History

Land acknowledgement

We acknowledge the land that Fort Lewis College is situated upon is the ancestral land and territory of the Nuuchiu (Ute) people who were forcibly removed by the United States Government. We also acknowledge that this land is connected to the communal and ceremonial spaces of the Jicarilla Abache (Apache), Pueblos of New Mexico, Hopi Sinom (Hopi), and Diné (Navajo) Nations. 

It is important to acknowledge this setting because the narratives of the lands in this region have long been told from dominant perspectives, without full recognition of the original land stewards who continue to inhabit and connect with this land. Thank you for your attention and respect in acknowledging this important legacy.

Listen to this land acknowledgement

Powered by place and people

The history of Fort Lewis College is interwoven with the history of the people of southwest Colorado and the Four Corners area - it is unique among the educational institutions in this country. This institution's history has shaped the college that overlooks Durango today and has served thousands of students.

 

Up from the Sagebrush

 
A History of the Old Fort

Timeline

Military barracks at the Old Fort

Military fort

 1880 - 1891

Fort Lewis, named after Lt. Col. William H. Lewis, exemplified Western frontier military life at the turn of the century.

Learn more about the military fort
 

Colorado Voices:
An Indian Boarding School

 
Rocky Mountain PBS

Indian boarding school

1892 - 1909

The Fort Lewis Indian Boarding School, ostensibly established for education, regrettably was a means of cultural cleansing. Students were forcefully removed from their homes and stripped of their traditions under poor conditions.


Read about reconciliation efforts

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High school

 1911 - 1933

Discover Fort Lewis High School, established in 1911. It offered agricultural and vocational education and operated alongside a two-year College until 1933, embodying a pivotal period in educational development.

Learn more about the high school
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Two-year college

 1927 - 1956

Explore the history of Fort Lewis, established in 1927 as a two-year college under Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University), evolving through milestones like wartime adaptations and eventual relocation to Durango.

Learn more about the two-year college

Reference resources

The history on this website was compiled using the following resources:

Books

  • Sacred Trust- The Birth and Development of Fort Lewis College by Duane A. Smith - 1991
  • Blue Coats, Red Skins & Black Gowns- 100 years of Fort Lewis by Robert W. Delaney - 1977

NOTE: If you want to obtain a copy of these books, contact La Plata County Historical Society in Durango, CO. 

Locations

  • Center of Southwest Studies (CSWS) at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO.
    Explore the CSWS online archive
  • Animas Museum (La Plata County Historical Society) in Durango, CO, 970-259-2402.

Special thanks to:

  • Dr. David Schafer, CSU-Ag Experiment Station (SJBRC) manager from 1990 until 2000.
  • Todd Ellison, Duane Smith, Catherine Conrad, and the rest of the Center of Southwest Studies staff.
  • Robert McDaniels and Charlie at Animas Museum.

Submit a piece of history

Do you have a photo or information to add to this page? Please send along historical images, context, or identifications.

Send us historical information

The Old Fort

18683 CO-140
Hesperus, CO 81326
 oldfortathesperus@fortlewis.edu
 970-385-4574

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Land Acknowledgement 

We acknowledge the land that the Old Fort is situated upon is the ancestral land and territory of the Nuuchiu (Ute) people who were forcibly removed by the United States Government. We also acknowledge that this land is connected to the communal and ceremonial spaces of the Jicarilla Abache (Apache), Pueblos of New Mexico, Hopi Sinom (Hopi), and Diné (Navajo) Nations.

The Old Fort and Fort Lewis College are committed to reconciling their history as a federal Indian Boarding School from 1892 to 1909.

Learn more about reconciliation

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The Old Fort is owned by the Colorado State Land Board and managed by Fort Lewis College.


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