Pueblo scholar and historian Heraldo Acosta, 80, passed away March 21. There were no services.
Acosta will be remembered as the man responsible for retrieving the historic Mexican street names in Mesa Junction area. Through an educational campaign, Acosta convinced the Pueblo City Council to place street signs on many of the streets bearing both the original Spanish name and the newer English name.
For several years, Acosta researched Pueblo’s early history and found that over 40 original names of Pueblo streets were changed from English to Spanish.
Acosta was born on March 16, 1944, in the same house where he lived his last days. He earned a PhD and held many academic titles before retiring in Pueblo. He was active with the American Genealogical Society and served on the Historic Arkansas River Park Foundation Board of Directors.
