Qualifications
Laurie and Tom Simmons, the principals of Front Range Research Associates, received Master’s degrees from the University of Colorado-Boulder and have more than 25 years of experience in historical research and historic preservation. Both possess the professional qualifications standards for historian and architectural historian outlined in 36 CFR 61 and History Colorado's Colorado Cultural Resources Manual. They are members of the Society of Architectural Historians (SAH), Western History Association (WHA), and Society for Commercial Archaeology (SCA), as well as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, History Colorado, and Historic Denver, Inc. Together, Laurie and Tom have successfully completed contexts, surveys, nominations, and documentation for thousands of historic resources in the Western United States. The firm has extensive experience with projects funded by the Colorado State Historical Fund and the Certified Local Government program.
Front Range, founded in Denver in 1985, is a small business devoted to crafting each project to fit the specific needs of its clients. While we are committed to recognizing the unique characteristics of each project, we place substantial emphasis on the use of microcomputers and other technology, including geographic information systems (ArcGIS) software, to increase accuracy and efficiency. Associates of the company provide additional professional expertise in fields such as archaeology and architectural photography on an as-needed basis. We are happy to answer your questions and assist with your project planning.
Front Range, founded in Denver in 1985, is a small business devoted to crafting each project to fit the specific needs of its clients. While we are committed to recognizing the unique characteristics of each project, we place substantial emphasis on the use of microcomputers and other technology, including geographic information systems (ArcGIS) software, to increase accuracy and efficiency. Associates of the company provide additional professional expertise in fields such as archaeology and architectural photography on an as-needed basis. We are happy to answer your questions and assist with your project planning.
Awards
2022 Stephen Hart Award:
History Colorado Board Award for Colorado African American Travel and Recreation Resources Survey Plan
In April 2022 Front Range received the History Colorado Board Award for its role in preparing a 2021 survey plan for travel and recreation resources associated with African Americans during the era of segregation. Front Range assembled information on properties across the state using The Green Book, other travel guides for African Americans, and a variety of other sources to compile a database of hotels, motels, tourist homes, restaurants, service establishments, and other businesses. A total of 280 resources were identified. Limited fieldwork and Google Street View research was undertaken to determine which resources were still extant, and 57.5 percent were found to still be standing. The document recommended intensive and reconnaissance surveys of selected resources and preparation of a Multiple Property Documentation Form. Front Range shared the recognition with the Colorado Historical Foundation (Catherine Stroh, Executive Director, and Cindy Nasky, Director, Preservation Programs), County Judge Gary Jackson, and Elvin R. Caldwell, Jr. A link to a video shown at the award presentation appears below.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHRC6k31K8I
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHRC6k31K8I
2021 Stephen Hart Award:
Coronado Hotel National Register Nomination
In February 2021 History Colorado presented Front Range with a Stephen H. Hart Award for its role in producing a National Register of Historic Places district nomination for the Coronado Lodge, Pueblo, Colorado. While the Coronado is significant for its adobe construction and Pueblo Revival-style architecture, the nomination brought to light the motel's historical significance in welcoming African American travelers during the era of segregation. The Coronado Lodge was listed in the Negro Motorist Green Book from 1957 through 1967. The award video is available at the link below:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIEsl731g4E&list=PLl68fplNJM8CR7iAYkC90qOmG--3DwHTr&index=6
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIEsl731g4E&list=PLl68fplNJM8CR7iAYkC90qOmG--3DwHTr&index=6
2019 Governor's Award for Historic Preservation
On February 4, 2019, History Colorado announced that the 2019 Governor's Award for Historic Preservation would be shared by Front Range Research Associates, the Park County Department of Heritage, Tourism and Community Development, Park County Historic Preservation Advisory Commission, Linda Balough (former director of DHTCD), Martorano Consutlants LLC, and Alpine Archaeological Consultants, Inc. for successful completion of a National Register nomination for the Tarryall Rural Historic District. The district includes 28,000 acres and twenty-five historic ranch headquarters along Park County Road 77. The district extends from south of Jefferson on US 285 to near Lake on US 24. A video presented at the awards ceremony is posted on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6jDTWZQE54
Earlier Stephen H.
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The Historic Preservation Alliance of Colorado Springs presented Front Range Research Associates with an Award of Excellence in 2004 for “Ongoing Contribution in the Practice and Promotion of Historic Preservation.”
Client Comments
"The application was rigorously researched and written to the specifications of the DOI by Tom and Laurie Simmons from Denver. Their research was painstakingly good and resulted in a manuscript of over 40 pages."--Jane Beckwith, Topaz Museum.
"I cannot thank you enough for all the work you put into this project [the Trout Creek/Annex Ranch National Register nomination]. It is also hard for me to express how much this means to me and my family. It has been my pleasure to work with you and you can count on us calling you if we get into another project like this."--John Beedon
“We appreciate your dedication and quality you afforded both of our projects. The survey information has become invaluable as part of our preservation efforts." --Crested Butte Building Department
"We are proud to have such a comprehensive accounting of Trinidad. The many hours and hard work that went into this project are much appreciated." --Martha Fitzgerald, Main Street Group
"I want to commend you for the excellent work you have done with the 2000-2001 Historic Building Survey. I received your draft copy a week ago and could hardly put it down-it was that interesting! You do so much more than just survey the buildings." --Rebecca Kast, Littleton City Council Member
"The work you performed for Timnath was complete, well-presented, and in many ways beyond expectations. Thank you for a job well done." --Joseph A. Racine, Town Administrator
"I wanted, on behalf of my family, to thank you both for the excellent work, attention to detail and dedicated effort that you have performed in helping put together our properties' nomination to the National Register of Historic Places." --J.T. "Tag" Fanning, Salt Works Ranch
"I appreciated your careful, meticulous preparation of our nomination, which was much of the reason for the success of our application." --Judith A. Pickle, First Congregational Church
"I cannot thank you enough for all the work you put into this project [the Trout Creek/Annex Ranch National Register nomination]. It is also hard for me to express how much this means to me and my family. It has been my pleasure to work with you and you can count on us calling you if we get into another project like this."--John Beedon
“We appreciate your dedication and quality you afforded both of our projects. The survey information has become invaluable as part of our preservation efforts." --Crested Butte Building Department
"We are proud to have such a comprehensive accounting of Trinidad. The many hours and hard work that went into this project are much appreciated." --Martha Fitzgerald, Main Street Group
"I want to commend you for the excellent work you have done with the 2000-2001 Historic Building Survey. I received your draft copy a week ago and could hardly put it down-it was that interesting! You do so much more than just survey the buildings." --Rebecca Kast, Littleton City Council Member
"The work you performed for Timnath was complete, well-presented, and in many ways beyond expectations. Thank you for a job well done." --Joseph A. Racine, Town Administrator
"I wanted, on behalf of my family, to thank you both for the excellent work, attention to detail and dedicated effort that you have performed in helping put together our properties' nomination to the National Register of Historic Places." --J.T. "Tag" Fanning, Salt Works Ranch
"I appreciated your careful, meticulous preparation of our nomination, which was much of the reason for the success of our application." --Judith A. Pickle, First Congregational Church
Clients
Federal Government
U.S. Army
U.S. Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence
Bureau of Reclamation
Department of Defense
Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Forest Service
General Services Administration
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Park Service
U.S. Postal Service
State Government
History Colorado (Colorado Historical Society)
University of Colorado-Boulder
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Colorado Department of Transportation
Colorado Mined Land Reclamation
New Mexico Monuments
Wyoming SHPO
Local Governments
Albany County Historic Preservation Board (Wyoming)
City of Arvada
City of Aurora
City of Boulder
Town of Buena Vista
City of Canon City
City of Casper (Wyoming)
City of Colorado Springs
Town of Crested Butte
City and County of Denver
Denver Public Schools
City of Durango
E-470 Authority
Town of Erie
City of Fort Collins
Town of Frisco
Town of Granada
City of Greeley
City of Greenwood Village
Town of Gunnison
City of Fort Collins
City of Golden
Kiowa County
City of Littleton
City of Montrose
Town of Newcastle
Park County
Pitkin County
County of Saguache
Town of Saguache
City of Salida
Salida School District
City of Sidney, Nebraska
City of Thornton
Town of Timnath
W-470 Authority
Private/Nonprofit Sector
Adolph Coors Company
Audubon Society of Metro Denver
Boys and Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Denver
Broadway Mississippi LLC
Colfax Business Improvement District
Colorado Center for the Book
Colorado College
Colorado Historicla Foundation
Corazon y Animas de Trinidad (The Main Street Group)
Denver Central Optimist Club
Eaton Area Historical Society
First Congregational Church of Colorado Springs
Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority
Greater Arkansas River Nature Association (GARNA)
HCA-HealthOne LLC
Historic Denver, Inc.
Murray and Stafford
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Historic Denver, Inc.
KEW Realty
Main Street USA, Canon City
The Nature Conservancy
NEWSED
Northwest Pipeline Corporation
Norwest Bank
Public Service Company of Colorado (Xcel Energy)
Taylor Morrison
University Hill Improvement District (Boulder, Colorado)
Urban Frontier
Western Area Power Administration
U.S. Army
U.S. Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence
Bureau of Reclamation
Department of Defense
Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Forest Service
General Services Administration
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Park Service
U.S. Postal Service
State Government
History Colorado (Colorado Historical Society)
University of Colorado-Boulder
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Colorado Department of Transportation
Colorado Mined Land Reclamation
New Mexico Monuments
Wyoming SHPO
Local Governments
Albany County Historic Preservation Board (Wyoming)
City of Arvada
City of Aurora
City of Boulder
Town of Buena Vista
City of Canon City
City of Casper (Wyoming)
City of Colorado Springs
Town of Crested Butte
City and County of Denver
Denver Public Schools
City of Durango
E-470 Authority
Town of Erie
City of Fort Collins
Town of Frisco
Town of Granada
City of Greeley
City of Greenwood Village
Town of Gunnison
City of Fort Collins
City of Golden
Kiowa County
City of Littleton
City of Montrose
Town of Newcastle
Park County
Pitkin County
County of Saguache
Town of Saguache
City of Salida
Salida School District
City of Sidney, Nebraska
City of Thornton
Town of Timnath
W-470 Authority
Private/Nonprofit Sector
Adolph Coors Company
Audubon Society of Metro Denver
Boys and Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Denver
Broadway Mississippi LLC
Colfax Business Improvement District
Colorado Center for the Book
Colorado College
Colorado Historicla Foundation
Corazon y Animas de Trinidad (The Main Street Group)
Denver Central Optimist Club
Eaton Area Historical Society
First Congregational Church of Colorado Springs
Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority
Greater Arkansas River Nature Association (GARNA)
HCA-HealthOne LLC
Historic Denver, Inc.
Murray and Stafford
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Historic Denver, Inc.
KEW Realty
Main Street USA, Canon City
The Nature Conservancy
NEWSED
Northwest Pipeline Corporation
Norwest Bank
Public Service Company of Colorado (Xcel Energy)
Taylor Morrison
University Hill Improvement District (Boulder, Colorado)
Urban Frontier
Western Area Power Administration
