Brief by Central Staff
Local History – January 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine
For more than a generation, economic factors preserved Salida’s historic buildings. In the early 1950s, when many other places were getting suburbs, shopping centers, urban renewal, and other blights, Salida was spared because it was losing its major industry — the railroad — and nobody was investing in anything new.
Times change, though, and it may be that “not having enough money to build new buildings so we’ll keep using the old ones” will no longer protect Salida’s historic buildings.
Thus a new organization, Historic Salida Inc., is now in the process of getting organized. Earl Kittleman of Salida, one of the organizers, said they hope to have officers and a board of directors installed by the start of 2003.
The city already has a Historic Preservation Commission, along with a land use code that took effect last summer. The Commission can identify structures or neighborhoods that “contribute historic or architectural significance to the city,” and it can recommend designation as a historic landmark.
Historic Salida would work with the Commission, Kittleman said, “although we won’t confine ourselves just to the downtown historic district.”
The organization will help identify historic structures, and find guidance and assistance for property owners who want to adapt their old buildings for modern use without compromising their integrity. It also hopes to promote interest and respect for the past; publish a comprehensive handbook on historic resources; sponsor local exhibits; help private property owners obtain State Historic Fund grants: and purchase historic properties in danger of being lost.
There’s much more, of course. Annual memberships are available at dues that range from $5 for students to $250 for corporate, and you can send a check to Historic Salida Inc. at P.O. Box 70, Salida CO 81201. There’s no website yet, but Kittleman said he’d be glad to answer questions at 719-539-6153.