of
Bent County
of
Bent County
History :
The Pioneer Historical Society of Bent County (PHSBC)works to preserve the history and heritage of Bent County through the operation and development of historic sites and the facilitation of programs and activities that interpret the cultural history of the region. The goals of the society include the successful operation and maintenance of the Kit Carson Museum in Las Animas, Boggsville Historic Site (ca. 1862-1873), the 1912 Bent County Jail, and development of a new John Rawlings museum in the 1898 Las Animas IOOF Building. The success of these efforts has been due to not only the Society but also the people of Bent County who have donated their time, their energies, and their memorabilia
The Pioneer Historical Society of Bent County (PHSBC) was founded in 1957 by a group of concerned citizens who saw the need to preserve local history. It became a non-profit corporation by 1968. In 1985 historic Boggsville, falling within a 110-acre site, was donated to the society. The Boggsville Revitalization Committee of PHSBC was then formed to organize, research, rebuild, and develop the site as an interpretive center for the early development of farming, ranching, and western settlement in Colorado's southeastern plains.
PHSBC published Bent County History in 1986. The third printing of this historical record was completed in 1993.
In 2000 the society was able to
purchase (with funding from the Colorado State Historical Fund) the 1898
Odd Fellows Building in Las Animas. Historical assessment of the building
was completed in 2001. Plans and specifications for Phase 1 building restoration
are completed, and the project is currently on an in-progress restoration process.
Funding for the project is coming from SHF, the Federal Highway Administration, and local
donations through the society.
The society has also worked to save
the 1912 Bent County Jail. A $21,000 endowment was raised in the community
to encourage the county to reverse plans for its destruction. That effort
was successful, and the building is now being operated and maintained by
the society. The jail was the boyhood home of Ken Curtis (Gunsmoke's
Festus Hagan), and a good example of early 20th century courthouse-related
architecture.
Accomplishments
& Goals:
Work has begun in earnest on the IOOF Building in
Las Animas. The outer parts of the structure are really showing great progress. Boggsville has
been a busy place this season with a variety of educational activities and tourism promotions.
Preserving, interpreting, and presenting the stories and history and enhancing the historical value of this
area of Bent County's past is what the Pioneer Historical Society of Bent County is all about. It is
important that people realize that the past created the present, and the present will create the future.
Additional Sources of Interest:
Development Credit: Billie Jackson
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