OUR MISSION:
“To discover and conserve cultural heritage and historic assets and to ensure their accessibility to present and future generations.”
ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE:
- Historical Society of Idaho Springs operates the James and Lucy Underhill home – now a museum in downtown Idaho Springs
- Establishment of the City’s National Historic District and reinvigorated business area
- The establishment of the HPRC – the Historic Preservation Review Commission
- Construction, development and management of The Heritage Museum and Visitor Center
- Heritage Center is the beginning of the Mount Evans Scenic and Historic Byway in which the Historical Society of Idaho Springs established, in partnership with the US Forest Service.
- The Historic Sites and Facilities Agreement, a partnership between the City of Idaho Springs and the Historical Society of Idaho Springs is a comprehensive approach to preservation and management of all the historic properties owned by the City and HSIS. This cutting-edge agreement ensures that our donors are making a secure investment in the future of this unique and historic community. Properties include:
- Underhill Museum
- Heritage Museum and Visitor Center
- Charlie Taylor Waterwheel
- Central Hose House, Bryan and #2 Hose Houses
- Jackson Monument
- Historic Train #60-Old Smoke and Cinders
- Steve Canyon Statue
- Pioneer Cemetery
- Blue Ribbon Tunnel
- Powder House
- Grounds of the Idaho Springs Public Library that include: the Arastra World War II Memorial and the Civil War Canon
- Donated the Grass Valley School Building to City of Idaho Springs for use as a City Hall.
- Awarded a grant from Colorado State Historical Fund to assess the Central Hose House, (future fire museum).
- Donated the Locomotive #60 and Coach #70 – narrow gauge trains to the City of Idaho Springs
- Applied, obtained and executed a grant for the renovation of the Bryan Hose House.
- Cooperated in the production of the Idahoe Movie and 3 additional mini-documentaries.
- Organized and digitized over 14,000 historic photos in our collection – onsite photo studio provides repair and copy historical photo digitizing services within the community.
- Built current museum exhibits.
- Provide support to volunteer Lou Howard in organizing Idaho Springs Cemetery records, placing them on our website.
- Restored Plummer (responsible for the library) and Griswold (first Idaho Springs Mayor) cemetery gravesites.
- Recorded over 60 oral histories.
- PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED BY THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY:
- Tailings, Tracks and Tommyknockers – A History of Clear Creek County, 1st & 2nd editions
- Victorian House Tour Guide
- Idaho Springs Walking Tour Guide
- The Water Wheel at Idaho Springs, Colorado
- The Idaho Newspaper
- and others…..