On Tuesday, March 3, 2026, the Gunnison County Board of County Commissioners officially designated Hartman Castle as a County Historic Landmark, recognizing the property’s significant role in the history and development of the Gunnison Valley.

This followed the Gunnison County Historic Preservation Commission’s approval of adding Hartman Castle to the county’s historic registry on February 25th during their regular meeting. Preservation commission member Tristen Coleman made the motion. “I motion to approve the designation of Hartman Castle, with its historical significance being that it represents the work of an important local builder, possesses high artistic value, and exemplifies a significant type of period construction,” Coleman said. “It is associated with a significant person and with significant events and patterns.”

“Hartman Castle represents an important piece of Gunnison County’s history and architectural heritage,” said Jody Reeser, chair of the Gunnison County Historic Preservation Commission. “The commission was proud to recommend this designation because the Castle tells the story of the early people who shaped this valley and the creativity and ambition that defined that era. Historic designation helps ensure that these important places are recognized and protected so that future generations can understand and appreciate the community that came before them.”

What the New Designation Means for the Future of Hartman Castle

The designation comes at a pivotal moment for the property. The Hartman Castle Preservation Corporation, a nonprofit planning to purchase it for renovation, has spent two years building community support for the effort.

“This designation is an incredibly meaningful milestone for our community,” said Pamela Williams, the organization’s president. “People in Gunnison have been talking about saving Hartman Castle for decades, but no foundation had been built—until now. The support has been remarkable, both locally and online. We are deeply grateful to the current owners, Dave and Susie Taylor, for their willingness to work with us. Their partnership has enabled the community to envision a future in which this remarkable building is preserved and shared with the public. This allows us to now proceed with applying for a History Colorado acquisition grant, which is worth up to $250,000, so that’s obviously very important for us.”

Two recent matching grants have brought supporters within reach of completing the purchase. Late last year, Loretta McDonald donated $20,000 as a matching grant, and Williams’ Island Acres Resort Motel contributed an additional $5,000. The organization has also been awarded a $100,000 acquisition grant from Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Tourism (OEDIT) and the Office of Just Transition (OJT). Once the purchase closes, the plan is to transform Hartman Castle into a community gathering place and venue for weddings, reunions, celebrations, and other events.

Preserving Hartman Castle for the Future

County Commissioner Laura Puckett Daniels welcomed the news. “It was very gratifying to see this application come before the Board of County Commissioners. So many people have worked for so many years to protect Hartman Castle, and as a lover of history, I am thrilled to see this dream become a reality and this landmark preserved for the future.”

Read more from the Gunnison Country Times.

The story of Annie and Alonzo Hartman, the original owners, designers, and builders of the historic Hartman Castle, is so much more than meets the eye. The two played pivotal roles in Gunnison’s earliest years, with Alonzo being one of the town’s founders and Annie helping lead the local Monday Afternoon Club, among other community roles.

Their love story is one for the ages, and also one that all of us who love the Gunnison Valley can relate to. The same love they poured into their marraige and family, they poured into Gunnison, helping it thrive and grow into the wonderful quaint mountain town we know it as today. That same love was also the foundation for their beloved family home, the Hartman Castle.

As we continue raising funds to cover our non-profit’s purchase of the castle, with an ultimate goal of restoration and preservation for the community and visitors alike, we want to officially dedicate space to celebrating Annie and Alonzo’s love story. They initially wed on January 28th of 1982 in Kansas. To follow-up the wedding, they held a reception in Gunnison on February 24th of that same year.

In celebration of the love that brought them together and brought all of us the stunning Hartman Castle, we are running a campaign through February 24th that we’re calling “Keeping the Heart in Hartman!” Continue reading to learn more about Annie and Alonzo’s love story and how YOU can join the movement to help save Hartman Castle.

Annie and Alonzo: Arriving to Gunnison

Alonzo arrived to the Gunnison Valley on Christmas Day in 1872 with what was thought to be the first herd of cattle to cross the continental divide of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. His initial job, as outlined in his biography, was to look after the cattle and the interests of the Ute Indians, on behalf of the government. In fact, he worked closely with Chief Ouray, who, according to his own accounts, he became quick friends with. Hartman was also appointed the first postmaster for Gunnison by General Adams, Colorado’s postmaster inspector. You can still see the small cabin that was used as the first post office at the Gunnison Pioneer Museum. That cabin would serve as the postoffice until December of 1881, when a brick post office building was erected on Main Street and christened via a community dance held by the young people of Gunnison.

Perhaps it was at this dance—held just over a month before their wedding—that Alonzo won the heart of Annie. Alonzo would spend nearly a decade helping establish Gunnison before meeting Annie Haifler, who would eventually become Annie Hartman.

While information on Annie is not as plentiful as that on Alonzo, the information that is available tells a story of a smart young woman and artist dedicated to her community and family. Annie was an avid painter, with historians suspecting her among the group of women who established an art exhibition at the second Gunnison County Fair. She won premiums the fair offered for oil paintings and worked to bring established artists to Gunnison to teach classes and train local artists. Although the exact year of Annie’s arrival to Gunnison is unknown, we do know that she arrived with her sister Lucy and soon took a job as an assistant in the county clerk’s office. According to Alonzo, they “soon became good friends and then engaged to be married.”

Annie and Alonzo pose with a group outside Gunnison County Courthouse before their marriage in 1881

The Early Years: Courtship and Marriage

While we may not know the exact details of Alonzo and Annie’s courtship, the snippets we have tell a fabulous story. Nine years after Alonzo’s Christmas arrival in Gunnison, and just over a month before they married, Annie became the first to ring the church bells at the town’s new Methodist Church on Christmas Day, an honor she earned by collecting the most donations in her name. Legend even has it that all those donations were made by the then-32-year-old-bachelor, Alonzo Hartman. Further, official accounts of their courtship show Alonzo was not the only fan of Annie, with a January 1982 article from The Gunnison Daily News – Democrat stating Hartman and ex-sheriff Yule were “after the same bride.“

Just days later, another announcement appeared in the Gunnison Daily Review announcing Annie and Alonzo’s engagement and plans to marry in Monticello, KS. While the couple didn’t tie the knot in the town that brought them together, they did follow their late-January wedding with a reception in Gunnison on February 24th, 1882. Alonzo recaps the events of the night in his biography, writing “it lasted till about midnight and was followed by supper, then dancing. Suddenly there were shouts of Fire! Then pistol shots. For a moment I thought it was a joke, but it wasn’t. Fire had broken out in a small building…we all rushed to remove the lumber to a safe place, while firemen pulled the shop down…” Thankfully for the lumber and other nearby buildings, their many reception guests were the first on the scene and reacted quickly!

In the first years of their marriage, Annie and Alonzo lived in a small cabin on Dos Rios Ranch. When their first daughter Hazel was born in 1884, they moved to a stone house on Wisconsin street that Alonzo built. Their son Bruce was born in that home two years later. Not long after, Alonzo and Annie decided to move back to the ranch and build a proper home there. And with that decision, Hartman Castle was imagined into existence!

 Bringing Hartman Castle to Life

Based on Annie’s drawings, the couple designed the stunning, gothic home we know today as the Hartman Castle. Construction on the castle commenced in the early 1890s, with one requirement: a turret where Annie could look out at the landscape and paint. Alonzo, having written that detail in his biography, seemed more than happy to oblige. So, we have Annie’s request and Alonzo adoring love for her to thank for what is many of our favorite feature of the castle! To furnish their home, Annie and Alonzo traveled to the World’s Fair in Chicago, a feat worth noting in the local newspapers. By 1900, the Hartman’s welcomed their second daughter, Leah, solidifying their family of five.

As the years went by, Hartman Castle would become the site of many community gatherings and parties. While a family home, the Hartman Castle was also a gathering spot for the Gunnison community to celebrate—and celebrate they did! As the home of a founding resident of the Gunnison, that may not be come as a surprise. In fact, accounts of weddings held at the castle can be found throughout newspaper archives and in Alonzo’s biography, including one of their own daughter’s weddings. Annie also held many meetings at the castle for their local Monday Afternoon Club. 

The Golden Years: Selling Hartman Castle

In 1912, Alonzo concluded that the ‘glory days of the cattlemen’ were behind them. He and others became involved in a real estate development plan in Paradox Valley. The Dos Rios ranch was sold to fund this project, which ultimately proved unsuccessful. Annie and Alonzo followed their youngest daughter, Leah, to California in approximately 1924.

Though they may have spent their golden years in California, Gunnison remained close to their hearts. They frequently visited for important events and to have their photos taken in front of the castle. Even when they weren’t in Gunnison, they maintained strong connections with the town through correspondence with friends and involvement in the Gunnison Pioneer Society and a California-based Gunnison group.

They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in Lynwood, California, with many Gunnison friends in attendance. As Alonzo writes in his biography, “Gunnison will always feel like home to Annie and me; for we had our happiest days there…” He added, “A million thanks to the best wife on earth.”

Help us Keep the Heart in Hartman

Like many stories of early Gunnison, Annie and Alonzo’s love story is full of historical tidbits that help paint a picture of pioneers and the lives they led in Western Colorado. From the surprise fire that broke up their Gunnison reception to the guests that jumped in to put it out, the small details help us understand where Gunnison came from, and how it’s grown into the community we all love today.

The many stories that make up Annie and Alonzo’s love stories deserve to be passed on. Not only do they tell the story of one of the founders of Gunnison and his wife, they also tell the story of a community born from pioneers and cattlemen. And what better way to preserve this history than by preserving the place where so much of it happened. In the spirit of keeping these stories alive, will you donate $5 or more to help us keep the heart in Hartman?