Historic La Veta, CO

La Veta, Colorado is situated on the eastern side of La Veta Pass through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and at the northern opening of the Cuchara River Valley. Just south of town is the foot of the West Spanish Peak.  One branch of the Santa Fe Trail led westward into the San Luis Valley via the Sangre de Cristo Pass. In 1862, a former sutler with the US Army at Fort Garland, Col. John M. Francisco, and Judge Henry Daigle built Fort Francisco on land purchased from the Vigil-St. Vrain Land Grant. Originally the Fort was a complete square built around an open plaza in the center. The only gateway opened to the north. The Fort was built of adobe one foot thick, with dirt floors and dirt roofs with parapets for defense. As more settlers moved into this beautiful and fertile valley, the Fort increased in importance as shelter from Indians and as the commercial center for the area.

The first settlement built in La Veta was the Francisco Fort. Established in 1862 by "Colonel" John M. Francisco, the two early historic buildings form a U-shape around an open courtyard.  When constructed, they had 18 to 24 inch thick adobe walls, dirt floors, and a dirt roof supported by vigas. The first Post Office, named Spanish Peaks, opened in the Plaza in 1871, and served as one of Huerfano County’s first polling places. The Fort served as a gateway for goods flowing out of the region as well as supplies and people flowing in. The town of La Veta grew up around the Fort, which continued to serve as a hotel, post office, storehouse, and private home. The Fort is now a museum owned and operated by the Town of La Veta, and the museum buildings are listed on the National Register.

In 1876, the narrow-gauge railroad came through La Veta several blocks north of the Fort on its way westward through the newly surveyed La Veta Pass The narrow gauge railroad, which crossed La Veta Pass into the San Luis Valley, was the highest U.S. railroad pass at the time.

 La Veta was platted by the railroad in 1876. This map shows the original map of La Veta from 1876. There were only 36 blocks defined. Main Street was known as 'Locust Street' and Ryus Avenue was known as 'Front Street'. The map shows the original course of the Cuchara River which meandered through the town. A flour mill was powered by the water that ran through the Mill Ditch on the east side of town.

In 1877 the permanent rail depot was built beside the rails and the business community slowly moved north to it.

By 1902 La Veta had grown considerably. The 'La Veta Addition' annexed the eastern area into the town limits adding 46 more blocks. 'Locust Street' had been renamed 'Main Street' as it is still known today, and 'Front Street' had been renamed 'Ryus Avenue'. The Cuchara River still meandered through town, occasionally causing extensive flooding.

The town of La Veta had a well-developed commercial district by 1912 asw indicated by this Sanborn map. The map was created to allow fire insurance companies to assess their total liability in urbanized areas of the United States. La Veta currently has far less retailers and restaurants than it did in 1912.

The 1917 map of La Veta shows continued growth of the town with the annexation of McComb's addition on the north side of town. The Cuchara River was channelized to control flooding.