Where the Columbines Grow was originally composed by Dr. Arthur John Fynn (1857-1930) in 1911. Dr. Fynn was born in New York and eventually made his way west to Colorado. In addition to composing music, he served as an educator, historian, and as a superintendent for Alamosa, Central City, and Denver.

Dr. Fynn had been traveling to the San Luis Valley to visit Indian tribes when he crossed the Schinzel Flats covered in Columbines and was thus inspired to compose the piece. Upon publication, Where the Columbines Grow became extremely popular and in 1915, became Colorado’s official state song. This arrangement was created in 2026 for Colorado’s Sesquicentennial (150th) Anniversary Celebration.