Colona Grange #259

Building History

Colona School

Originated by the desire of a small community to have a location where their children could be educated close to home, the building was constructed to be a place of education and community activities.

Building construction was completed in December 1915 and a dedication ceremony of epic proportions on January 7, 1916.

The building has been used at least once a month by Colona Grange since school closed in 1948. Although no longer a school, it served as a community center for the community.

Unlike many school buildings, there has been no significant change to the outside or inside of the school.

After voting to try and purchase the location for a meeting place in late 1962, Colona Grange purchased the school building from RE1J school district for a modest amount in 1963. The ground where the building is located was purchased from the family who had donated use of the ground for a school the same year. This purchase did not include land where school outbuildings were located. Forty six years later, great grand-daughter gave the land where the outbuildings had been located to the Grange . Between the time the building was purchased and land given to the Grange, vandals had stolen the outhouses but concrete foundations remain to identify locations.

In 2000, the building was designated first as a Ouray County Historic Site then Colorado State Historic Site. Colorado Preservation Inc. named the Colona School and Grange as one of Colorado's Most Threatened and Endangered Places in 2006.

A collection of various items donated to the Grange by former students or their families will be displayed for the centennial and when interior restoration or rehabilitation work is complete. These items belong to the Grange or are loaned by families to the Grange and are not part of the Ouray County Ranch History Museum.