 Constructed in 1909, the Hugo Union Pacific Railroad Roundhouse is one of only three remaining from the original pre-merger Union Pacific Railroad, with this being the only one in Colorado. It's one of only four historic roundhouses left in Colorado and the only one associated with the Union Pacific Railroad. It's also the only surviving brick roundhouse in the state and one of the most significant historical sites on Colorado's Central Plains. Roundhouse Preservation, Inc. (RPI), a 501(c)(3) located in Lincoln County, Colorado received its non-profit status on March 20, 2002. Its focus is the preservation and restoration of the Union Pacific Railroad roundhouse in Hugo, Colorado. Even though the roundhouse is owned by Lincoln County, RPI has taken the lead in preservation of this historic structure. To date, RPI has received three State Historical Fund grants to begin restoration of the roundhouse. Along with a grant received by Lincoln County, the roundhouse has been shored up and is no longer in imminent danger of collapse. The exterior masonry work has been completed, the engineering for replacement of the roof is in progress, and once that is completed the latest grant will be used to reconstruct the roof over two of the eight bays on the roundhouse. The Board of Directors is pleased with the work completed to date, especially since progress is much further along than many individuals thought it would ever be. However, the Board understands the daunting task ahead to raise the funds necessary to replace the roof, windows and doors in order to enclose the roundhouse and protect it from the elements. Several other grants applied for have yet to be announced and RPI continues with fundraising locally. However, in a rural community such as Lincoln County, there is stiff competition among other fundraising activities. There are not a large number of railroad buffs and/or people interested in historic preservation to draw from who share the same vision for the restored roundhouse. It is imperative that other funding, in addition to local sources, be found.
Join the residents of Hugo, Colorado and the members of Roundhouse Preservation, Inc. in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the town and the Union Pacific Railroad roundhouse. At 1:00 there will be a history of the roundhouse given by local resident James Emmerling. Everyone is invited to come and spend the day in Hugo and enjoy all of the festivities. For a complete listing of events check out Hugo’s Centennial Celebration website.
U.P. ROUNDHOUSE AWARDED STIMULUS FUNDING - Exciting news has been received concerning restoration of the U.P. Railroad Roundhouse in Hugo, CO. Included in the stimulus funding for transportation is a portion for enhancement projects, and $555,000 has been awarded to the roundhouse for roof construction. With the funding already in place, this tremendous injection of federal funds will allow construction of a new roof over the entire building. In 2005, Roundhouse Preservation, Inc. (RPI) submitted an application for a Transportation Enhancement grant to rebuild the roof over four of the eight bays and was notified on March 9, 2006, that $346,640 was awarded. The match for the grant was $86,660, $42,000 of which had been raised, when Colorado Department of Transportation representatives made contact about the roundhouse roof. Since the project had already been awarded Enhancement funds and was close to being “shovel ready”, it was deemed ideal for stimulus funding. The money will have to run through Lincoln County, but there is no match required, possibly freeing up some funds for windows and doors. The estimated bid date is July 1, 2009, but that could possibly move up depending on when all of the necessary paperwork is completed. All involved are very excited about starting on the roof and beginning restoration of this very important structure on the eastern plains of Colorado. There are so many people and organizations to thank for the progress made to date, and the membership of Roundhouse Preservation Inc. wants you to know that your help has been, and will continue to be, very much appreciated.
Beginning January 1, 2003, taxpayers were allowed to make contributions to enterprise zone projects that promoted community development. Roundhouse Preservation, Inc. completed the necessary paperwork to have restoration of the Union Pacific Railroad roundhouse in Hugo designated as such a project and to be eligible for contributions. Enterprise Zone contributions are a win-win situation for both you and the organization you want to help. By making a donation through an enterprise zone, a taxpayer can claim an income tax credit of 25% of the value of the contribution up to a maximum credit of $100,000. In-kind contributions qualify for a 12.5% tax credit. For any given year, the amount of the credit is limited to the taxpayer’s liability. Any excess credit may be carried forward for a period of up to five years. If you would like to make a contribution to help preserve the roundhouse, click the link to print the Certification of Qualified Enterprise Zone Contribution form and fill in the blanks. Then mail the form and your check made out to the East Central Enterprise Zone to the following:
You will receive a certificate attesting to the value of your contribution and its use that you need to file with your income tax. Due to administration of the program, a minimum contribution of $250 is requested. If you have questions concerning Enterprise Zone contributions, please email one of the listed members of the Board of Directors of Roundhouse Preservation, Inc. found on this website.
RPI has found a great way to allow both community residents and those who don't live in Hugo to help raise funds to restore the Hugo Union Pacific Railroad Roundhouse. RPI is registered with Buy for Charity. Going to this website will allow you to shop online from more than 350 stores. Choose the roundhouse as your cause of choice and your purchases will benefit Roundhouse Preservation, Inc. Go to the site to browse the stores available. You'll be amazed at what is included.
If you're a first time user you will need to select a cause, then find Roundhouse Preservation, Inc. by scrolling under the categories to Community Organizations, or typing in the name as the Keyword. Then click on the site from which you wish to shop and proceed as you normally would. It's easy and it helps RPI raise additional funds. Thank you for your support.
Copyright Roundhouse Preservation Inc. 2008-2009 3hr 00min |
