Department of
History

From CSU to the National Park Service

Talking to locals and hiking the backcountry of the Mountain West, Poppie Gullett loves her job as national historic landmarks historian.

Winter 2023

Echoes of past promises: democracy and the National Park Service

Ruth Alexander’s research into the history of climbing at Rocky Mountain National Park revealed important stories to tell about access to our public lands.

Spring 2023

Why the Public Lands History Center is changing its name

Name change! The Public Lands History Center changes its name to Public Environmental History Center to better reflect the connection between humans, their environment, and public lands, acknowledging 16 years of great work and an exciting future ahead. 

Winter 2022

Helping Preserve the History of Routt and Grand Counties

Two history graduate students, Dale Mize and Addie Brian, help preserve the history of Routt and Grand Counties in the face of land development by creating oral histories of farming/ranching populations and interactive maps for the Colorado Encyclopedia through CSU Extension summer internships. 

Archiving 150 Years of Agriculture in the Centennial State

Tobin Gold documents the agricultural history of the Sterling Irrigation Company and Aubree Vecellio helps with geolocation and visualizing historic images of the Colorado River Compact for CSU Extension summer internships.

Spring 2022

Telling Untold Stories: A profile of Kristy Ornelas, first-year student in the history graduate program

Kristy Ornelas is inspired to tell the histories of diverse communities through public history. She is pursuing a master’s degree in the CSU Department of History because of the program’s emphasis on public history and established relationship with the National Parks Service.

Winter 2021

The legacy of Quitobaquito Springs, a tiny place with a long history

On the border between Mexico and Arizona is the postage stamp-sized oasis of Quitobaquito. But while the pond itself is tiny, what it holds is immense.