Huerfano County Historical Society

The Huerfano Heritage Center, established in memory of Alton Tirey, is an archival research hub preserving the story of Huerfano County through photographs, newspapers, and county records dating from 1890 to the present.

For as long as humans have walked this part of North America, the mountains have drawn people to settle and build lives here. Native American tribes honored it as sacred ground, open for all to pass through. Spanish settlers, French trappers, Yankee farmers, and Texas cattle herders followed. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, railroads and mines brought waves of immigrants—making the mines and ranches of Huerfano County the “Ellis Island of the Rockies.”

People from across the globe came seeking opportunity and a better life. Some stayed only briefly, while others planted deep roots that continue through their descendants today.

If you are searching for family ties to this extraordinary place, the Huerfano Heritage Center offers both resources and knowledge to help uncover your history.