Pioneer Town Museum

Step through the Welcome Center at Pioneer Town Museum to view the 56-million-year-old Cedaredge Mosasaurus before exploring a campus that spans more than five acres. Operated by the Surface Creek Valley Historical Society, this living history museum occupies the historical period from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s. The grounds feature 24 exhibit buildings, including ten historical structures, all maintained by a dedicated community of volunteers. Key landmarks include the Three Silos of the Bar-I Ranch, built in 1916 and 1917, which stand on the National Historic Registry due to their unique multi-sided construction. Visitors can ring the bell at the Sand Creek Schoolhouse, a log cabin built in 1886, or stroll down wooden boardwalks on old Main Street. The well-stocked Coalby Store offers a glimpse into where pioneers picked up supplies and mail. Other notable stops include the Charles States Museum, which displays needlepoint and one of the largest dinosaur footprints ever found, the original unheated 1907 jailhouse, and the Lizard Head Saloon. The site also features Doris' Doll and Toy House, the Sutherland Indian Museum with its extensive chipped stone collections, the historic Austin Train Depot, a working Blacksmith's shop, the Chapel of the Cross, and the Charles Baker Arboretum with over 200 trees. The museum is owned by the non-profit Surface Creek Valley Historical Society, which was incorporated in 1980.