Costilla County was the first area of the state of Colorado to be colonized, with recorded history dating back to 1540, the year Coronado explored the Southwest.

Costilla County has only a few big towns, with several smaller communities. San Luis, Fort Garland, Blanca being the bigger towns. Chama, San Pedro, Los Fuertes, Garcia, Jaroso, San Francisco, San Acacio, and Mesita, all being the small towns and communities, all of which were established around or shortly after the town of San Luis in 1851.

We also have a few reservoirs: Eastdale Reservoir; Sanchez Reservoir, and Smith Reservoir, with one lake, Mount Home Lake. All are excellent for fishing and boating. One may catch walleye, pike, and several species of trout, bass, and a few other types of fish. Costilla County is also home to many wildlife such as deer, elk, antelope-which may often be seen in herds grazing in the fields. Coyotes, bears, mountain sheep, and mountain lions also make their homes here.

San Luis is the host to the Shrine of the Stations of the Cross. It sits on top of a mesa in the center of San Luis. The shine represents the last hour of Christ's life, to his resurrection. Attracting thousands of guests a year, visitors come to pray and bring peace to themselves. Every year, hundreds of people walk from as far as Pueblo, to the shrine of the Stations of the Cross is what is known as pilgrimage. All the sculptures at the Shrine are done by a local artist by the name of Hubert Maestas, who also has a gallery and sculpting studio here in town. Some of his work can be seen around town.

San Luis is also home to Sangre de Cristo Parish Hall, which was built in 1886. La Capilla de Todas los Santos, a Catholic Chapel which also sits up on the Shrine. R&R Supermarket, which also is the oldest business in Colorado- dating back to 1857. The San Luis Museum and Cultural Center, you will see everything from butterfly and insect collections to steps in pottery making, carnival masks, civil war history, and a replica of a Morada room. A replica of San Luis back in 1851. Picture and murals depict the history of San Luis. The museum itself was built in the 1930's, but didn't get completed until 1944.

Fort Garland is home to a museum, which was once a fort that was built in 1858. It was once commanded by frontiersman Kit Carson, although he didn't take over the post until 1866-67. Carson had orders from the government to keep peace in the San Luis Valley; therefore no battles were ever fought on fort grounds. It served only as a show of force and a staging area to protect settlers from the Ute Indians. Today it is a museum where you can learn about military history and walk the grounds. Memorial Day weekend, Fort Garland is host to a 3 day festival of re-enactments, stories, songs, and dances depicting the cultures and occupations indigenous to Costilla County including Hispanic, Ute and fur trapping.

Blanca is known for Blanca Peak, which stands 14,345 feet tall. Both Blanca and Fort Garland are small communities in Costilla County. In these towns, you will find gift stores that carry leatherwork, handmade jewelry, gift items, souvenirs and Indian crafts.
San Acacio, another small town, has a church, which is the oldest Christian structure in Colorado, it was built in 1856.

Also in Costilla County is 633 acres of common land called the Vega, mostly wetlands, which is part of the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant (such as being descendants of Colorado's first settlers), to bring certain numbers of farm animals such as horse, cattle and sheep to graze in the Vega.

Although Costilla is mainly a farming and agriculture county- it still brings visitors by the thousands year round from far and wide.

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