In 2019, a proposed development in Montrose, Colorado, threatened the remains of a historical morada: an adobe chapel used during Hispanic Catholic services, particularly during Easter by los Hermanos (the Penitente Brotherhood). A Hispanic neighborhood, commonly referred to as Tortilla Flats, rallied support to save the remnant foundation and archaeological remains from destruction. In response, the City of Montrose worked to list the morada with the State Historic Preservation Office as a significant historical resource and has since engaged in various efforts to promote understanding and appreciation of Montrose’s Hispanic heritage.
The city hired Barr in 2025 to write and submit a nomination to list Tortilla Flats in the National Register of Historic Places. Our goal is to support the nomination by synthesizing the history of the city’s Hispanic population from 1900 to 1980, with a focus on the origins of Tortilla Flats and the roles of Hispanic residents in the city’s history and in regional agricultural and ranching histories. We will prepare nomination documents supported by thorough research, including primary and secondary source materials such as newspaper articles, photographs, maps, census records, architectural surveys, and scholarly publications.
Listing Tortilla Flats in the National Register of Historic Places will formally recognize the parts that Tortilla Flats and Hispanic residents have played in Montrose’s history. It will also enable residents to access state and federal funding and tax credits for projects that preserve or enhance the neighborhood’s historical character.
Barr will draft the nomination documents in 2025 and 2026 for review by the city’s Historic Preservation Committee and the Colorado Historic Preservation Review Board before submitting them to the National Park Service in Washington, D.C. The Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places will then provide a final review and determination.
