The Montezuma Heritage Museum’s collections preserve the stories of our county and region.
Built through the generosity of many donors and the efforts of earlier historical collections, our photographs, documents, and artifacts connect us to our shared past and serve as a lasting resource for research, education, and future generations.
A small sampling of the many wonderful historic photographs preserved in the museum’s collections. We hope you enjoy these glimpses into our region’s past and look forward to sharing more images with you as we are able.
Interested in researching local history or using a photograph from our collections? We’re happy to help!
Contact us at execdirector@montezumamuseum.org with details about your research or the image you’re seeking. Please allow sufficient lead time for us to locate materials, review requests, and coordinate reproduction or usage permissions when needed.
Yesterday’s Stories
Discover Yesterday’s Stories, a radio and storytelling project created by the Montezuma Heritage Museum in partnership with KSJD. Drawn from the museum’s archives, these historical accounts bring the people, places, and events that shaped our region to life through local voices and stories.
Originally broadcast on KSJD as part of Colorado’s 150th anniversary celebration, these stories are available to enjoy anytime through the Yesterday’s Stories podcast archive.
This project was made possible through the generous support of the Ballantine Family Fund, Empire Electric, and Basin Cooperative Electric.
Explore these regional resources for photographs, documents, and stories that bring Montezuma County’s history to life.
Center of Southwest Studies
Research collections documenting the history and cultures of the Four Corners and greater Southwest. The collection contains wonderful information and images of Montezuma County and the region.
Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection
Search digitized newspapers for local events, family names, businesses, and community news.
Southwest Colorado Oral Histories
Explore recorded interviews from across Southwest Colorado with this searchable directory of oral histories held by regional libraries, museums, and archives. Search by location, topic, or narrator to discover firsthand stories of our region’s past.
Colorado Restless Native
Written by Dolores native and third-generation Coloradan Rob Carrigan, this blog explores Colorado and Four Corners history through stories, historic photographs, and reflections on the people and places that shaped the region.
Denver Public Library Special Collections
Historic photographs, maps, and archival materials documenting Colorado and the American West, including many wonderful photos of Southwest Colorado.
History Colorado
Photographs, artifacts, and archival materials documenting Colorado’s past, including the southwest corner of the state.
Share Your History
Do you have photographs, documents, artifacts, or other materials related to Montezuma County’s history? We welcome inquiries about potential donations and are also happy to discuss scanning photographs and documents to preserve and share their stories. Photos of items are especially helpful when making an initial inquiry.
Contact us at execdirector@montezumamuseum.org or call 970-516-1100. Please reach out before bringing items to the museum.
