Casimiro Barela

Biography

Casimiro Barela was born in 1847 in the New Mexican territory and became a guiding light for Colorado's Hispanic citizens as the territory joined the Union. For more than four decades he served in the state senate, helping shape Colorado's early laws and ensuring that the voices of miners, ranchers, and Spanish-speaking families were heard.

He was widely respected as the only Hispanic member to attend every Colorado constitutional convention in the 1870s and remained a faithful advocate for justice until his death in 1920. His remains rest at Catholic Cemetery, where his legacy as a bridge between cultures continues to inspire public service.