Poudre Landmarks Foundation

The Avery House, located at 328 W. Mountain Avenue, is one of the buildings operated by the Poudre Landmarks Foundation. (Photo taken by Meg Dunn.)

1970 – Creation of the Poudre Landmarks Foundation by the Fort Collins Landmark Preservation Commission for the purpose of enabling residents to donate money toward historic preservation projects in town, the first of which was to be the recreation of the original fort. 

“The Poudre Landmark Foundation, Inc., is a non-profit corporation established by the commission to receive gifts for landmark preservation. Any one wishing to help in the park project by donating labor or money also may contact the foundation.” (Coloradoan, 2 April 1971)

The “Purpose of the foundation is to involve the community in preserving historic homes. Lilla Morgan’s responsibility will be collecting furnishings for landmark homes.” (Coloradoan, 10 September 1972)

Coloradoan, December 15, 1972.

A square rosewood piano was donated to the Poudre Landmarks Foundation in the summer of 1973 (according to a Coloradoan article from July 1, 1973). It was originally from the Keystone Hotel in the Poudre Canyon that had been run by the Zimmermans.

This closeup of the front page at left reveals that the Poudre Landmarks Foundation was only one of several groups of people involved in saving the historic structure. 

“According to the policy statement adopted by the Council in December, multiple uses for the [Avery] house include:

• A meeting place for small community group sand as a house museum.
• A focal point for the community and the office of Cultural Affairs Director Edwin F. Holmes. 
• An archival site for historical records of Northern Colorado and a repository for the oral history of the area.” (Coloradoan, 5 February 1975)

The project to sell cookbooks based off of early pioneer recipes gets funding. Proceeds will be used to restore the Avery House. (Coloradoan, 8 June 1975)

The City of Fort Collins was working on negotiating and agreement with the Poudre Landmarks Foundation to take over the Avery House. (Coloradoan, 11 February 1976)

From the Coloradoan, 8 June 1976 .

A “4th of July Sociable” was held as the first Avery House Open House. The event was sponsored by the Poudre Landmark Foundation and La Sertoma. Homemade candy and gift shop items were available for sale. (Coloradoan, 2 July 1976)

“Landmarks Foundation forming
The first annual meeting of the Poudre Landmarks Foundation will be at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at United Bank. The organizational session is open to anyone interested in the restoration of historic landmarks. Avery House, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is the foundation’s present project. A $10,000 restoration grant has been given by the Centennial-Bicentennial Commission for work on the house. Ellen Thexton, Fort Collins cultural resources director, and Ray Dixon, chairman of the Cultural Resources Board, are working with the foundation on the project.” (Coloradoan, 12 October 1976) [How they can say it’s just now forming when it’s been apparently active for several years is beyond me.]

“The Poudre Landmarks Foundation recently received the American Association for State and Local History’s award of merit for restoration of the Avery House. The award is the most prestigious recognition presented by the AASLH for preservation and interpretation of local, state, and regional history.” (Coloradoan, 2 December 1994)