Museums & History in Grand Lake, Colorado
The Grand Lake Area Historical Society runs the Kauffman House Museum and the Cottage Court Museum in Grand Lake, CO, featuring historic artifacts and preserving history within the buildings.
The Kauffman House was originally a pioneer hotel that was purchased and restored by the society in 1973. As a nonprofit organization, the Grand Lake Area Historical Society operates and maintains the historic building as a museum. The Society herein records gifts and artifacts presented by friends and associates for use in the Kauffman House Museum. Kauffman House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Cottage Court Museum (once called Smith-Eslick Cottage Court), is thought by historians to be a rare example of a motor court, a lodging specifically designed for the automobile tourist and his car. The Cottage Court has been restored to its original condition and is now an unusual museum featuring hundreds of items, photos, and stories of early automobile tourism. It is the centerpiece of the Cottage Court History Park, a growing historic and community events site. The Eslick Store restoration is complete. We are now working on the park area. We are starting construction of the Park Pavilion in early Spring, installing benches and tables in late May, 2025, planting many more bushes and flowers in early June, and beginning summer events and programming of all sorts shortly thereafter.
Grand Lake, Colorado is located at the west entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.