06/16/2026
Adobe has always been more than a building material in the San Luis Valley. Made from earth, water, and straw, it carries centuries of Indigenous and Hispano knowledge, connecting communities to one another and to the landscape itself. Unlike stone or steel, adobe survives only through care. It must be repaired, replastered, and renewed by each generation that inherits it.
The State Historical Society of Colorado acquired Fort Garland in 1945 and embarked on an ambitious effort to preserve the site’s original adobe buildings. The Society purchased 25,000 adobe bricks and employed crews of local adoberos and enjarradoras (professional adobe craftspeople) whose specialized knowledge helped restore the fort's walls using methods rooted in the region's cultural traditions. Their work made it possible for Fort Garland to open as a museum in 1950 and preserve not only the buildings themselves, but also the stories embedded within them.
Unearthing Futures/Desenterrando Futuros, a new cross-border exhibition offered in collaboration with our friends at the Harwood Museum of Art in Taos, New Mexico explores adobe as a symbol of resilience, community, and environmental stewardship.
Join us at Fort Garland on Sunday, June 28, and at the Harwood Museum on Saturday, June 27, for the exhibition's opening and to discover how an ancient tradition continues to shape conversations about heritage, sustainability, and belonging across the region.
—Eric Carpio, Chief Community Museum Officer and Director of Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center
