The historic Las Barracas building, which stands on Boulder County's Golden Farm open space near Longmont, has been federally recognized as at risk. It has been named to the inaugural national list of Endangered Latinx Landmarks by Latinos in Heritage Conservation. With twelve other sites, Las Barracas shares the spotlight as culturally significant places facing threats such as neglect, demolition, and climate change.
Las Barracas, whose history is rooted in both the era of World War II and the migratory patterns that define a part of the American narrative, received its nomination courtesy of the Boulder County Parks & Open Space staff. Originally constructed as military barracks, it was later transformed to accommodate Mexican migrant farmworkers, becoming a symbol of Latino presence in Colorado's agricultural legacy. The need to preserve such landmarks is urgent, considering less than one percent of properties on the National Register of Historic Places reflect Latinx history, contends Latinos in Heritage Conservation.
According to Boulder County, Elisabeth Ríos-Brooks, Cultural Resource Program Coordinator, emphasized the site’s importance. "Las Barracas is more than a building — it is a living testament to the generations of Latinx immigrant and later migrant laborers who played a central role in Boulder County’s agricultural history. Preserving this site means honoring their stories of resilience and struggle, and ensuring that future generations understand how their work helped feed and sustain our communities," Ríos-Brooks told Boulder County.
On the subject of equity in cultural recognition, Sehila Mota Casper, Executive Director of Latinos in Heritage Conservation, remarks on the importance of such recognition. “Preservation is about equity, recognition, and survival,” Mota Casper stated. “Sites like Las Barracas hold the everyday stories that built this country, and naming them is the first step toward protecting them," as per Boulder County. With the founding years of the thirteen sites averaging around 1927, the momentum for preservation recognizes the long-standing contributions of the Latinx community to American society.
