GRAND OPENING: THE STORY OF US By: Leah Davis Witherow, CSPM Curator of History & Archivist The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum is thrilled to announce the opening of our newest exhibit, The Story of Us: The Pikes Peak Region A - Z, on Saturday, January 14, 2017. Several years in the making, this groundbreaking exhibit seeks to collect and share stories that broaden our understanding of who we are as a community. Using artifacts, photographs, and oral histories, this exhibit explores what is most unique about us and how we differ from any other city in the United States. Taken separately, each story within our A – Z framework is interesting, provocative and/or anecdotal. Understood as a whole, these stories demonstrate the complex processes that have shaped our region over time. Inside you will find intriguing objects from our collections, many of which have never before been on exhibit. Framed by whimsical text, colorful graphics, playful design, and the distinctive artwork of local phenom Phil Lear, the stories unfold before you. There is no particular way to navigate the gallery — instead we encourage you to meander in whichever direction you are drawn. “Several years in the making, this groundbreaking exhibit seeks to collect and share stories that broaden our understanding of who we are as a community.” -Witherow Who is Nikola Tesla you wonder? Or do you? Find out how despite his brief stay in the region, Tesla left an indelible mark on local memory and landscape. He also went on to become one of the most important scientists of the modern era. Did you know that the first women to wear pants were ridiculed? Have you heard the story about Julia Archibald Holmes and the Dress Reform Movement? She came west in a “Bloomer Costume” and made the first recorded ascent of Pikes Peak by a woman. Or you can sit down, relax, and watch “The Man of a Thousand Faces” Lon Chaney in the classic silent film Phantom of the Opera. Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Chaney’s acting skills were shaped by his difficult childhood and creative inclinations. Or perhaps you have never heard the stories of the cataclysmic grasshopper plagues of the late nineteenth century, and the extremely dangerous methods implemented to eradicate them? These are just a few of the stories that await you in the gallery. Finally, there is an interactive element to The Story of Us that we know you will want to explore. Available through state-of-the-art touchscreens in the gallery, and accessible online in the comfort of your home or school, we have created a dynamic software program that allows you to explore the history and geography of the Pikes Peak Region. Ready to get started? Have fun exploring The Story of Us! pg. 4
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