In 2104, SPOT and the Salida School Board partnered to receive a History Colorado State Historical Fund award toward Phase One of the rehabilitation of the historic Valley View School.
For more information, please see Valley View PowerPoint 2017.
Located two miles west of Salida on CR 140, the Valley View School was built in 1903 and served as an early rural schoolhouse and community facility until 1943. In 1958 Roberta Koenig purchased the property, and in 2003 it was donated to the Salida School District by her family, the George Richardsons. That year, the non-profit Historic Salida, Inc., conducted a Historic Structure Assessment and nominated the property to the National Register of Historic Places.
SPOT applied to the State Historical Fund to help preserve a piece of Chaffee County history, re- use a deteriorated building, and provide educational opportunities for the Salida School District and the entire community. Partners in the project are the Salida School District, the City of Salida, the Greater Arkansas River Nature Association (GARNA), and numerous professionals and community volunteers.
Phase One, which is now complete, provided for a new roof and a rebuilt chimney to the schoolhouse as well as design documents for the entire renovation project. SPOT is currently apply to the History Colorado State Historical Fund again this year for Phase Two funding in 2019-2020. The planned use for the Valley View School will be used by the Greater Arkansas River Nature Association (GARNA) for their office headquarters. It will be used as a field center for ecology education and a venue for seminars, public programs and meetings.
Thank you to everyone involved in this exciting project.