Top 5 things to fall in love with in Trinidad in 2020

1) If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere!

Downtown Trinidad’s historic commercial core has been a state-certified creative district, the Corazon de Trinidad Creative District, since 2013. This means there is a critical mass of creative people, businesses, and organizations. The district operates as an Enterprise Zone 501c3 to attract, retain, and support these people and organizations. The organization acts as a catalyst for hubs of creative activity/opportunity and prosperous entrepreneurship that bolsters Trinidad's unique identity.

In 2020, the creative district will move into their new headquarters at the soon-to-be completed Space to Create Trinidad development. Space to Create Trinidad is a ~$20M historic and new construction redevelopment that houses "ArtSpace" affordable housing for creative industries artisans, workers and entrepreneurs. The facility also features "The Commons" with over 20,000 sq. ft. of affordable commercial and flex spaces for creative, professional, and community functions on Main Street. To top it off, nearby Trinidad State Junior College hosts the Southern Rockies Heritage Arts School, where the public can learn from master artisans who come here to pass down their traditions.

2) Get outta here, youses!

Just as Trinidad and Tobago are islands in the Atlantic Ocean wilderness near major shipping lanes; so too are Trinidad CO and nearby Raton NM like islands in the middle of protected grassland and mountain forest wilderness near major shipping lanes. Being remote and surrounded by state and nationally protected wildlands is a major perk for those who thrive outside. You can set out on foot from the heart of town on a city trail that connects you with Trinidad Lake State Park, The Unnamed Raton Mesa State Park (coming in 2 phases over 2020 and 2021!), Purgatory River Preservation District lands, and other protected natural areas. A little farther out you can find The Spanish Peaks State Wildlife Area, Comanche National Grassland, Kiowa National Grasslands, Sangre de Cristo Wilderness of the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, and more! There are even some cultural similarities that highlight this island effect! Have you ever heard of island time,—where people are easy going with each other about promptness? Yep, we have Trinidad time. 

3) Do you 'member? Yeah, I 'member. 

Trinidad is home to a number of museums that dive deep into local pre-history, history, and cultures. You could spend a lifetime learning from the collections they have curated and the archives they have amassed. Even if you never step foot in a museum, history stares you in the face around every corner of Trinidad—with original plays, street festivals, parades and all kinds of events dedicated to Trinidad’s stories.

Historic Preservation is the name of the game in Trinidad. Known internationally as a jewel of American architecture from the Victorian era, Trinidad’s downtown is on the national register of historic places. For the last 20 years, this collection of buildings has been on Colorado Preservation’s “Most Endangered Places List.” As of 2020, Trinidad has been removed from the most endangered list and marked as “Saved!”

Some estimate that over $100M has been invested in this historic preservation and rehab work over the last 5-7 years. You can feel the momentum around every corner as preservation and restoration work transforms the brick-clad streetscapes. For those with a love of historic buildings, and a commitment to preservation, there remain many wonderful redevelopment projects just waiting for the right owner to pick up. For everyone else, the sophisticated design and architecture is a daily treat.

4) Famous since birth.

The performing arts community have been leaders in Trinidad since the first town council in 1876, whose chair, Sam Jaffa, and family built and operated an amazing opera house. Imagine the vision and dedication it took at that time to erect an 800 seat opera house at the main intersection of this yet-to-be-developed “Victorian city” dramatically and delightfully surrounded on all sides by grassland, forest, and riparian wilderness, half way between Denver and Santa Fe.

Although this splendid opera house has long since closed, today’s infrastructure for the performing arts continues in vibrant fashion. For the last 20 years Southern Colorado Repertory Theatre (SCRT) has carried the torch for Trinidad’s rich performing arts history. The company, which started in the president’s office at TSJC, has served students, community and professionals with their programs.

In addition to providing this local center of gravity for the performing arts, SCRT has been a leader in working to ‘Save’ Trinidad’s historic buildings and preserve the historic character of downtown. Through thousands of hours of volunteer work and thousands of dollars in restoration and stewardship, SCRT’s community of theatre artists and lovers transformed the endangered Famous Department Store Building (1898) into the Famous Performing Arts Center.

Today, SCRT continues that role of historic stewardship, providing a roughly-18,000 square foot performing arts facility with a 6,000 square foot thrust-proscenium stage and bar/lounge venue, a rehearsal hall, production facilities (costume, props, sets, lights), and storage that serves Trinidad and the surrounding areas’ student, community, and professional theatre artists and audiences.

If that wasn’t exciting enough, Trinidad can soon look forward to a total of at least 5 theatres in city limits: TSJC hopes to restore their Massari Theatre back to its former glory, the Mt. Carmel Wellness and Community Center includes indoor and outdoor stages for music and performing arts, The A.R. Mitchell Museum has a black box theatre in mid-renovation, and Denver-based Urban Neighborhoods, Inc. is fundraising some $9M to restore the 22,000 square foot Fox-West theatre to its original 1907 character.

Does that seem like a lot of theatres? We’re not done yet! TSJC and Trinidad Lake State Park offer outdoor stages just beyond the city limits; and don’t forget Raton’s Shuler Theatre is just a stone’s throw across the NM border. In fact, there are roughly 40 theatres and performance spaces operating within a radius of 120 miles from Trinidad.

5) Free your mind and the rest will follow.

Trinidad is a place with many modern and ancient cultures living side by side. One thing many people share is a rich inner life, as evidenced by a number of faith communities, spiritual centers, and wellness studios (including meditation and hot yoga!). Even if none of those things are your thing, locals often credit the natural beauty surrounding Trinidad with having a grounding, balancing, and even healing effect. All of these opportunities for self-care, self-reflection and inward thinking add up to improve the quality of life for many here in Trinidad.