Skip to main content
search
Category

Uncategorized

Apr 09
Love0
Sunrise on the river

The Need to Know on the Capture the Cache Photo Contest

By Capture the Cache, Events, Uncategorized

Photograph: A word whose Greek roots mean “written in light.” A photograph captures a moment in time, a memory, even a feeling. These moments create a visual story of the people, places, or objects in the photo.  

The Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area’s annual photo contest provides a platform for individuals to tell the story of our heritage area through the visual representation of photography. The Capture the Cache photo contest celebrates the natural beauty, culture, and heritage of the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area. The contest is an opportunity for amateur or professional photographers to express their creativity while exploring the heritage area.  

”Eternal glory! That’s what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament.

Professor DumbledoreThe Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter Series

Unfortunately, there will be no eternal glory, but you will obtain bragging rights as a winner of the Capture the Cache photo contest! There will be a chance to win cash and non-cash prizes too. Competitors must be 16 years of age and older to enter. 

The contest ends on May 10, 2024, so get your cameras snapping! 

The heritage area extends for 45 miles and includes the lands within the 100-year flood plain of the Cache la Poudre River. It begins in Larimer County at the eastern edge of the Roosevelt National Forest and ends east of Greeley, a quarter mile west of the confluence with the South Platte. Photos must be taken within the confines of the heritage area. Full list of rules and regulations.  

2024 Categories

Outdoor Community Culture

Outdoor Community Culture photos are meant to capture the community of the Cache la Poudre River and surrounding river corridor. This could include anything from dogs, music festival, brewery patio life, photos of the scenery along the many hiking and biking trails, and/or attendance of community events. These photos are meant to capture the essence of what it is like to live in the heritage area. This is YOUR community, so show us the community through your eyes! 

History Along the River Corridor

The Poudre River is as rich in history as it is in natural wonders. History Along the River Corridor hopes to showcase the plethora of historical sites and stories along the corridor. 

These could include spots such as 1979 Avery House, 1883 Water Works, B.H. Eaton Ditch, Bingham Hill Cemetery, Cache la Poudre Marker, City of Natural Area and Trails Division at Signature Bluffs, Council Tree, Great Western Sugar Beet Flume and Bridge, Greeley Ditch #3, Greeley History Museum, Kaplan-Hoover Bison Bone Bed, Lake Canal Museum of Art Fort Collins, Pleasant Valley School House, Strauss Cabin, Von Trotha-Firestien Farm at Bracewell, Windsor History Museum and more. This is a list to get you started.  

In Motion

The river corridor is always in constant motion, whether it’s water flowing, a cyclist biking along the trail, or a train crossing the bridge over the river. These photos are meant to capture the movement of the river and the surrounding river corridor. This could include but is not limited to people cycling, hiking, or rafting, and/or running water, and moving trains. 

Q&A with the 2023 Winners

Full gallery of 2023 winners.

3rd place | Recreation & Lifestyle
2nd place | River Reflections
Water Works | Credit: Dave Cho | Tours & Itineraries
2nd place | History & Culture

Terry Walsh

3rd place Recreation & Lifestyle

What did you enjoy most about the contest? 

When I heard about the contest, I thought it would be fun to enter and hopefully get my photos seen by others.  But honestly, the most enjoyable part of entering was going back through my photos and choosing which ones to submit.  That gave me the chance to relive some great memories and enjoy the Poudre all over again. 

Why did you decide to enter the contest? 

I was hoping to get recognition for some of my photos if they won, but just as important was the idea of sharing my photos with others.  The river has so much to offer that it is good to see the organization getting more people to see what the river and surrounding area has to offer. 

John Bartholow

2nd place River Reflections

What did you enjoy most about the contest? 

Of course, I enjoyed “winning”.  But frankly, I think our whole community “wins” when we — as a community — appreciate the Cache la Poudre River’s many assets.  For too many years, the Poudre was essentially a dumping ground.  Downtowns turned their backs on the river.  All we could think about was pulling as much water out as the law would allow.  Finally, those old ethics are changing.  More and more people recognize the value of an ecologically resilient river for recreation, flood control, and other non-extractive uses.  We have a lot more to do in terms of protection and restoration, but at least we are making progress.  So, I do what I can to show the river’s beauty and how the community values water *In the River*, not just out of it. 

Why did you decide to enter the contest? 

Building on the first question, I enjoy photography and the Poudre has been one focus for years and years. I enjoy sharing my work for almost any non-profit that has a use for it — again, hoping to appeal to the ‘better angels’ of restoration and protection.  The river itself has no voice; we must be that voice that welcomes a cadre of supporters. 

Dave Cho

1st place History & Culture

What did you enjoy most about the contest? 

I most enjoyed getting to know the river much more than I had previously known. Looking for and finding interesting spots and features forced me to get more familiar with the areas in and around the river and the surrounding areas. I found a new appreciation for beauty and recreational opportunities as well as the people and organizations that work on conservation efforts. 

Why did you decide to enter the contest? 

I’m a photographer hobbyist and some friends encouraged me to enter the contest. I thought it would be fun and challenging and a great excuse to go out and photograph. The different categories within the contest provided a nice incentive to see the river in different ways and forced me to expand my vision on what is possible around the river. 

Greg Boiarsky

2nd place History & Culture

What did you enjoy most about the contest? 

I got a chance to look at the Poudre River in a different light. It made me walk (and bike!) along the trail just looking for historic sites and photographing different aspects of the trail than I had photographed before. 

Why did you decide to enter the contest? 

Honestly, it was fun to try my hand at winning a contest with my photos. I like sharing my photographic perspective with friends and the wider community. You can’t swing a cat without hitting a fabulous photographer in Fort Collins, so it was an honor being chosen. 

Apr 08
Love0

Mexican American History Project Greeley

By News, Uncategorized

Did you know a book has never been written about the history of Mexican Americans in Greeley using their voices, stories, and perspectives? Now, a group is working to change that.

The Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area recently sat down with the Mexican American History Project Greeley (MAHPG) to learn more about their work to tell their stories and address this gap in Greeley’s recorded history.

”“Our organization’s goal is to provide a resource book that highlights the history and contributions Mexican Americans have made to Greeley’s success since there is a gap regarding this information in Greeley’s general history. This book will help to give a voice and perspective of Greeley Mexican Americans that is seldom heard and validate our history and contributions in a place we call home.”

Emma Pena-McCleaveProject Coordinator for MAHPG

The book will delve into personal stories of Mexican Americans from Northern Colorado and their long-standing history in Greeley. While Mexican Americans have a longer history in the region, the book will focus on stories from 1920 and later. The goal of this work is to provide young Mexican Americans a strong cultural self-identity while helping to educate the community at large on the contributions and impact Mexican Americans have made on Greeley’s culture, community, and major industries such as the farming, packing plants, construction, and more recently, oil and gas.

The first section of the book will provide a collection of intensive research into historical documents from Greeley about the history and contributions of Mexican Americans in the community. The second half will hold thirty-nine stories from first-hand interviews with Greeley Mexican American residents. Gathered as part of the group’s oral history project, the stories showcase the residents’ perspectives of Greeley’s past, present, and future.

The group hopes to complete the book by April 30, 2025. Once published, MAHPG will distribute sets, English and Spanish, to Weld County schools, libraries, museums, and community centers, providing updated resources about local Mexican American history for school-age students and the community. The book will also be one of the few resources available in Spanish that provides an insight into the past and present of Greeley’s Mexican American community.

Dr. Dierdra Pilch, Weld District 6 Superintendent, was very receptive to the concept of the book stating, “It’s about time.”

While the Mexican American History Project Greeley has come a long way from inception, the group is still in the process of raising money for the publishing and distribution phase of the book.

To learn more about this incredible project, visit Mexican American History Project Greeley – Home (mahpg.org).

Apr 04
Love0

Press Release: Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area Receives National Endowment for Humanities Grant

By News, Uncategorized

FORT COLLINS, Colorado, April 9, 2024 — The Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area (Cache NHA) has been awarded a $24,000 grant by the National Endowment for the Humanities’ (NEH) Public Impact Projects at Smaller Organizations Program for a two-year inclusive stories project to build interpretive capacity and conduct research to identify under told stories in historic collections and archives in the heritage area.

“We embrace the importance of culture to the people and places along the Cache la Poudre River and the inclusive nature of telling the stories of all people,” said Sabrina Stoker, executive director of the Cache NHA.

Part of this project provides funding for Cache NHA staff and partners to participate in a series of interpretation certificate programs with the National Association for Interpretation (NAI). The program will result in the NHA having two certified interpretive trainers to sustainably train volunteers and staff across heritage area and its partners in heritage interpretation. The National Association for Interpretation is an international professional organization based out of Fort Collins, Colorado, dedicated to advancing the profession of interpretation.

“We are beyond excited to continue the necessary work to ensure that the stories we tell of our heritage area fully reflect the diversity of experiences of its people, past and present, in all their complexity,” said Heidi Fuhrman, project director and heritage interpreter on staff. “There is much work to be done, but this is an important step towards making sure all individuals in our heritage area see their stories reflected in how we choose to talk about our past.”

The research phase of the project will focus on collections from regional repositories that document the legacy, history, and experiences of Hispanic and Latinx families, individuals, and communities within the heritage area. While seeking to better understand the diverse stories of Hispanic and Latinx heritage found within regional archives, the research will also result in creation of a regional research guide to Hispanic/Latinx collections that will support ongoing research and interpretation beyond the project lifespan.

Dr. Jared Orsi, Professor at Colorado State University and Director of the CSU Public and Environmental History Center, and Katie Ross, Curator of Collections at the City of Greeley Museums, will provide research support, background knowledge, and serve as scholars and historians on this project.

The NEH Public Impact Project at Smaller Organizations Grants Program supports America’s small and mid-sized cultural organizations, especially those from underserved communities, in enhancing their interpretive strategies and strengthening their public humanities programming. Cache NHA was one of twenty-eight organizations across the nation to receive this funding.

###

ABOUT THE CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA: The Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area, managed by the Poudre Heritage Alliance, a regional non-profit, works to promote a variety of historical and cultural opportunities, engage people in the river corridor and inspire learning, preservation, and stewardship through collaborative partnerships and providing funding to community benefiting projects within the heritage area.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR HUMANITIES: Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at: www.neh.gov.

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this web resource, do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Mar 05
Love0

The Cost of Water Poudre River Forum 2024

By Events, News, Uncategorized

On Friday, March 1 the Poudre River Forum, “The Cost of Water,” wrapped up at Aims Community College Welcome Center in Greeley. There was over 220 people in attendance.

“I found the varying views most impactful,” said one attendee. “It was obvious that not everyone in the room could agree on everything, but the common goal was the Cache la Poudre River’s best interests, and I loved that.”

The morning was dedicated to laying out the costs of water while the afternoon provided insights into the current solutions being explored and implemented in Northern Colorado.

  • MicrosoftTeams-image (20)
  • MicrosoftTeams-image (16)
  • MicrosoftTeams-image (17)
  • MicrosoftTeams-image (18)
  • MicrosoftTeams-image (19)
  • MicrosoftTeams-image-15-1
  • MicrosoftTeams-image (13)

The morning panel: Laying Out the Costs

Panelists: Adam Jokerst, Westwater Research; Dr. Chris Goemans, Colorado State University; Donnie Dustin, City of Fort Collins; Calar Chaussee, Town of Wellington Mayor; Moderator: Zach Thode, Roberts Ranch

The afternoon panel: Working toward Solutions

Panelists: Dena Egenhoff, City of Greeley; Karen Schlatter, Colorado Water Center; Christ Matkins, Ally Utility Consulting; Kate Ryan, Colorado Water Trust

The presentation slides are available here.

The videos are available on the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area’s YouTube channel.

“It was my first time attending, and I will absolutely be back. Great information the entire day and I really walked away with so much more knowledge than walking in.”

Attendee

The 2024 Poudre Pioneer Award was presented to Randy Gustafson during a lunchtime speech from Katie Donahue, Director of Natural Areas with City of Fort Collins, and Kellen Dowdy, Water Resource Planning and Watershed Program Manager with City of Greeley.

The day wrapped up with hearty laughter and engaging conversation between Alex Hager, KUNC reporter, and keynote speaker, Robert Sakata.

“Without the farmer, you would be hungry, naked and sober,” said Sakata with a laugh as he pointed to his shirt with the saying.

A casual reception capped the day allowing attendees to connect over beverages crafted from Poudre River water.

Thank you to our local, state and US legislators in attendance for caring about water issues in Colorado and being a part of the solution.

Thank you to Horse & Dragon Brewing Company and Odell Brewing Company for providing refreshments. Our sincere gratitude to attendees, volunteers and sponsors who made the event possible, including the City of Greeley, Northern Water and Fort Collins Utilites. A huge thank you to the Aims Community College event staff.

We hope you join us for forum next year on March 7, 2024!

Feb 06
Love0

Just Add Water: Benjamin Eaton’s Life Experiences before Settling in the Poudre River Valley

By Stories, Uncategorized

Benjamin Eaton grew up in Ohio in the 1830s and 1840s.  Upon reaching adulthood, he undertook a series of tasks and adventures that prepared him well for the future role he would play in settling the Poudre River Valley.  While still in Ohio, he was a surveyor assistant on the new railroads passing near his family’s farm.  He moved to Oakland Township in Louisa County, Iowa, in 1854 where he taught school and initially farmed on shares.  He joined the Columbus City, Iowa, Pikes Peak Expedition in spring 1859 that departed for the Colorado gold fields.  The group followed the South Platte River into Colorado, camping one night at the mouth of the Poudre River. 

That summer, the Iowans searched for gold, encountering the rules and technology being used in the mining districts which permitted everyone to join the search for gold.  The Miner’s Codes allocated land and water in a first-in-time, first-in-right manner, making sure that each took only the amount of land and water that he/she could actively utilize.  Ditches were dug to move the water out of the streams to the sluiceways.  The mining camps had a great need for hay (fuel) for the horsepower needed to keep the mining operations active.  Observing this scene and noting its function and needs would serve Eaton well later in life.

After six months, all members of the Columbus City Expedition, except Eaton, returned to Iowa.  He decided to check out other mining camps and met another Iowan, Jim Hill, from Wappelo, Iowa – a community less than 20 miles from Eaton’s Iowa farm.  In December 1860, Eaton and Hill joined the Second Baker Expedition to search for gold in the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado.  The effort was unsuccessful with miners dispersing.  Eaton and Hill passed through Fort Garland on their way south where they observed the Hispanic irrigation developments.  They begin farming on shares at the Maxwell Land Grant, in Cimarron, New Mexico, working within the acequia system for constructing, maintaining and operating an irrigation ditch. 

In late summer 1863, Eaton and Hill departed Cimarron, heading toward Denver, with the intent of visiting Iowa (and, for Eaton, Ohio) before returning to Colorado to homestead.  Where to homestead?  Before heading east, employed as drivers of freight wagons, they returned to the mouth of the Poudre and camped, again.   About 12 miles up the Poudre, where the valley widened and natural hay meadows existed, they staked their claims with a hastily constructed claim ‘shack’. 

In March, 1864, Eaton marries Rachel Hill, Jim Hill’s sister.  Early summer they depart Iowa for Colorado via covered wagon, to take up the homestead claims made the previous fall.  As they travel up the Poudre River in July 1864, Eaton notes the extremely lush native hay meadows at their homestead.  Their arrival occurred a little more than one month after the flood that forced the military to move their camp from Laporte to a new site – Fort Collins.  Eaton realized, that July, that he could make a large sum of money transporting the large supply of hay from his farm to mining camps – camps he knew well. 

Over the next six years, Eaton constructs the B.H. Eaton ditch to water his hay meadows at times other than nature’s one natural irrigation each spring.  He establishes a prosperous farm and helps the growing community build its first schoolhouse along the banks of the Whitney Ditch, just north of the Poudre River, southwest of today’s downtown Windsor. 

In late 1869 Eaton learns of Nathan Meeker’s and Horace Greeley’s plans to create the Union Colony in the general area of the Poudre River.  Eaton suggests the broad area around where the Box Elder Creek enters the Poudre River (near the Council Tree).  However, Meeker decides to locate the Colony where the new train tracks cross the Poudre River, and about five miles from where it empties into the South Platte River. 

Thus, Eaton had experience with surveying, moving water away from rivers via canals/ditches, and procedures Hispanics and miners use to allocate water among competing users.   This, along with his strong initiative, puts him in an excellent position make major contributions to Colorado’s water infrastructure and, in turn, creation of Colorado water law. 

Photo Credit:

Archive at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery c. 1911

References:

Norris, Jane E. and Lee G. 1990. Written in water: the life of Benjamin Harrison Eaton.  Ohio University Press, Athens.  

Hobbs, Greg. 1997. Colorado Water Law: An Historical Overview. Vol 1(1): Water Law Review, University of Denver, Denver Colorado [http://duwaterlawreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/1UDenvWaterLRev1.pdf]

Mar 07
Love0

2023 Poudre River Forum Recap

By News, Uncategorized
May 10
Love0

May is Historic Preservation Month!

By News, Uncategorized

Celebrate Historic Preservation Month! See the list below of things you can do this month to connect with history in the NoCo area.

Traces of the Past History Tours

Location: Fort Collins, CO

Website: Traces of the Past History Tours – Home

Explore the history of Fort Collins and the surrounding region with Traces of the Past History Tours. We offer guided tours and formal programs that are fun and educational for all ages. Choose from two tour options of Fort Collins and special tours of sites around the CO/WY/NE region. Our Saturday evening talks give you an opportunity to learn about interesting historical topics in great detail. To add to the enjoyment, our tour guide and program presenter is dressed in historic period clothing and displays original and reproduction period objects to enhance the experience. We look forward to seeing you!

Majestic Mountains Scenic Rides

Location: Fort Collins, CO

Website: Sightseeing tour, Ft Collins Tours, Majestic Mtns Scenic Rides (majesticmountainsscenicrides.com)

Scenic sightseeing and history tours to the Northern Colorado Mountains leaving from Fort Collins.  The driver will guide you along the way with points of interest and interesting facts. Each tour is filled with beautiful scenery and your guide gives the history of the settlers and pioneers of the areas we visit.  There are multiple stops to allow for photographs along the way.

 

Greeley History Museum

Location: Greeley,CO

Website: Greeley History Museum | Greeley Museums

The Greeley History Museum provides 34,000 square feet to explore and learn about the history of Greeley and notable community members such as Nathan Meeker, Rattlesnake Kate, Dr. Ella Mead, and P.T. Barnum, as well as bison hunters, cowboys, stoop laborers and prisoners of war from World War II. They maintain the permanent display “Utopia: Adaptation on the Great American Desert,” which teaches about the earliest human inhabitants of the Union Colony, the contributions of water buffaloes, mavericks, and mentors. The museum schedules traveling and temporary exhibits which feature artifacts from the museum’s archives.

Centennial Village Museum

Location: Greeley, CO

Website: Centennial Village Museum | Greeley Museums

This living history museum, situated on eight acres, features over 30 original homes and structures, lush gardens and paved walking paths providing a look at local life from the 1870s through early 1930s. Costumed interpreters guide visitors through the early history of our region in these buildings and period landscaped grounds. Throughout the summer, families can take part in interactive experiences from one-room school to military demonstrations on horseback. During a visit to Centennial Village, you will learn about how our early pioneers lived on the high-plains region of Colorado, especially focused on our agricultural heritage.

Windsor Art & Heritage Center

Stop by the Art and Heritage Center in Windor to celebrate History Preservation Month!

Location: 116 5th St, Windsor, CO

Website: Historic Preservation | Windsor, CO – Official Website (windsorgov.com)

Friday, May 13th, 2022: 5:30-7:30

Saturday, May 14th, 2022: 10am- noon

Enjoy a fun history activity and light refreshments while you learn about Windsor’s historic buildings!

Aug 23
Love0

Nature Conservancy’s Phantom Canyon Preserve Highlights Poudre River’s Heritage

By News, Uncategorized

(Excerpt from article)

“A KEY ROLE IN HISTORY

While most visitors to the Phantom Canyon preserve come for the beauty of the landscape, few realize the historical significance around them: It was in this watershed where Western water law was born.

In the 1870s a drought led to overdrawing of the water in the Cache la Poudre River. Irrigation canals dried up, causing a dispute between two of the water users – upstream farmers near Fort Collins and downstream farmers in the Union Colony commune founded by Horace Greeley, famous for having declared, “Go West, young man!”

The issue was settled in court in favor of the first water users – the Union Colony commune – a decision that formed the bedrock principle of Western water law: “First in time, first in right.” In recognition of this, Congress declared the Cache la Poudre River a National Heritage Area*** in 1996.”

***The exact boundaries of the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area lie to the south and east of Phantom Canyon Preserve. The Heritage Area designation begins along the eastern edge of the Roosevelt National Forest near the mouth of the Poudre Canyon and extends through 45 miles of the river until its confluence with the South Platte River east of Greeley, Colorado. It was designated as National River Corridor in 1996, and then as an official National Heritage Area in 2009.

For the full article, check out the Nature Conservancy’s website here.

May 30
Love1

Poudre Heritage Alliance and the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area Announce Three Large Grant Recipients for 2017 Totaling $29,212

By News, Uncategorized

May 30, 2017

The Poudre Heritage Alliance (PHA) and the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area (CALA) have given out their large grant awards for 2017 to the following local projects: the Historic Windmill installation and interpretation at Centennial Village in Greeley; the restoration of the James Ross Proving-up House at the Farm at Lee Martinez Park in Fort Collins; and the Nature Rides Program through the Growing Project and the Boys and Girls Club in Northwest Fort Collins. The total award to all three recipients will equal $29,212 out of PHA’s budget, which largely originates from federal funding sources. See below for more information about these projects:

Historic Windmill Installation: Centennial Village Museum, established as a Centennial-Bicentennial community project in 1976 adjacent to Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley, CO, was designed as a living history site to interpret the architectural and cultural heritage of Greeley, Weld County and northeastern Colorado, The Historic Windmill project would repair and re-install a Steel Eclipse Type WG (worm gear) Fairbanks-Morse and Company windmill that includes a stock tank with a recirculating water system in the High Plains section of the Village. The windmill interprets the delivery of water for domestic use, stock raising, and irrigating crops in the rural irrigated and dryland districts of Weld County. An interpretive panel adjacent to the windmill plus curriculum materials for presentations at the annual spring and fall History festivals at the Village will be developed as a part of this project.

Proving-up House Restoration: Saved from demolition in 2005, the City of Fort Collins moved the historic 1890 James Ross “proving-up” house to storage until an appropriate permanent placement for educational purposes could be found. The only documented proving-up house known to exist in Larimer County, the Ross House has survived for 127 years. The Homestead Act of 1862 was adopted to get vast government lands west of the Mississippi into private hands for settlement and development. The Act mandated homesteaders had to build a small dwelling, live in it, improve the land, and after five years, for an $18 filing fee, they owned that quarter section of land. These houses, sometimes called “claim or filing shanties” often had no foundation and were portable, to be able to “prove-up” other holdings. Last fall, the Ross House was relocated to The Farm at Lee Martinez Park along the Cache la Poudre River in Fort Collins, where it will be restored and interpreted for the enjoyment and education of all citizens.

Nature Rides Program: The Growing Project (TGP) is developing a new, educational program that connects youth from The Boys and Girls Club to natural areas in Northwest Fort Collins for activities related to the watershed and local ecology with Growing Project educators and experts. TGP will work with Bike Fort Collins and the Bike Co-op to secure bikes and bicycle education for youth participants to ride from their facilities to the natural areas with TGP staff. Part of programming will include occasional service days that will partner with The City of Fort Collins to do clean up in the natural areas and learn about river health from City experts. Youth will also have the opportunity to invite family members on these rides.

More about CALA and PHA: The Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area is one of 49 National Heritage Areas (NHA) in the United States. NHAs are places where natural, cultural, historic, and scenic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally distinctive landscape arising from patterns of human activity shaped by geography. CALA stretches 45 miles along the curves and bends of the hard-working Poudre River from the eastern border of the rugged Roosevelt National Forest, down through the blossoming cities of Fort Collins, Windsor, and Greeley, until the vital water resource conjoins with the South Platte River in the Colorado eastern plains. As the managing organization behind CALA, the Poudre Heritage Alliance serves the local communities of Larimer and Weld County by building a deeper understanding of the Poudre River’s national significance as it relates to water law and water management. PHA and CALA bring together residents, private organizations, and government entities behind this common goal, while also enticing tourists with the recreational, environmental, and historical points of interest throughout the Heritage Area. PHA programs and initiatives that support these efforts include volunteer trainings, grant-funded projects, and outreach events that help educate people about water history and the importance of the Poudre River corridor today.

 

For more information about PHA or CALA, please contact the Poudre Heritage Alliance Office
at admin@poudreheritage.org or 970-295-4851.

Close Menu