Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church History: 1907-1998

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church was built by Jesuit priests in 1907 to serve the Italian and Spanish speaking immigrants who worked in the Trinidad area’s coal mines. The structure is in the Italianate style and was designed by the influential architect, Isaac Hamilton Rapp. It is one of the five churches listed in the Colorado State Registry of Historic Properties.

From its inception, it served as a busy religious center, engaging all members of the local miners’ families in church sponsored activities. In 1926, under the direction of Felix S. Ziccardi, S.J., the most influential priest at Mt. Carmel, an adjacent music hall was erected. It served as a teaching and practice center for Fr. Ziccardi’s boys’ bands. Fr. Ziccardi, beloved by his parishioners, serviced the parish from 1923 to 1950.

At Fr. Ziccardi’s departure in 1950, the music hall became a parochial school, housing grades K-8 and remained active until 1984 when, due to the loss of mining operations and population decline, the school closed. Sadly, in 1998, the final sermon was given in the historic Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and it, too, was closed.

1998-2006

The church and music hall sat, abandoned for nearly a decade, disintegrating in the harsh Colorado climate. In 2006, under the weight of a very heavy snow, the roof of the church collapsed.

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Mt. Carmel Wellness and Community Center History: 2006-present

Jay Cimino, Trinidad native and former altar boy at Mount Carmel, was dismayed by what was happening to this historic and sacred old church. In 2007, Jay and Emily Cimino bought the property and after intensive research into the needs of the community, the church was renovated and repurposed and Mt. Carmel Health, Wellness and Community Center, a non-profit 501(c) 3, was born. Renovating the historic old church into a multipurpose-campus required sophisticated architectural design and engineering. Kip Hampden Properties, LLLP oversaw the project and employed CTL/Thompson, Inc. engineering firm whose work on the project earned the 2012 ACE Engineering Excellence Award. Initial medical and behavioral health services commenced in 2011. In 2017, Mt. Carmel partnered with Salud Family Health Centers who took over the full spectrum of physical and behavioral health care service, leaving Mt. Carmel free to focus on wellness, civic and cultural programs and events. FINALLY, A PLACE FOR MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT.

Today, on the Mt. Carmel campus, one is able to find primary care staffed by fully certified medical personnel covering both physical and behavioral health needs. Plans are in place to add a number of other services. Pediatric dental care was added in January of 2020. The campus also features the former Music Hall, which has been transformed into Ziccardi Hall, a well-appointed venue for all types of events ranging from social receptions to business or civic seminars.