National Register of Historic Places

Main Avenue Historic District

Durango, La Plata County, Colorado
Listed
August 6, 1980
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
80000907

About this property

Main Avenue Historic District in Durango, Colorado is a 34-acre (14 ha) historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. According to its 1980 NRHP nomination, it was deemed significant "because it represents the essence and core of both the evolution and development of business and commerce in the most important town in southwestern Colorado." In 1980 it included 104 buildings: 86 buildings deemed to contribute to the historic character of the area, 12 non-contributing but compatible modern buildings, and 6 negative intrusions. It was felt that "together these buildings still maintain the feelings, associations, and ambiance of a turn-of-the-century commercial district." Gold Slipper (1900), 645 Main, originally built as an Adolph Coors bottling plant Wetter Mercantile, 605 main, oldest building on the block. Built 1883 Ernest Wetter keep his store here 1903-late 1930s. Strater Hotel (1887), 699 Main, an architecturally eclectic Victorian four-story building Main Mall, 835 Main, a modern building designed compatibly which holds about 35 businesses, which replaced several buildings destroyed in a 1975 fire. Newman Block (1897), at 801-813 Main Ave., which was separately listed on the NRHP in 1979.

Location

Durango, La Plata County, Colorado
37.27361, -107.88072

Categories

COMMERCETRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Main Avenue Historic District

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Newman Block
Industrial
0.1 mi
Rochester Hotel
Civil War
0.2 mi
East Third Avenue Historic Residential District
Listed
0.2 mi
Durango High School
Modern
0.3 mi
Ochsner Hospital
Industrial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Main Avenue Historic District listed on the National Register?

Main Avenue Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 6, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Main Avenue Historic District?

Main Avenue Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Main Avenue Historic District?

The period of significance for Main Avenue Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Main Avenue Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Main Avenue Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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