Former Barrack-Turned Colorado Labor Housing + Its History

Colorado is full of history, and plenty of reminders of that history are still around in the form of buildings, landmarks, and even entire towns. 

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One of these historic sites served as a building used for military activity as well as housing for migrant workers and is known as Las Barracas.

Colorado's Las Barracas Started as a Military Barracks

Las Barracas is one of three buildings that were used as a military barracks during World War II, for places like Lowry Air Force Base and Buckley Air Force Base.

However, after the war, the buildings were sold to farmers, purportedly for as little as $1, and Las Barracas was moved to its current location just outside of Longmont.

Colorado's Las Barracas Was Used for Migrant Workers

Beginning in the 1960s, Las Barracas was used to house migrant workers who were farming the land on which it currently sits. However, in 1989, the company that owned the farm, Tanaka Farms, was sued by the United States Government for the poor conditions in which the migrant workers lived. The company would file for bankruptcy the following year.

Colorado's Las Barracas is an Endangered Landmark

Today, only one of the buildings that once made up Las Barracas still stands and is considered an endangered landmark.

Read More: The Sand Creek Massacre: A Dark Page in Colorado’s History Books

Las Barracas is on the National Register of Historic Places and, according to a group called Latinos in Heritage Conservation, is an important part of Latino Colorado History, as Latino landmarks only make up about 1% of the places on the list.

Learn more about Las Barracas by checking out an article from Latinos in Heritage Conservation by clicking here.