Historical Markers: 

A Campus Walking Tour

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In 2002-03, a public history class under the direction of the College Archivist undertook a project to document every historical marker on the Fort Lewis College campus in Durango and to educate visitors and the community about the history of this campus. 

This tour, which begins and ends in the parking lots below the College Union Building/ Noble Hall/ Jones Hall row of buildings at the east side of campus, includes plaques, cornerstones, and anything that has text that is a record of the past.  Many of the buildings, especially most of the new buildings, including Education/ Business dedicated on October 21, 2002; Chemistry in 2001; Skyhawk Hall circa 2001; Natatorium (the original gymnasium and site of the Colorado Democratic Party's state convention at which Senator John F. Kennedy spoke) in 1956); West Hall in 1993 and nearly all other residence halls; the Amphitheatre, 1980; and Art in 1995-1996 have no commemorative marker, and thus are not included here.  Online, follow the links from this page to relevant sections of the College Archives guide, and click on the image for a larger view.  To see records in the College Archives, or to send any comments regarding this page or others on the Center of Southwest Studies, please email the Archivist.

The establishment of the Fort Lewis A &M College Post Office Contract Station was approved by the State Board of Agriculture on Dec. 13, 1961; its contract was approved in June of 1962.  It is a full-service post office, staffed by Fort Lewis College employees.

Having seen this plaque, continue your walking tour by exiting back out of the same doorway you entered and walking to your right, taking a left turn onto the rustic path after you round the southeast corner of the CUB.

On a rock on an unpaved walking path east of (and facing the rear of) the Academic Advancement building.  This memorial, photographed in the winter of 2002-03, is no longer on the campus; it was returned to the Berndt family between that time and 2005.

Now, walk past the new Education Business Building (on your right), enter the  Berndt Hall administrative building from its north end, and walk toward the main lobby.

This plaque is on your left as you are exiting the east vestibule of Berndt Hall.  The plaque recognizes various categories of early donors to Fort Lewis College.  

The Berndt Hall plaque is located on your right 
as you leave the east entrance of Berndt Hall. 

Turn around now and walk back into Berndt Hall.

This gray Fort Lewis A&M College plaque is 
in the vestibule of the east entrance of Berndt 
Hall.  This building, constructed in 1955-1956, 
was originally known as the Academic Building. 
The elevation of a benchmark in front of this building is 6,855.64 feet.  The plaque lists the members of 
the State Board of Agriculture as of 1956.  

This painting is located in the central foyer of 
Berndt Hall.  The Academic Building was renamed 
for Dr. Berndt, President of the college from 
1969 through 1984, on October 10, 1990.  

These black and white photograph portraits, 
hanging in the President's Conference Room upstairs (but pictured here in their former location in the central foyer of Berndt Hall), are of former presidents of the college.

Exit Berndt Hall to the west and turn to the left as you exit Berndt Hall and walk toward the Chemistry Building to see the next two items.  Walk straight through that building or walk around it to the southwest.

Mr. T. Chase McPherson (1889-1954) was born in Holly, Colorado, the son of a prominent merchant.  An irrigation engineer, he was involved with various engineering projects in the San Luis Valley, and was president of the State Board of Agriculture at the time of his death.

This is not the original door.  The original door 
contained ceramic tiles, similarly of various crosses and symbols of Christ and the Trinity.  The glass in the current door is best viewed from inside, looking out.  The Center of Southwest Studies has a variety of additional photos of the chapel (including interior views) among the photographs that are in the Fort Lewis College Archives.

Leaving the chapel, notice the beautiful apple orchard on your left (ornamental apples, not the eating variety).  If you want a bit of a hike to see the Scott Whiteside marker, walk through the orchard and take about 240 strides to the north along the Rim Trail that descends from the road at about that point.  Otherwise, cross back over Rim Drive and walk down the asphalt driveway to enter the rear door of the Miller Student Center (past the Health Center).

This plaque is located on the left inside the north 
door of the building which was dedicated in 1957 
as the initial Memorial Student Center building. 
It housed the bookstore, the snack bar and cafeteria, a student lounge, and (upstairs) offices for the Student Council and the yearbook and student newspaper staffs. The plaque notes the members of the State Board of Agriculture as of 1957.

Click on the thumbnail to see a larger image of this and of two other Student Center plaques that are not actually placed on the building.

This plaque, on a stone between Miller Student 
Center and the Theatre, was dedicated by the 
Westerners Club on April 19, 1964.  

This plaque is located to the right, inside the 
south doors of the Theatre building.  Erected in 
1957-1958 as the first of what so far is three 
Fine Arts buildings, it was designed to house 
a 350-seat theatre, a museum and classrooms 
for the Departments of Archaeology, Art, 
Dramatics, and Music. The plaque includes the names of members of the State Board of Agriculture as of 1958.

Walk back out and turn right, toward the residence hall that is next to the Theatre building, to the north.

Continue walking north, toward the Student Life Center (winner of awards for its sustainable design).

Continue walking north, between the Student Life Center on your left, the renovated (2003) gymnasium building (where graduation ceremonies are held two or three times a year) on your right, and then the football field on your right.  Or, to save at least ten minutes, skip the next two markers and walk instead toward the Library.

This grassy park was originally a strip of grass outside the Sociology Department offices on the south side of Reed Library, across from the CUB’s cafeteria.  At that time it was marked by a large carved wooden “Lyle Howard Park” sign.  Dr. Howard (1907-1978) taught foreign languages at Fort Lewis College from 1957 through 1970.  This new stone marker recalls “A life dedicated to students.”

This sculpture was donated by Ray and Sally Duncan.  It is part of a program that is being supported by members of the Ballantine family and others to place sculptures around campus.  You will have already seen The Rainmaker by Fritz White (donated by William G. Ballantine) in front of Miller Student Center.

If you are walking around campus in the early morning or late evening hours or when the campus is quiet, you may see any number of real animals -- deer, fox, raccoon...

Walk toward the clock tower to see a historical overview of Fort Lewis.

For further information see the history of Fort Lewis at: http://oldfort.fortlewis.edu/index.htm.  

In 1911, Congress deeded the Hesperus site to the State of Colorado and the Governor signed a bill establishing an agricultural high school at Fort Lewis under the governance of the State Board of Agriculture, as a branch of the State College of Agriculture.

Continue walking toward Reed Library -- toward the campus' flagpole.

This stone sculpture in front of Reed Library was presented to the college by Arthur and Morley Ballantine in ceremonies on July 9, 1994.  

The Center of Southwest Studies was founded in June of 1964 with a financial gift from the Ballantine family and the approval of the State Board of Agriculture on June 19, 1964.

This stone marker is set in the southeast corner of the Library, on the plaza level.  It was given in support of the teaching mission of Fort Lewis College, in particular its role in training teachers.  The stone was vandalized in the early 2000s (as shown on the far left) and was replaced with a fresh version in the summer of 2005 (on the near left).

Walk a few steps toward the Academic Advancement building to the most obscure marker on campus.

This building, constructed in 1970-1971, was the second of what so far are three Fine Arts buildings (the Theatre having served that function previously).  It was renamed in honor of former Fort Lewis College President Joel M. Jones in 2007.

Look across the hall toward the Roshong Recital Hall to see the plaque that is located in the main hallway of Sage Hall, to the right of the south door into the Hall’s vestibule.

Exit the Concert Hall and walk across into the main entrance of the Center of Southwest Studies.

Dr. Robert W. Delaney (1918-2000) was the founding director of the Center of Southwest Studies (1964-1986).  He joined the Fort Lewis College faculty in 1957 and helped found the Center of Southwest Studies.  Dr. Delaney became the Center’s first director in 1964, and developed many of the early Southwest Studies classes. 

The plaque is located in the research library.  Dr. Delaney's students remember his passionate instruction and dedicated teaching.  Fort Lewis College honors Dr. Delaney for his vision for the Center, commitment to education, and success in promoting the development of the Center of Southwest Studies. 

Leaving the Center of Southwest Studies, turn left and head out toward the parking lots.

This cornerstone, located to your right when you are leaving the covered passageway leading from the entrances to the Concert Hall and the Southwest Center, was laid by M. W. Grand Lodge, A.E. & A.M. Colorado, in August 1997.  

Situated on the landscaped traffic island at the entrance to the Cultural Arts Complex of the Southwest (i.e., the Concert Hall and the Center of Southwest Studies), this sculpture was presented to the college by the Ballantine family in honor of Morley Ballantine in a ceremony on November 9, 2001.  It was cast at a foundry near Paonia, Colorado.

"A gift to Fort Lewis College by the family and friends of Morley Cowles Ballantine.  Dedicated November 9, 2001 in recognition of her many years of vision, support and leadership in building the Center of Southwest Studies." 

This picnic shelter (perhaps too far off the beaten path to include in the standard walking tour) is situated behind Bader A Residence Hall, on the southeast corner of campus.  The shelter was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936.  The CCC also built the front twisty road up to the college, which may be viewed online -- click here.