Cataloging and Promoting Pueblo’s Local Landmarks Program
College of Liberal Arts
History
Pueblo
County
- Community & Economic Development
- On-campus
Primary Topic:
Community & Economic Development
Other Topics:
DEI
Internship Overview:
Established under the City of Pueblo’s Code of Ordinances, the Pueblo landmarks program recognizes buildings, objects, monuments, structures, sites, or districts, “that are united by past events or aesthetically by plan or physical development…if they have distinctive character and have: (1) special historic or prehistoric interest or importance…; (2) special architectural, engineering or aesthetic interest or importance…; and/or (3) special geographic interest or importance.” The local landmark program provides more flexibility and protection than the Colorado State or National Register programs to preserve buildings, structures, and sites related to local history. However, no updated, authoritative, and exhaustive list of local landmarks exists and the program is currently underutilized. This internship program will endeavor to both catalog existing Pueblo landmarks and promote the local landmarks program.
Goals, Scope and Objectives:
The overall goal of this internship is to provide the student with opportunities to develop skills in cultural resource management, historic preservation, historical research and interpretation, public history methods, and public communication by developing a series of products related to the City of Pueblo’s local landmarks program. The objectives are two fold. First, to research and create a searchable database of Pueblo local landmarks, and second, to publicize the local landmarks program through the use of this list in a variety of promotional and interpretive products. To meet these objectives, the scope of work includes (1) creating a searchable database of all Pueblo landmarks, including their addresses, geolocation information, resource name, resource type, resource status, and other fields as determined by the intern and mentors; and (2) publicizing Pueblo’s local landmarks program through promotional and interpretive products including social media posts, City website modifications, and/or walking and driving tours, determined through consultation with the internship, mentors, and stakeholders.
With which stakeholder group(s) will the intern work?
Stakeholder groups will include Pueblo city government officials and staff, the Pueblo Historic Preservation Commission, Pueblo property owners, and Pueblo residents interested in preserving and interpreting the city’s history. Notably, many local landmarks are related to Pueblo’s historically diverse and underserved populations, including Latinos, African Americans, and Native Americans.
What student learning outcomes do you anticipate and what are the opportunities for professional development?
Interns will learn about historic preservation law, methods, and practice at the local level and have the chance to work with an accomplished preservation planner in a culturally and architecturally diverse city. They will learn how to work with stakeholders with varied interests, how to promote civic programs of engagement, and how to help residents tell their own stories on their own terms. At a more basic level, students will hone research skills, learn good data management practices, and try their hand at marketing and promotion, with some aspects of GIS/geospatial interpretation.
