat: Natural elements; vandalism; abandonment

Closest Town to Resource: Fruita

Significance: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Fruita Bridge was completed in 1907 and is one of the few remaining spans associated with noted bridge engineer M.J. Patterson. This steel and wood three-span bridge served as a regionally important early roadway to cross the Colorado River for years. The City of Fruita completed an assessment as a first step toward building local support to stabilize and rehabilitate the bridge for bike/pedestrian use along a river trail stretching from Fruita to Grand Junction. The National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program began a river trail planning project in 2005 that plans to incorporate the bridge. Due to the erosion of an island in the river, water flow seriously damaged one of the bridge’s piers. The City is waiting for future funding before continuing the project.

Site Needs: Engage the City to begin work on a pedestrian trail and contact other trails for guidance and direction.

Update: CPI met with the Rotary Club and the City of Fruita to discuss efforts to incorporate the bridge into a larger bike/pedestrian trail. The City supports these efforts, but more needs to be done to move this forward. Although no progress has been made to create trial linkages to the bridge, the bridge is safe from imminent danger of loss due to neglect or lack of awareness by the community.

Grand Junction Railroad Depot

Listed: 2010

Constructed: 1906

Threat: Demolition by neglect; vacancy; roadway expansion

Closest Town to Resource: Grand Junction

Significance: Constructed in 1906, the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Depot in Grand Junction opened on September 18, 1906, the same day the tragic earthquake struck San Francisco. The Grand Junction Depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Unfortunately, the Depot has fallen out of service and now stands vacant. The building is currently for sale, and stakeholder meetings are taking place to secure a prominent future.

Site Needs: Implement redevelopment plans and retention of Amtrak service to the site. Tenant and leasing strategies for re-use.

Update: The depot has sold to a more preservation-minded buyer who is in discussions with the City of Grand Junction and has received a mini-grant to begin planning for its redevelopment. The depot was purchased in 2015, and Kraai Design was contracted as the architect for the project. Plans are developing with assistance from a grant from the State Historical Fund, but a CDOT highway widening project may hinder successful redevelopment.