Colorado State Archives

Mission Statement, Services, and Functions Colorado State Archives mission is safeguarding the administrative and documentary history of Colorado by managing, collecting, preserving, and providing access to state and local government records. Records management, archives management and micrographics quality control are administrative functions provided to state and local government agencies in Colorado to ensure the preservation of Colorado's permanent legal and historical records. Information and research functions provide for citizen access to public records created by the legislative, executive and judicial branches of state government. The Colorado State Archives is the legal repository for selected historical and contemporary records and information generated by state and local governments in Colorado. The National Association of Government Archives and Records Administration and the Council of State Governments have said that "state archives are the guardians of much of a state's public documentary heritage, resources essential in establishing a citizen's rights, understanding his past, coping with his present, and planning for his future. The value of a state archive stems from the information it contains and the evidence it provides. Its records are essential to administrative and cultural continuity." History of the Colorado State Archives In 1943, the Colorado legislature created the position of State Archivist to oversee the retention and disposition of public records. The first State Archivist, Herbert O. Brayer, filled the office as a staff member of the Colorado State Historical Society. Dolores C. Renze, one of three women to hold such a position at the time, succeeded to the office in 1949, retaining the position until 1973. During her tenure, the State Archives and the Public Records became a division within the Historical Society. In 1959, the State Archives became independent of the Society. George E. Warren became State Archivist in 1974 and retired in 1987. Terry Ketelsen worked for the state for over 40 years and retired as State Archivist in 2012. George Orlowski became State Archivist in 2012 and retired in June 2016. Aly Jabrocki, current State Archivist, took the reign in November 2016. The State Archives has been housed in four different state buildings during these years, including the old Woodward mansion at 1530 Sherman Street. Records were housed in tunnels under the capitol complex and in rented storage space in nearby buildings before its move into the Centennial building in 1976, where the State Archives now occupies the three lower floors. The State Archives also stores records in a satellite storage facility southeast of Denver near Simla, and a northern facility in Thornton, Colorado.