You are invited…

Buena Vista Heritage wants the opportunity to host you and your loved ones on a day that will be one of the most memorable of your life. We know that choosing the right location can be a challenge, but we hope that you will fall in love with our properties as much as we have and that you’ll get to remember them fondly as a distinctive part of your special day.

Before we show you the possibilities we offer, let’s get introductions on our end out of the way. Buena Vista Heritage is a Colorado Non-profit 501(c)(3). Our mission is to preserve and share Buena Vista and Chaffee County's rich history with our visitors. You can visit www.buenavistaheritage.org for more information about us and what we do. By choosing to have your wedding with us, you not only create an unforgettable day for yourself, but you help us continue to preserve these beautiful locations and the history of the area for generations to come.

The Venues

We are proud to invite you to visit two properties that have been integral parts of this community for almost 150 years: the Historic Courthouse and Turner Farm and Apple Orchard.

The Historic Courthouse

The Historic Chaffee County Courthouse was built in 1882 and has sat at the heart of Buena Vista ever since. This building currently houses The Buena Vista Heritage Museum. Topped with an old-fashioned Cupola, this beautiful brick building overlooks our small mountain town and offers unrivaled views of a mountain backdrop from every window.

A broad pathway leads you to a front door framed by trees. When you enter, you are greeted by a grand staircase rising to a massive double door. Even from the foot of the stairs, you can catch a glimpse of the stunning room beyond. As you climb them, more of the space that had once served as the county courtroom comes into view. When it was constructed, it was designed to awe visitors by demonstrating the sophistication of Buena Vista. While those might have been some lofty goals regarding the occupants of a little railroad town at the end of the 19th century, the Courthouse itself evokes that feeling even today. Entering the courtroom, ceilings soar twenty feet above your head, decorated with a simple but elegant crown molding. Five vintage chandeliers add to the room’s beauty, but you are also reminded of the history of this building and that it didn’t always have electricity. Instead, massive windows line the walls, originally to light the space, but today provide you with stunning views of the town and the mountains beyond.

Filled with the laughter, stories, and congratulations of your loved ones, our historic, picturesque location is the perfect place to honor your special day. It has stood for almost a century and a half, serving as a courthouse, then a school, and now a museum. The memories of every person, event, and celebration that has ever happened here live on forever in these walls. Let your special day join in that history, and know those memories will never fade.

Turner Farm and Apple Orchard

If spending your special day inside feels too confining, and instead you dream of celebrating in the clean mountain air, surrounded by trees, maybe with your feet in the soft grass, we invite you to explore Turner Farm.

You enter the property through a gate in a historic log fence. A small community garden to the right frequently boasts a beautiful array of flowers. To the left, you see a swath of grass leading up to a two-story, white and green farmhouse with a wrap-around porch. To the left of the farmhouse, another log fence delineates the orchard. Fifty apple trees fill the space, and a few occupy the lawn in front of the house. If you are here in the spring, these trees are covered in delicate, white flowers. Those give way to luscious, green foliage as summer rises, which shades the grass underneath and creates a gathering space surrounded by natural decorations. If you stay on the driveway as it passes the house, you come across several other buildings: a mother-in-law cabin and a garage, and further back, a large barn and a tiny cabin. That cabin was built in 1890, and the farmhouse in 1910. The mother-in-law cabin was part of a 1950’s motel before being moved to the farm to serve as a guest house. Now, you might choose to use that small space as a dressing room or a retreat for a quiet moment during the bustle of a special day. The two acres of Turner Farm are surrounded by towering cottonwood trees, giving you a sense of privacy and seclusion, despite being near the heart of Buena Vista.

Turner Farm was an active homestead for almost a century. It brings us joy to see new life brought to the old porch or under the ancient apple trees as families and friends come together and celebrate a momentous occasion.

We are confident that either of our venues will provide a stunning backdrop to your celebration. At the end of the day, we know that the location isn’t the important part: the people and the reason for gathering are. Even so, bringing these beautiful, historic venues into the mix adds an element that can’t be found elsewhere. Be it the drive of the people of Buena Vista that echoes through the brick walls and towering ceilings of the Historic Courthouse or the strength and determination it took to create a beautiful home at Turner Farm, the meaning and memories of our properties run deep. Now it’s your chance to create your own story here, at one or both of our locations.

The Town

While we may be the ones inviting you to host your special day at our venues, there is so much more to our town than just us. Buena Vista is nestled at the foot of the Continental Divide along the Arkansas River, in the heart of Colorado. Surrounded by twelve mountains with summits rising above 14,000 feet, we proudly bear the distinction of having the most "14ers" in the state. Every turn opens up to a breathtaking view. Our small mountain town is a destination for outdoor adventure seekers and includes world-class rafting, kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing, and four-wheeling. A visit would not be complete without a soak in one of our local hot springs. Buena Vista has become a destination town that offers several fine restaurants, microbreweries, coffee and tea shops, and quaint boutiques. We truly offer something for everyone.