• June is Pride Month! Read about LGBTQ+ history in Fort Collins, or take a self-guided walking tour!
  • We've Been Here the Whole Time: Fort Collins Queer History – June 7, 7–8 p.m., Fort Collins Museum of Discovery Digital Dome Theater (408 Mason Ct.)
    • Kick off your Pride celebration early and journey into a past before rainbows and pride flags. Since the 1800s, queer Fort Collins residents have defied gender norms, established businesses, demanded equal rights, and danced into the night surrounded by friends and allies. Discover the history and places of Fort Collins queer community during this Digital Dome Theater presentation. Tickets are free, but space is limited.
• Pedals and Panels – June 29, 5:30–7:30 p.m., starting at 222 Laporte Ave.
  • Do you want to learn more about producing sustainable energy, or how to produce power on your own property? Have you ever wondered how you can do that on buildings that have historic value? This bike tour is for you! We’ll start with a quick orientation at the Utilities Building at 222 Laporte Ave. After that, we’ll take a spin through Old Town by bike with the City’s rooftop solar and historic preservation experts to learn more about how the two important goals of producing sustainable energy and preserving important historic places can be combined. Registration is free, but space is limited. 
• Juneteenth Community Celebration - June 19 and 20
  • Celebrate Juneteenth with activities, performances, history, and art for all ages! Details for Friday and Saturday happenings, including the Saturday morning bike ride featuring information on local Black history, can be found on the event website.

Are you the owner of a Fort Collins Landmark property?

Contact Historic Preservation Services (Preservation@FortCollins.gov; 970-224-6078) to learn more about financial support programs and for information on required design review of exterior alterations. Please remember that all exterior projects, including painting, require pre-approval and work that does not meet City code requirements is considered a violation and is subject to citation. We are here to help with project planning and look forward to hearing from you prior to the start of work!

Last Month's Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) Decisions

Date: April 15, 2026

• Consent Agenda (APPROVED 7-0)
  • Minutes of April 15, 2026
• Discussion Agenda: 
  • Staff Activity Report
  • Single-Unit Dwelling Demolition Notification - 719 Stover St. (ACKNOWLEDGED, NO ACTION TAKEN)
  • Standalone Demolition Notification - 3624 E. Mulberry St. (PROPERTY OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS, COMPLIMENTARY REVIEW OF MITIGATION STRATEGIES)
  • Conceptual Landmark Design Review - 638 Whedbee St. - Sunroom and covered deck addition (MOVED TO FINAL REVIEW AND APPROVED WITH CONDITION 7-0)
  • Windows/Doors Design Review Policy Discussion

• A Year of Conversations: In 2026, the United States celebrates 250 years of independence, and Colorado celebrates 150 years of statehood. The Fort Collins Museum of Discovery (FCMoD) and the City of Fort Collins invite the community to engage in learning, discourse, and the democratic process throughout the year with this event series, "A Year of Conversations." Upcoming events include:
  • We've Been Here the Whole Time: Fort Collins Queer History – June 7, 7-8 p.m., FCMoD Digital Dome Theater (408 Mason Ct.)
    • Discover the history and places of Fort Collins queer community during this presentation in the FCMoD Digital Dome Theater. Tickets are free, but limited. Reserve your spot and find more info on the event page.
  • faith 250: The New Colossus – June 9, 6-8 p.m., CSU Campus
    • Emma Lazarus was asked to write a poem for the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty celebrating the triumph of liberty in the Civil War. She subverted that purpose with 14 lines of text that turned one of the nation’s most recognized monuments into a symbol of welcome. Register to attend.
  • Without Apology: Black History and Civil Rights in Fort Collins, A Walking Tour and Archive Open House – June 12, 2-4 p.m., FCMoD (408 Mason Ct.)
    • Join staff from the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery and the City of Fort Collins Historic Preservation office to explore stories of Black/African American history in Fort Collins, and Black residents who fought for civil rights in their lifetimes. Find more info and registration on the event page.
  • TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures – June 13, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m., FCMoD (408 Mason Ct.)
    • In partnership with Poudre Libraries, this daylong symposium features 15+ original TED Talks focused on the future of democracy. Speaker announcements coming soon! This event convenes bold thinkers and civic leaders to share ideas and solutions designed to inform and inspire. Three talks will be offered, starting at 9 a.m., 12 p.m., and 2 p.m., and you must register for a talk to attend. Registration and more info is available on the Year of Conversations page.
  • Courtyard Open House – June 20, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., Heritage Courtyard at the Center for Creativity at the Historic Carnegie Library (200 Mathews St.)
    • Join in the fun at the Heritage Courtyard for an interactive open house! Discover the trees and flowers that make their home in the courtyard, learn more about the ponderosa pines that were used to construct some of the historic cabins, and use natural inspiration to create paper flowers and botanical art to take home. No tickets are needed for this free, drop-in event.

Avogadro's Number (605–609 S. Mason St.)

Avogadro’s Number has served Fort Collins as a restaurant, bar, music venue, and gathering place since 1971. The long-running institution opened at 605 S. Mason St. in what was a separate building and then expanded south into 609 S. Mason St., eventually connecting the two properties.

Jessie Cooper Atterberry, a widow originally from Missouri, established a bakery in her home at 203 W. Myrtle St. in the 1920s. Known as the Home Bakery, it was one of several independent, family-owned bakeries in town at that time. By 1929, with business booming, Jessie had a masonry building constructed behind her house; the new bakery faced onto South Mason Street and had a retail outlet in front and the bakery in the rear. The shop offered walk-in retail sales, custom baked goods for special occasions, and sold wholesale to local grocery stores and restaurants. Jessie sold the bakery in 1932, but it continued to sell baked goods under a series of different owners until 1975.

The north half of Avo’s was originally an auto repair garage, constructed in 1957. Norman Rees came to Fort Collins from Colorado Springs in 1950 and began working as a service manager for Markley Motors. By 1954, he opened his own repair shop—Rees Auto Service at 317 E. Mountain Ave. Rees’s business did well, and in 1957, he had a new garage constructed at 605 S. Mason St. The building included a loft apartment where Rees and his wife lived for the next two years. Rees sold the building in 1960 and for a short time it served as a photography studio. Between 1963 and 1971, the former auto repair garage housed the Colorado Employment Service, which assisted folks seeking employment in Fort Collins. The employment agency moved to East Oak Street in 1971, and that year, William Maier and Bruce Rhoades opened a restaurant known as Avogadro’s Number. The elderly wizard depicted in early advertisements announced the restaurant’s “Stupendous Sandwiches!” and “Superb Ice Cream!” In the early 1990s, Avo’s expanded into the Home Bakery building to the south and fully connected the two buildings with a hallway in 2000.

Since the 1970s, Avo’s has hosted hundreds of events: parties, rallies, concerts, poetry readings, dances, meetings, fundraisers, lectures, and plays. Some of these events were connected with important historical movements like a rally for the Equal Rights Amendment in 1977 or fundraisers for the Lambda Community Center during Pride in 2011.

Avogadro’s Number is eligible for listing as a City Landmark for its 20th century commercial architecture and for its association with the Colorado Department of Employment and the Home Bakery.

(Photo: Left - Avogadro's Number, Photo by Ron Sladek, Tatanka Historical Associates Inc., 2020; Right - 1969 Tax Assessor Photo, FCMoD)

The June HPC Work Session and Regular Meeting have been CANCELED due to lack of business.

Next Work Session: July 15, 2026, at 5:30 p.m., in person at City Hall (300 Laporte Ave., Council Chambers). Public may attend, but no public participation occurs at work sessions.

Next Regular Meeting: July 22, 2026, at 5:30 p.m., in person at City Hall (300 Laporte Ave., Council Chambers) or virtually via Zoom. Public may attend and provide comment.

Agenda:

• Consent Agenda
  • Minutes of May 20, 2026
• Discussion Agenda: 
  • TBA

Surveys in Progress:
We are currently researching the following properties to determine if they are eligible to be Fort Collins Landmarks in association with a current development review application. Determinations of eligibility are based on the best available information today and are valid for five years. Members of the public with information regarding the history of these properties should contact Historic Preservation Services as soon as possible at Preservation@FortCollins.gov.

• None

Recent Survey Results: 

• 331 N. Loomis Ave. - c. 1903 residence - Project planning for potential subdivision application – Landmark Eligible – Issued May 21, 2026
• 2112 E. Harmony Rd. – Harmony School and Teacherage (Landmark property designated 1997) – Survey for future project planning – Teacherage on property found to be Eligible/Contributing to Landmark property – Issued April 23, 2026
• 506 S. Howes St., c. 1890 house and carriage house – Development Review for multiunit dwelling behind house – Landmark Eligible – Issued April 16, 2026
• 3805 E. Vine Dr. - 1900 agricultural property - Development review for Natural Areas Department, long-range planning; Not Landmark Eligible - Issued Feb. 23, 2026
• 1805 S. College Ave. - 1965 restaurant - Development review, major alterations proposed; Not Landmark Eligible - Issued Feb. 12, 2026

The City of Fort Collins requires public notification prior to the demolition of single-unit residences over 50 years of age, and we also provide notice on standalone demolition applications for commercial properties. These notifications occur to inform the community of a potential change coming to their neighborhood and because certain groups can nominate a property for Landmark designation against the wishes of a property owner under Municipal Code Sec. 14-31 (the HPC by motion, a City Councilmember by written request, or three residents together by petition). Public noticing is considered complete the day after the HPC meeting for which it is noticed. Written public comments can be submitted to Preservation@FortCollins.gov up to 48 hours prior to the HPC meeting for inclusion with the meeting packet. These notifications appear on the commission's discussion agenda, and an opportunity for spoken public comment will also be provided at the meeting. Visit the recently updated Single-Unit Dwelling Demolition Notification webpage for more detailed information on this process.

Active Demolition Notices:

• None

Recently Completed Demolition Notices:

• 719 Stover St., built 1926 (no public comment at Aug. 20, 2025 HPC Meeting; no action taken by HPC)
• Standalone Demolition Notification (demo of property owned by City located outside of city limits) - 3624 E. Mulberry St. (Baker-Miller-Kath-Greager Property), built c. 1900 (no public comment at Aug. 20, 2025 HPC Meeting; no action taken by HPC)
• Standalone Demolition Notification (demo of commercial property with no development currently proposed) - 1513 N. College Ave. (K-Bar-D/Budget Host Motel), built 1946-1973, multiple buildings (1 public comment supporting proposed demolition at Nov. 19, 2025 HPC meeting; approval recommended by HPC to the decision-maker, the Chief Building Official, due to the extent of methamphetamine contamination)
• 1617 Person Ct., built c. 1947 (no public comment at Aug. 20, 2025 HPC Meeting; no action taken by HPC)
• 408 N. Loomis Ave., built c. 1906 (no public comment at May 21, 2025 HPC Meeting; no action taken by HPC)

Next time you are enjoying some tasty eats and some music at Avogadro's Number, you may be able to conjure the delicious aroma of freshly baked bread that once filled the walls of the Home Bakery in the same location. Shown here is a photo of an Enriched Golden Crust Large Loaf sold at the Home Bakery, courtesy of the local history archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery (H09441).