Our District's History

Historic items found from old Durango High School circa 1918 to 1974
Durango School District was formed on February 9, 1881, six months before the railroad arrived in Durango. Learn about the fascinating history of schools in our region in the document, "Durango School District 9-R: The First 120 Years." This document is an administrative history of the the district written by Jill Seyfarth of Cultural Resource Planning and released in October 2001. The document was discovered during the packing of the historic administrative building – which was Durango High School from 1917 to 1976 – as staff were preparing for a move to the Columbine Center in Bodo Industrial Park in April 2024. The document includes the following:
  • The first schools in the area
  • The Smiley Era
  • Education after World War II
  • The R in 9-R
  • A Modern School System
  • List of Superintendents from 1882-1990
  • Durango Public School Buildings
Moving sale flyer