 The Gunnison County Pioneer and Historical Society would like to welcome you to the Gunnison Pioneer Museum.
For thousands of years people have been pioneering into the Gunnison Country to make use of its many resources. Surrounded by some of the most impressive mountain ranges of the Colorado Rockies, getting into and making a life in the Gunnison Country has never been an easy feat, even with today’s technology. The Gunnison Pioneer Museum aims to preserve the history of those people that have come to Colorado and the Gunnison Country to make a life in the “middle of nowhere”.
The Pioneer Museum is located at the base the iconic ‘W’ Mountain along Highway 50 in Gunnison, Colorado. Some of the Gunnison Country’s most historic buildings, like the Paragon School House and Alonzo Hartman’s Post Office, now call the museum’s 14-acre campus their home. Thirty buildings house the Pioneer Society’s large and varied collection of donated objects from not only just the Gunnison Country, but from across the United States as well that demonstrate how times have changed and yet remained the same.
The Museum is not sustained by any County, State, or Federal monies. Memorials, generous donations, yearly dues, and the revenues from the summer months enable us to pay for insurance and upkeep. Local trades people have helped us out from time to time on our big projects with labor, materials and equipment. The yard maintenance worker is the only paid worker. Approximately 60 volunteers work at the Museum, which is kept open every day from the end of May to the end of September, including ALL Holidays.
The Museum opens every day at 9:00 am and closes at 5:00 pm from mid May to the end of September and is located at 803 E Tomichi Ave, Gunnison, CO. Fill free to contact the museum at (970) 641-4530 or info@gunnisonpioneermuseum.com and do not forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
The Gunnison County Pioneer and Historical Society was founded in 1905, with the members subsequently deciding in 1906 to become a permanent sponsor of a local museum.
The Gunnison Pioneer and Historical Society was reorganized and incorporated in 1930. Sponsoring a museum did not become a reality until 1963 when the Adams and Wilson families donated land to be used for the Pioneer Museum. By 1964, operation of the Pioneer Museum had begun. The Pioneer and Historical Society has a ten-person governing board and a curator.
Your support of the Museum is greatly appreciated. Gifts are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Any accolades or criticisms are greatly appreciated. This website is intended to enhance your visit by highlighting the stories some of the museum’s items of interest. We hope you enjoy your time at our Museum.
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 Still cruisin'
The Gunnison Pioneer Museum is the proud new owner of this 1933 Auburn Speedster, courtesy of an estate gift from the late Harold Smith of Paonia. Smith and his wife Ellen were past participants in the Gunnison Car Show, and their local club — the Ute Trail Car Club of Delta County — became big supporters of the local museum. This beauty was recently valued at $50,000. Pictures here are museum volunteers Jim Berry, Hal Yale and CJ Miller. The museum opens for the season Monday, May 18.
~ Chris Dickey
GUNNISON COUNTY TIMES |
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The Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley is here to preserve and develop permanent resources to enrich the quality of life for people of Crested Butte, Gunnison, the Upper Gunnison Watershed and our neighbors – using today’s dollars for today’s needs and stewarding endowments for future needs. We are your Community Foundation and we are “Here for Good.”
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