Colorado State Archives

04/24/2026

CHRAB and the Society of American Archivists, with the help of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, are pleased to host a FREE virtual archives course, Building Advocacy and Support for Digital Archives on June 15 & 16, 2026!

This opportunity is ONLY open to Colorado archivists and residents. The course will take place over 2 days on June 15 & 16 from 12pm to 4pm MT and will be taught by Angela Fritz, PhD.

To register please email [email protected] with your name, affiliation, and whether you are an SAA member* by May 22, 2026. Limited spots are available so please register ASAP!

*SAA membership not a requirement or determination for participation, this is recorded for bookkeeping purposes.

For more information on the course, please visit the SAA Course Catalog at https://www2.archivists.org/prof-education/course-catalog/building-advocacy-and-support-for-digital-archives

02/24/2026

Colorado State Archives is experiencing issues with our phones today! We apologize if you have been trying to call our office and can't get through. We have alerted our IT department, but at this time we do not know when the phones will be back up. You can always reach our office by email, mail, fax, or our online records request form. Visit https://archives.colorado.gov/about/contact-us for more details.

The Colorado State Archives Research Room is located on the first floor of the Centennial building, one block south of the State Capitol building in Denver. Please call ahead to make arrangements to access a record, as it may not be immediately available at your disposal. Also, note that there is a....

12/24/2025

The Colorado State Archives will be closed for the holidays from Wednesday December 24th through Friday, December 26th.

📷 A black and white photograph depicting an unknown child seated next to a Christmas Tree. Image courtesy of the Colorado State Archives.

11/26/2025

Colorado State Archives will be closed starting at 2pm Wednesday, November 26th through Friday, November 28th. We will be open again on Tuesday, December 2nd. As always, feel free to submit any requests for records online, via email, or through mail at any time. See https://archives.colorado.gov/request for more information!

We hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday this week!

08/26/2025

NOTICE OF CHANGING HOURS FOR COLORADO STATE ARCHIVES
Starting September 15, 2025, the Colorado State Archives research room will be closed on Mondays. Requests can still be submitted at any time, day or night, through our Online Request Form or by email or mail. More information can be found at https://archives.colorado.gov/request

A lot of work goes into the back end of our archives to make our records searchable through our online database, process new collections as they come into our agency, and keep things organized and clean. These processes our patrons do not often see, but get to benefit from in different ways! Our research team, small but mighty, will be taking on various projects to make our records even more accessible and searchable.

08/13/2025

CHRAB has announced this years grant opportunities! Supply and digitization funds are being offered, up to $2,000. See their post for more details and the link to the application.

08/07/2025

The State Archives has made some records available for free online concerning the Granada War Relocation Camp known as Camp Amache. This camp was one of ten concentration camps used to incarcerate Japanese Americans during World War II. The camp was made a National Historic Site in 2024. The State Archives has several records concerning the camp. A selection of records, including photos and governor's correspondence, are available to view at our online exhibit site located at https://colorado.access.preservica.com/ Simply select the "Browse Archive" button to get started!

Colorado State Archives exists to ensure the preservation of the State’s permanent legal records and information and to promote their use by the citizens of Colorado. They are the legal repository for selected historical and contemporary records and information generated by state and local governm...

08/01/2025

Happy 149th Birthday Colorado!

If anyone visited the Capitol Building today for Colorado Day, you may have spotted the State Archives table showcasing records about the building of the Capitol and handing out stickers and postcards! We had a lot of fun meeting people from all over and showcasing a bit of history as well as our state emblems and symbols (including our new State Mushroom, the Emperor Mushroom!). We hope everyone had a good time!

Pictured: State Archives table with historical records and giveaway stickers and postcards, manned by two State Archives employees Aria Princehorn and Jennifer Simmons. Not pictured is Barbara Novak from the Department of Personnel and Administration who assisted as well.

07/03/2025

Here are a few snapshots from the recently processed Grand Junction Regional Center Collection at the Colorado State Archives. The Center was known by many different names during its long history. It began in 1886 as the Grand Junction Indian School, by the 1890s it was the Teller Institute, and in 1921 it became the State Home for Mental Defectives. The final incarnation was the Grand Junction Regional Center and it operated under that name until its closure in 2016.

This history was often a dark one, particularly during its time as the Teller Institute. Native children were taken from their homes to be "re-educated" and their languages and cultures suppressed. Funding was in short supply, leading to dilapidated buildings and unsanitary living conditions. At least 20 children died at the school and were buried on the grounds. The exact location of the cemetery is unknown, though efforts to locate it are ongoing.

Learn more about the Grand Junction Regional Center by visiting the Colorado State Archives and from our friends at the Colorado Encyclopedia.
https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/grand-junction-indian-boarding-school

📷 Four photographs depicting buildings at the Grand Junction Regional Center. Images Courtesy of the Colorado State Archives.

04/22/2025

On this day in 1896, the Federal Government purchased a site in Denver on Colfax avenue to build a facility to coin money. This building, known as the Denver Mint, is still operating today. Every coin with the letter "D" embossed in the lower right is produced at the Denver Mint.

📷 A black and white postcard showing a view of the Denver Mint, Public Library (now the McNichols Building), and State Capitol. Image courtesy of the Colorado State Archives.

04/16/2025

Information about the next free archives workshop from the Colorado Historical Records Advisory Board (CHRAB)!

🚨Free Archives Workshop🚨

CHRAB, with the help of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, is pleased to host a FREE archives workshop at All Aboard Westcliffe in Westcliffe, CO on June 9!

We are also offering a virtual option for anyone who cannot attend in person! Please follow the same registration steps below and specify you will be attending virtually. We will send you a video link the morning of the workshop.

Day 1 (June 9) will begin at 8:30am and feature a Processing session in the morning and a session on Archive Digitization in the afternoon, as well as a discussion on applying for grants. Breakfast and lunch will be provided on Day 1.

Day 2 (June 10) will be an opportunity for the presenters to conduct site visits to local, archival institutions in need of assistance or advice. If you are interested in a site visit for your institution, please include this in your registration email. Due to time constraints, site visits can be organized in the following counties: Custer, Huerfano, and Saguache and will be secured on a first come, first serve basis.

Presenters will be Colorado archive and museum professionals.

To register for this event, please email [email protected] with your name and the number of people who wish to attend by May 23, 2025.

We look forward to seeing you there!

01/01/2025

We are closed on Wednesday, January 1st to ring in the new year! Regular hours resume on Thursday. Here's to a great 2025!

📷 A black and white postcard depicting the "Tower of Jewels" at Lakeside Amusement Park at night. Image courtesy of the Colorado State Archives.