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All the United States Colorado Durango Hesperus Peace Park
AO Edited

Hesperus Peace Park

A quiet rock and botanical garden is the beautiful centerpiece of Fort Lewis College.

Durango, Colorado

Added By
Mike Walker
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Hesperus Peace Park   mikewalker / Atlas Obscura User
Hesperus Peace Park   mikewalker / Atlas Obscura User
  breaingram / Atlas Obscura User
Hesperus Peace Park   mikewalker / Atlas Obscura User
Hesperus Peace Park   mikewalker / Atlas Obscura User
Hesperus Peace Park   mikewalker / Atlas Obscura User
Hesperus Peace Park   mikewalker / Atlas Obscura User
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About

In the center of the campus of Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado lies a peaceful garden. Beautiful concrete paths are lined with trees and plants, leading to a central courtyard. Throughout the day, mule deer come by to nibble at the variety of plants throughout the garden. The plants themselves are mostly endemic to the region and grow sustainably, providing a uniquely local experience.

Hesperus Park was named in honor of the nearby town of Hesperus, the original location of Fort Lewis College. In 2006, it was dedicated and renamed to include the word “peace.” The name change was in conjunction with the theme of the college’s annual Common Reading Experience, which focused on Leonard Bird’s Folding Paper Cranes: An Atomic Memoir about the aftermath of the atomic bombings and the nuclear arms race.

The design of the park incorporates some elements of the kiva, a space used by the Pueblo people for meetings and religious rites. Fort Lewis, which offers free tuition for Native American students, awards about 16 percent of all baccalaureate degrees earned by Native American students in the nation. Other Indigenous art and influences can be found throughout the campus.

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Added By

mikewalker

Edited By

breaingram

  • breaingram

Published

February 16, 2022

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Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Lewis_College
  • http://archives.durangotelegraph.com/archives/2006/october-05-2006/an-education-in-peace/
  • https://visit.fortlewis.edu/virtual-map/virtual-map#Hesperus%20Peace%20Park
Hesperus Peace Park
1000 Rim Dr
Durango, Colorado, 81301
United States
37.276391, -107.868383
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Photo of Durango

Durango

Colorado

Places 8

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miles away

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Photo of Durango

Durango

Colorado

Places 8

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