Statement of Significance (as of designation - February 10, 2006):
Founded in 1898 as the Texas-Colorado Chautauqua, the Colorado Chautauqua is the only site of its kind, an independent institution established and continuously operating as a chautauqua open to the general public. Its programming successfully assimilated the popular entertainment featured at the circuit chautauqua with the educational emphasis of the independent assembly.The Chautauqua Idea was institutionalized in two quite distinct formats: the independent assembly and the circuit chautauqua. The independent assembly was designed to be held annually in the summer at a permanent location. The circuit chautauqua was a traveling troupe of educators and entertainers that brought a week or two of programming to rural towns all over the United States. The Colorado Chautauqua survives as a unique and distinctively western expression of the movement.

Condition:
The NHL is in excellent condition. All maintenance and rehabilitation are conducted according to design guidelines and a formal preservation plan. The Chautauqua program continues; every year, thousands attend musical performances and silent films, hear lectures, attend classes, hike or climb the nearby foothills, and enjoy cottage life.

The Secretary of the Interior designated this property a National Historic Landmark in 2006. In 2004, the Chautauqua Park Historic District Cultural Landscape Assessment and Plan was completed, which will guide future preservation efforts.