Courtesy photos by John McEvoy The Rio Grande County Museum hosted its summer kick-off event on Saturday, May 20. The event was a celebration of the historical designation of the Old Spanish Trail 20 years ago. The day featured keynote speakers such as (pictured) Old Spanish Trail Executive Director Lynn Brittner and Archeologist Ken Frye and Frank White as well as delicious locally sourced food from Gosar Sausage.

DEL NORTE — Saturday in Del Norte bloomed cloudy and wet with rain showers promised for the remainder of the day but that did not stop several area historians and visitors from coming out to celebrate 20 years since the National Historical Designation of the Old Spanish Trail and to commemorate the anniversary with stories about bygone days.

The Rio Grande County Museum hosted the event while featuring new exhibits and welcoming keynote speakers from across southwestern Colorado and northern New Mexico. The morning started off with the Executive Director of the Old Spanish Trail Association, Lynn Brittner, who spoke to the crowd about the significance of the trail and what role it played in western civilization since the early 1800s and beyond.

Brittner also took a moment to speak on behalf of the association, “We are looking for ways to revitalize the association and to bring new interest to the significance of the Old Spanish trail. We need new ideas and new members to ensure the survival of the organization we love so much.”

After Brittner, local Archeologist Ken Frye took the crowd on a Trail Through Time as he toured the museum and the exhibits based on the indigenous heritage that first formed the Spanish Trail so many years ago. Frye highlighted the significant role the indigenous played in the creation of the trail and how their actions, created the first road to the west.

The morning included tails of the trail from Loretta Mitson who spoke about the Spanish plazas down south near Conejos and into the upper regions of New Mexico and how the trail followed water sources through most of the San Luis Valley.

Mitson was followed by Frank White, a native of the La Garita area and one of the descendants of the original White family that homesteaded in the area bringing with them the first agricultural homesteads in the valley’s history.

“We have an obligation to remember and honor our past,” said White.

The afternoon was filled with the scent of Gosar Sausage as Chris Gosar and his crew grilled locally sourced sausages for the crowd and played the perfect precursor for the afternoon keynote speaker, Devon Pena with the Acequia Institute, The San Luis Food Sovereignty Initiative.

Pena and his group of stakeholders from San Luis are working to recreate heritage farming and to help educate youth on the importance of working the land like the first settlers to the area did.

“Community health and well-being in the acequia villages have been affected by the decades of lack of access to La Sierra and a shift away from farming the traditional and healthier foods,” said Pena.

The day served as the start to the summer season at the museum. Next up for the museum will be a family evening on June 24 from 3 to 7 p.m. The 2nd annual Summer Solstice event will include fun family activities, food, games, and a drumming circle to welcome summer.