Documenting history of the Poudre River Corridor
How do you create a national heritage area? Through an act of Congress. But, who decides that a natural, cultural and/or historical landscape is worthy of Congressional attention? We imagine there are some colorful characters and stories behind the formation of our nation’s national parks and heritage areas. What kind of courage, controversy, commitment, and circumstances come into play?
Our Water Legacy program teases out the stories of people and events that shaped the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area (CALA). Since the time of our early ancestors, the Poudre River has been the lifeblood of northern Colorado for both wildlife and humans. Events during the days of early settlement as well as the modern demands on the Poudre River have been complex. It’s because of this that the Poudre River contributed significantly to the development of water law and the evolution of highly complex water delivery systems.
Featured Project: Lifting Voices from the Shadows
Through “Lifting Voices From the Shadows”, the Poudre Heritage Alliance (PHA), National Heritage Areas Program, CSU Native American Cultural Center and the Northern Arapaho have a rare opportunity to compile stories from Northern Arapaho women that run in parallel with, or counter to, the Suffragette movement and modern society.
As women who have been maligned for generations, the Northern Arapaho remain understandably wary and unlikely to trust their stories with outsiders. For centuries Northern Arapaho lived in the Cache la Poudre River basin before being forcibly removed by soldiers in the 1870’s from Colorado to Wyoming. Capturing stories from these people whose historic and spiritual homeland is the Cache la Poudre River is vital for our collective history, strengthening partnerships, building the PHA’s education and interpretation program, and in connecting people to their Poudre River heritage.
Grant support will enable our team to record women’s oral histories, host a webinar series, create educational videos and interpretive materials, and share relevant content that aligns with 19th Amendment milestones. With a somewhat limitless pool of untold stories to highlight, the possibilities are enormous.
