Invitations to Bid Going Out Soon

COLONA – After a last year's flurry of fundraisers, progress has now begun on the restoration of the historic old schoolhouse in Colona. The State Historic Fund has executed a $253,757 grant contract with Colona Grange #259, owner of the building, and an additional emergency grant has been awarded for crucial repair to damage on the south side of the building.

Work on Phase I of the school's restoration plan will begin in the spring, including repairs to the roof, windows and exterior doors. Invitations will be sent out soon for bids on the project from pre-qualified contractors (in accordance with guidelines from the Secretary of the Interior and the State Historic Fund).

The Colona Grange and Save Colona School committee members extend a huge thank you, once again, to everyone who helped to make this project possible. The entire community responded to last year's fundraising efforts by donating $60,000 in matching funds, and the grant was issued accordingly.

Special thanks go to N. Joan Bartling, the William B. Hotchkiss Estate and Wanda Miller, for a gift of land that has made it possible to restore the original school property footprint. A permanent Boundary Line Agreement was recorded to that effect in December of last year that will greatly enhance future activities at the historic school.

Intended to function as both a school and community building when it was built, the Colona School will continue to host meetings and other community functions, as it has in the past. However, main functions (such as operation of the Ranch History Museum) will remain limited to the summer months until the heating system is adequate.

In the past, the Colona School hosted meetings of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) and the Red Cross as well as political caucuses as well as state and local Grange events. For many years, the school served as a polling place.

Other events have included Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meetings, talent shows, school plays, dances, box socials, boys and girls basketball games (with the boys team winning the state tournament in 1932!). Also held at the school were bridal and baby showers, receptions, community dinners and picnics, Thanksgiving dinners, funeral dinners and other church-sponsored events, arts and crafts shows and sales, and last year's five fundraising events, including the wildly popular “High Tea” in May, complete with attendees in vintage attire. The fundraising culminated with the successful Western Heritage Festival in July.

The community should be very proud of continuing to use and preserve this historic treasure, says Grange Master Harry Loss, who can be reached at 970/258-4918.