Historic Larimer County Schoolhouse to Undergo Public Restoration Project

With the help of community volunteers, members of HistoriCorps, and the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources, a piece of northern Colorado history will be preserved for the public to enjoy for years to come.

The groups will be working together to restore a historic schoolhouse that's located in Red Mountain Open Space in Larimer County. Red Mountain Open Space is approximately 25 miles north of Fort Collins, and is also part of the Laramie Foothills Mountains to Plains project that conserves more than 55,000 acres in the area.

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According to HistoriCorps, the schoolhouse has been standing for more than 100 years and is a great representation of Colorado's historical agricultural roots. The old wooden building was constructed by farmers and ranchers that settled in the area between the 1870s and 1920s. During this time period, settlers strongly believed in the importance of universal education, so they built schoolhouses for their children. It was also a way of making their new homes more permanent.

An article by History Colorado, explains that early schoolhouses constructed of logs, like the one in Red Mountain Open Space, are rare finds nowadays.

In order to restore the RMOS schoolhouse, volunteers will be repairing dry-stacked stone foundation, repairing and replacing sill and wall logs, stabilizing the school's floor system, and repairing and replacing chinking and daubing. The dates that volunteer workers are needed are June 27-July 2, July 11-16, July 18-23, and July 25-30. To sign up for the project, email volunteer@historicorps.org.