Francisco Fort Museum

123 West Francisco Street

PO Box 263

La Veta, Colorado 81055

Phone - 719-742-5501

Contact - E-mail us

Call or write for tour and general information.

Francisco Fort was built in 1862 by Col. John M. Francisco and Judge Henry Daigre on land purchased from the Vigil-St. Vrain Land Grant.    It was the first settlement in the Upper Cuchara Valley.   The two men, joined by Hiram Vasquez in 1863, supervised their vast farming and ranching operations from here.

Francisco Fort was an adobe structure with walls one foot thick, built in a square around an open plaza with the only opening to the north, and served as protection from Indian threat.   As more settlers moved into the area, the Plaza increased in importance as the commercial center of the area.   The first post office, named Spanish Peaks, opened here in 1871.

In 1876, the Denver and Rio Grand Railroad entered the town and the Plaza was opened up to allow the tracks to enter.   The depot was located in the southwest wing of the Fort.   During this same period the Post Office name was changed from Spanish Peaks to “La Veta”.    A permanent depot was built two blocks north in 1877 and the business section moved also, replacing the Plaza as the community hub.

The Fort was used for businesses, apartments and a private residence up until 1957 when it was purchased by the Town of La Veta and leased to the Huerfano County Historical Society for use as a Museum.    In 1958 three historic buildings were moved onto the museum grounds.   The Ritter School House, built in 1876, the Saloon, built in the 1880’s and a Log structure used as a blacksmith shop.

The Francisco Fort Museum, on the National Register of Historic Buildings, houses many fine artifacts from the 1700's through 1945 thanks to the generosity of county residents.    These artifacts include a working Columbian Organette, a 1908 Edison cylinder player, a Chinese shawl traded to Charles Bent on the Santa Fe Trail, Pony Express mail bags, a letter written by Lincoln, a Lightning Horse baler, Penitente collection, and over 1000 projectile points.    Trained docents also tell of Indian, pioneer, railroad, and mining history relative to the displays in our six buildings.    We also offer a gift shop of historical books, jewelry, Minnetonka moccasins, and more.