DENVER — Colorado Preservation has named the Indiana Jones Bed and Breakfast in Antonito one of Colorado's Most Endangered Places. The listing was made on Jan. 30. 

"Colorado's Most Endangered Places list includes places as large as the Colorado State Capitol in Denver or as small as the Feminilas Building in El Rito," Endangered Places Director Katie Peterson said. "It includes everything from city blocks to churches, apple orchards, and small local, family-owned establishments. Every place has a story to tell, and our purpose is to relay those histories to the public and preserve them for future generations. With the addition of these four resources, we have highlighted 144 historic resources throughout Colorado, with 57 successfully saved and only nine lost." 

Locally, the most endangered list includes the Denver and Rio Grande Depot in Antonito, the San Rafael Church in Conejos County, the Garcia School, and the former R&R Market, both in San Luis and others.  

• Indiana Jones Bed & Breakfast

In 1988, filmmakers descended to Antonito to film the opening scenes of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” The action was centered on the historic Cumbres and Toltec Railroad and the charming Victorian building at 502 Front St., now known as the Indiana Jones Bed and Breakfast. This film, part of the iconic Indiana Jones franchise, has left a lasting cultural impact, and the bed and breakfast has become a pilgrimage site for fans.  

In the film, a young (fictional) Indiana Jones, played by River Phoenix, fights grave robbers for the Cross of Colorado. Jones hides in a circus train and utilizes his skills with a bill whip to avoid a lion and poisonous snakes and escape. 

Built in 1888, Indiana Jones' boyhood residence, now a bed and breakfast, was originally the Carroll family home and one of the first houses constructed in Antonito. The Carroll’s moved to the area to support local miners and ran a business selling horses and mules.  

Sabra Young, the owner of the bed and breakfast, told the Valley Courier, "I started as the innkeeper in 2016 and bought it in 2017. I was an executive chef at an elk-hunting lodge when I moved to the area. I've been a chef for 18 years."  

Young employs those culinary skills when preparing breakfast for guests. When she was looking for a place to stay at the time, the Indian Jones House was not yet a bed and breakfast. She later heard the place was for sale, and the self-described "movie nerd," a fan, jumped at the opportunity to buy it when it came on the market.  

"I do love the Indiana Jones movie franchise, and as a movie nerd, multiple franchises as well," she said. 

The bed and breakfast has three upstairs bedrooms and a fascinating museum on the main floor dedicated to Indiana Jones and the rich local history of Antonito and the San Luis Valley. The museum houses a collection of memorabilia from the film, making it a unique destination for movie enthusiasts and history buffs. 

According to Colorado Preservation, the home's foundation is failing, and the building is beginning to sag and shift. Nevertheless, the 136-year-old adobe home retains most of its historic integrity, with small repairs made as needed. However, all rehabilitation rests on the need for a new, solid foundation before work on the windows and stucco can begin. This underscores the urgent need for preservation efforts to ensure the home's historic charm and cultural relevance endure for generations. 

Young has a restoration fund. 

"I have bigger projects that I can't afford, so people donate money. On the website, you can see we have replaced the furnace, done plumbing, and painted. I basically put all of the money I earn from the business, plus personal income, into the house,” she said. 

Colorado Preservation is excited to work with the current owner and other partners to spotlight the rich cinematic history tied to Colorado, particularly through this iconic site. The Indiana Jones Bed and Breakfast offers a unique opportunity to celebrate the intersection of movie history and heritage preservation. By leveraging this significance, CPI hopes to help secure funding for restoration efforts, ensuring the home's historic charm and cultural relevance endure for generations. 

For more information regarding Colorado Preservation, visit: www.coloradopreservation.com. Visit the bed and breakfast website at www.indianajonesbedandbreakfast.com.