NOVEMBER 2017 Hand-tinted landscape by H.L. Standley From the CSPM Collections
BEADS, BLANKETS AND BUFFALO: TRADE AT BENT’S FORT By Leah Davis Witherow, Curator of History & Archivist CSPM is thrilled to announce its newest Children’s Gallery exhibit, Beads, Blankets and Buffalo: Trade at Bent’s Fort, which opens Saturday, November 18. The child-centered exhibit will offer CSPM visitors aged 2-10 an interactive, hands-on experience of a “day in the life” at Bent’s Fort. By exploring five key sections in the gallery: a carpenter’s shop, trade counter, kitchen, tipi and Santa Fe Trail wagon; children will discover how Bent’s Fort was a multicultural place of trade and exchange. Located approximately one hundred miles southeast of present day Colorado Springs on the mountain branch of the Santa Fe Trail, Bent’s Fort was the epicenter of international trade in the west. Founded on the banks of the Arkansas River in 1833 by brothers Charles and William Bent and trader Ceran St. Vrain, the privately owned fort was frequented by American Indians, trappers, traders, soldiers, scouts, frontiersmen, women and children. On any given day at least a half dozen languages were spoken at the fort including Spanish, Ute, Cheyenne, Comanche, Sioux, French and English. Made of adobe walls three feet thick and 15 feet high, the massive fortification was called the “Castle of the Plains.” In the center of the fort was the placita or common area, surrounded by trade rooms, bunk rooms, a blacksmith shop, carpentry shop and a kitchen and dining room all located on the perimeter of the structure. Hides and pelts were traded for an impressive variety of goods from around the world including coffee, tea, beads, cloth, needles, cookware, brass wire, hoop iron, tools and a variety of foodstuffs. Many people lived at the fort year-round including Mexican cowboys or vaqueros, cooks, hunters, herdsmen, clerks, freight-wagon drivers known as bullwhackers, blacksmiths, housekeepers, gunsmiths and wheelwrights, who were craftsmen who made and repaired wagon wheels. Additionally, Cheyenne and Arapaho often camped nearby, and travelers along the Santa Fe Trail made Bent’s Fort their temporary home for days, weeks or months at a time. For sixteen years, the fort was a crossroads of culture in the Southwest, a place of both respite for weary travelers and an exciting center of global trade. After the death of his wife Owl Woman and their fourth child, in addition to a devastating cholera outbreak that killed half of the Southern Cheyenne, William Bent ordered the fort closed on August 21, 1849. Bent’s Fort burned to the ground that same day. More than a century later, Congress declared Bent’s Old Fort a national historic site in 1960. The National Park Service used archeological evidence, paintings, drawings and diaries to reconstruct the fort in 1976, Colorado’s Centennial year. We hope families enjoy visiting Beads, Blankets and Buffalo: Trade at Bent’s Fort at CSPM, and they continue to explore the fascinating history of our region and state. MUSELETTER NOVEMBER 2017 | PG 2
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Core Culture Guided Tour: Story of Us Saturday, November 4th (10:00 am - 11:00 am) Wild Goose Meeting House (401 N. Tejon Street) Facilitated by CSPM staff in conjunction with the Downtown Partnership, this tour takes you back in time to understand how neighborhoods, businesses, climate and transportation have shaped our community. Where do you fit in? Come and discover your place in local history through The Story of Us! Tours depart at 10 am from the Wild Goose Meeting House (401 N. Tejon Street). Pre-registration is advised. Participants are encouraged to arrive at 9:30 am to enjoy a free coffee beverage of their choice (included in ticket price) before the tour begins promptly at 10 am. Tickets: $10. Free for 17 and under. The Downtown Partnership takes reservations for this program. RSVP and purchase tickets: Online: https://downtowncs.com/event/tours/ Call: Downtown Partnership at 719-886-0088 2017 Give! Indygive.com | November 1st through December 31st CSPM is proud to be part of the Give! Class of 2017. Visit http://indygive.com/cspm from November 1st through December 31st to make a charitable gift to CSPM, earn rewards and support our community! Partner Spotlight MUSELETTER NOVEMBER 2017 | PG 3
NOVEMBER 2017 EVENTS PIKES PEAK REGIONAL HISTORY LECTURE SERIES BETWEEN TWO WORLDS: REV. SHERMAN COOLIDGE AND NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURAL IDENTITY IN THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY Presented by Erinn Barnes, Special Collections, Pikes Peak Library District Saturday, November 11th (2:00 pm – 3:00 pm) Between Two Worlds explores the life of Sherman Coolidge, Arapahoe Indian, Episcopalian Bishop and resident of Colorado Springs beginning in 1921. Adopted by a white military couple as a young boy, Coolidge became one of few Native American priests ordained by the Episcopal Church. He remained a passionate advocate for Native American culture and was instrumental in forming the first Indian rights advocacy group fully governed by Native Americans. Despite his success, Coolidge was often at odds with the two worlds from which he came. This talk will explore Coolidge’s remarkable journey to define a new and sentient Native American identity for the twentieth century. $5 Suggested Donation, Free for Members CHILDREN’S HISTORY HOUR – FULL STEAM AHEAD (AGES 4-8) Wednesday, November 15th and Saturday, November 25th (10:30 am – 11:30 am) Full steam ahead! November is National Model Railroading Month. Trains are a special part of the story of the west. Join CSPM for a reading of The Last Train by Gordon Titcomb, a look at the history of trains in Colorado Springs and conductor hat making. NEW CHILDREN’S EXHIBIT OPENING DAY BEADS, BLANKETS AND BUFFALO: TRADE AT BENT’S FORT Saturday, November 18th Come explore the new children’s gallery during its opening day! Beads, Blankets and Buffalo: Trade at Bent’s Fort features five interactive stations: a carpenter’s shop, trade counter, kitchen, tipi and Santa Fe Trail wagon. At each station, children will discover through hands-on play how Bent’s Fort was a multicultural place of trade. FALL FAMILY FUN DAYS Tuesday, November 21st, Wednesday, November 22nd and Saturday, November 25th (10:00 am– 2:00 pm) Looking for a fun family outing during Thanksgiving break? At Fall Family Fun Days guests can explore the new, interactive children’s exhibit “Beads, Blankets and Buffalo: Trade at Bent’s Fort,” make seasonal crafts or take a family-friendly guided tour (12 pm and 2 pm). Enjoy holiday movies and popcorn throughout the day! Free ($3 Suggested Donation) SAVE THE DATE: FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS FAMILY FUN DAY Saturday, December 2nd (10:00 am – 2:00 pm) FREE EVENTS-DONATIONS WELCOME Please register for these events at: http://www.cspm.org/rsvp-for-an-event MUSELETTER NOVEMBER 2017 | PG 4
MUSEUM SPOTLIGHT! Originally from Iowa, Caitlin Sharpe graduated with a B.A. in History and Minor in Anthropology from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She then attended graduate school at the University of South Carolina in Columbia where she received a M.A. in Public History with a concentration in Museum Studies. After graduation, she was hired as the Visitor Services Manager at Historic Columbia. She moved to Colorado in May 2014 after being offered the position of Curatorial Assistant at the Aurora History Museum. For more than three and a half years, she assisted the curators of exhibits, collections, and education as well as served as the museum’s social media manager. As registrar, Caitlin will oversee collections care and management of the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum’s three-dimensional objects and artifacts. MUSELETTER NOVEMBER 2017 | PG 5
Colorado Springs’ Art-o-mat® For the next few months, CSPM will serve as temporary home to Colorado Springs’ Art-omat® art vending machine. Art-o-mat® machines are retired cigarette vending machines that have been repurposed to dispense small, handmade works of art. For just $5, museum visitors can purchase a unique souvenir that celebrates the creativity of local artists. The Art-o-mat® at CSPM is titled “Carnival” and offers many different options, allowing guests to collect something new on every visit. Art-o-mat® was first created in June 1997 by artist Clark Whittington for a solo art show at Penny Universitie, a café in Winston-Salem, N.C. The original machine sold Clark’s black & white photographs. Clark’s art show was slated to end in July, but the Art-o-mat® proved so popular with Penny Universitie customers that the café owner requested the machine stay. Since then, Art-o-mat® has expanded, with more than 100 active machines across the United States. Today, each machine has a unique design and sells works from a diverse roster of artists. Locally, Art-o-mat® is sponsored by the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region (COPPeR). In conjunction with Arts Month, COPPeR unveiled the new Art-o-mat® machine in the CSPM lobby on Wednesday, October 5th. COPPeR plans to have the machine relocate to a new, high foottraffic location in Colorado Springs approximately every six months, with CSPM being its first location. COPPeR’s website notes that the vision for Art-o-mat® in the Pikes Peak region is to “elevate the visibility and brand of our local arts & cultural community, and…provide tourists and residents with a new way to engage and enjoy the arts.” Visit the Art-o-mat® in the CSPM’s lobby The Art-o-mat® is also an exciting way to connect the Colorado Springs creative community to a network of artists and enthusiasts across the globe. There are currently more than 300 contributing artists from 10 different countries providing pieces for Art-o-mat® machines nationwide. Art-o-mat® is always looking for new contributing artists, allowing artists from the Pikes Peak region to get involved. Thanks to its convenient location and $5 price point, Art-o-mat® makes art more accessible for the public. The concept is so well-regarded nationally that many collectors plan trips around new Art-o-mat® locations. CSPM is excited to share the Art-o-mat® with Colorado Springs residents and visitors alike. For more information on the Art-o-mat® or to become a contributing artist, visit the Art-o-mat® page on COPPeR’s website: www.culturaloffice.org/programs/art-o- mat/ MUSELETTER NOVEMBER 2017 | PG 6
MUSEUM STORE Gifts Artisans Jewelry Books The museum store is proud to offer beautifully framed alcohol ink paintings depicting the mountains in bold vivid colors by local artist Julie Malfitano. Looking for a unique gift? The museum store carries Selah Chipman’s Ice Art on silk. In addition to local art and handmade gifts, the store carries a diverse selection of books about the history of the Pikes Peak region. Store Hours Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 4:45 pm (Open year round) 10% discount at the museum store for CSPM members! THIS SEASON... Make Holiday History! BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY PARTIES NOW! For information about hosting your holiday party at CSPM, contact: Haley Davis, Events Coordinator 719-385-5653 or hdavis@springsgov.com MUSELETTER NOVEMBER 2017 | PG 7
CSPM HAPPENINGS USS Colorado sailors and CSPM staff members Matt Mayberry, Haley Davis and Lance James pose with the helm from the WWII-era USS Colorado battleship Hands-on learning about archeology Celebrating the Navy’s birthday at CSPM Museum lobby filled with activity on Dig Day MUSELETTER NOVEMBER 2017 | PG 8 Children “excavating” in dig pits
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