Goodnight Barn Restoration Study

Preserving Rural Pueblo's Historic Past


Built in 1868, and located just west of the City of Pueblo in Pueblo County, the Goodnight Barn is one of the oldest barns in the region. Charles Goodnight is thought by many to have invented the chuckwagon and helped spearhead the cattle drive from Texas to Wyoming. Mr. Goodnight is a pivotal figure in the settling of the west, of Colorado, and in particular of Pueblo. His remaining barn is on the National Register of Historic Places and listed as one of Colorado's most endangered places due to the deterioration that has occurred since its last stabilization in the mid-1990's.

Current Structure Condition & Restoration Efforts


Erosion has badly damaged the exterior walls, and interior supports are beginning to buckle. The city is working with preservation partner Colorado Preservation Inc. to conduct a historic structure assessment (HSA) through the State Historic Fund to identify a rehabilitation strategy and assess costs. 

After the HSA, the city will work on a funding strategy to first stabilize and then restore the barn. Staff expects an HSA to be finished by late 2011, with a save strategy by early 2012.