AUGUST 2017 August 1936 Shuffleboard at Acacia Park Photo from the Collection of the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum
A Tale of Two “Great American Eclipses” By: Steve Ruskin The eclipse as sketched from the summit of Pikes Peak (source: Samuel P. Langley, New Astronomy, 1888). PIKES PEAK REGIONAL HISTORY LECTURE SERIES: Saturday, August 19th - 2:00 pm On Monday, August 21, 2017, America will witness one of nature’s grandest spectacles. The “Great American Eclipse,” as it is being called, will be the first total solar eclipse visible from the continental United States since 1979, and the first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse since 1918. But in 1878, Colorado Springs was at the heart of what I have come to call “America’s First Great Eclipse.” On July 29, a total solar eclipse occurred over the Rockies. It was observed by astronomers and tourists, who had come west to set up their camps along the Front Range, from the windy plains of Wyoming to the summit of Pikes Peak. Colorado Springs was a popular spot: tourists of all different stripes filled the city’s streets and the nearby Garden of the Gods. From Laramie to Pueblo, hotels and boarding houses were filled to overflowing. Headlines from the Colorado Springs Weekly Gazette, Aug. 3, 1878 “Hotels are crowded with tourists,” Wyoming’s Laramie Daily Sentinel reported. To accommodate them, some hotels set up cots and rented out any other available space. In Colorado Springs, reported the Gazette, “one of our popular landlords visited all the livery stables and engaged all the vacant stalls.” The hotels needed to turn no one away; if nothing else, guests might be given a blanket and allowed to sleep outside. As preparations begin for the upcoming “Great American Eclipse” on August 21, 2017, the lecture will relay the exciting tale of America’s first great eclipse, how it brought science and tourism to Colorado Springs, and what can be expected from the amazing eclipse on August 21. Colorado Springs residents watching the eclipse through tinted glass (source: Colorado Springs Weekly Gazette, Aug. 3, 1878) To learn more and register visit: www.CSPM.org MUSELETTER AUGUST 2017 | PG 2
JUNIOR DOCENTS 2017 Colorado Springs Pioneers Musuem is in its 7th year of the Junior Docent program. This summer 24 6th-12th grade students representing five school districts, a private charter, a private school, a public charter and a homeschool co-op were selected to participate. More than half of the students returned after participating in the program last summer. This program has evolved through the years and each summer we learn more about the program’s impact on the junior docents, museum guests and our programmatic and interpretive efforts. At its core, the program allows for museum guests to interact with “Sensing History” stations on a daily basis. Different types of learners use their five senses to explore the past. Junior Docents are trained to share information and facilitate conversation to develop meaningful connections with local history. In addition, Junior Docents are trained to lead ten minute programs for small groups of daycare and summer camp children. Kids smell lime as they learn about the history of Vallejo’s Family Restaurant and their delicious salsa, they feel buffalo hide and beaver skin as they imagine trade in the American west and build a tray of food representing the average diet of a Tuberculosis patient in treatment at a sanatorium. Mike Pritts and the Junior Docents Each year CSPM receives a flood of stories and feedback from guests, students and their families. We consistently hear how impressed guests are to see young people in action, sharing interesting and important history. Junior Docents often reference their interactions with families they would never have met outside of the museum. Nathan, a returning Junior Docent, shared that “there was a Spanish speaking family from South America, and since I had been in a Spanish immersion program, I was able to talk to them about my station. It was really cool because it was the first time I was able to do that.” Parents share the dramatic growth in their children after a summer at the museum. Whether it is better eye contact, the ability to present in front of classmates or a newly instilled sense of pride and confidence, the changes in the young people are evident. One of the 6th grade mothers noticed a new sense of responsibility in her daughter, “She takes it very seriously and considers it to be a job. For morning shifts, she comes into work with me around 8am and keeps herself busy until it’s time to walk over. I’m typically in meetings so she is totally responsible for minding the time and making sure she’s not late. She always comes home with stories about her day, the people she works with and the groups who came through the museum that day. For her, it’s an opportunity to participate in a professional world and it is such a source of pride and confidence for her.” This special program would not be possible without the support of our incredible museum staff, volunteers and donors! We were fortunate to work with Mike Pritts, an intern from the Colorado College Master of Arts in Education program. Pritts, along with our Education Assistant, Jessica Green, were integral to the program’s development and facilitation. In addition to daily shifts, Junior Docents also support our many summer programs like Children’s History Hour, Weekend Warm-Up and the Colo-rado Grown Family Fun Day. Pritts and Green worked to keep everyone on task. He also took advan-tage of a unique opportunity! Pritts’ summer assignment was to assist with the development of a new field trip for middle and high school students, centered on the Story of Us exhibit. He was able to test the program and receive helpful feedback from the Junior Docents. This summer the Junior Docents clocked-in over 892 hours! Their contribution to CSPM and our mission to share local history cannot be understated. We look forward to many more summers of this program and are excited to see how the program evolves and continues to impact our museum and the community! MUSELETTER AUGUST 2017 | PG 3
AUGUST 2017 EVENTS PIKES PEAK REGIONAL HISTORY LECTURE SERIES: FROM 1878 TO 2017: A TALE OF TWO “GREAT AMERICAN ECLIPSES” Presented by Steve Ruskin, Historian Saturday, August 19th (2:00 pm - 3:00 pm) The upcoming total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017 is being called the Great American Eclipse. But it is not the first eclipse to deserve that title. In the summer of 1878, when the American West was still wild, hundreds of astronomers and thousands of tourists traveled by train to Colorado, Wyoming, and Texas to witness America’s first “Great Eclipse.” Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak played an important role in that eclipse, an event that changed the direction of American astronomy. Reservations Required – $5 Suggested Donation, Free for Members GREAT AMERICAN ECLIPSE FAMILY ACTIVITIES (ages 2-7) Saturday, August 19th (10:00 am – 2:00 pm) Stop by the museum for a drop-in craft and activity to learn more about the upcoming August 21 “Great American Eclipse.” CORE CULTURE GUIDED TOUR: THE STORY OF US Saturday, August 5th (10:00 am - 11:00 am) Tours are held the first Saturday of each month and depart from the Wild Goose Meeting House (401 N. Tejon St.). Pre-registration is advised. Enjoy a free coffee beverage of their choice (included in ticket price) before the tour begins promptly at 10 a.m. Tickets: $10. Free for 17 and under. https://www.downtowncs.com/experience-downtown/arts-culture/arts-and-culture-tours.html CHILDREN’S HISTORY HOUR – FROGGY EATS OUT (Ages 2-7) Wednesday, August 16th & Saturday, August 26th (10:30 am - 11:30 am) Do like to go out to eat? We’ll read about Froggy and his family’s special trip out to a fancy restaurant. There are many delicious places to enjoy a meal in town. Let’s explore the story of one of the oldest family restaurants in Colorado Springs, Vallejo’s Restaurant. We’ll also prepare and taste our own scrumptious salsa! *We’ll have all the makings of salsa, including corn tortilla chips, at this event. Please consider any food allergies before attending. 2017 GIFT OF HISTORY BREAKFAST Wednesday, August 23rd (7:30 am – 8:30 am) – Antlers Hotel Would you like to attend? Please RSVP to Lance James at either ljames@springsgov.com or 385-5633. Please register for these events: Call (719) 385-5990 or www.cspm.org McAllister House Ice Cream Social AUGUST 26, 2017 11 am- 2 pm 423 N. Cascade Ave. www.mcallisterhouse.org (719) 635-7925 The Ice Cream Social, an historic lawn party, includes 5 cent ice cream cones and food for sale. A visit from Winfield Scott Stratton, face painting, herb society table, antique cars and music by the Cinnamon Tea Flute and the Colorado Springs Conservatory. Built in 1873 and lived in by Major Henry McAllister, business associate and friend of General Palmer, McAllister House Museum is the oldest brick home in Colorado Springs. Museum Tours: $5 adults, $4 seniors, and $3 children age 6+ MUSELETTER AUGUST 2017 | PG 4
You ’ r e In v it e d The Gift of History Breakfast AUGUST 23 Please join us for a free breakfast and learn about the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum and its programs! Your support will be requested, but there is no obligation to give. Antlers Hotel 7 a.m. Doors Open 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. Program Please RSVP now to attend. Or do you want to serve as a table captain and invite your friends and neighbors? Call 719-3855633 or email ljames@springsgov.com MUSELETTER AUGUST 2017 | PG 5
August 23 marks the anniversary of the El Paso County Courthouse cornerstone placing ceremony. A time capsule was created by the El Paso County Commissioners and sealed in the cornerstone located in the northwest corner of the new courthouse that was under construction on August 23, 1900. The Colorado Springs Gazette estimated 5,000 people attended the event; the “largest ever in attendance” in Alamo Square Park (also called South Park). Representatives from the El Paso County Pioneers Association, the El Paso County Commissioners, members of the Colorado Grand Lodge of Masons, and those asked to speak during the ceremony filled the platform, which was decorated with the American flag, flowers, and palm and olive branches. The Colorado Midland Band performed at the ceremony as well. A century later, CSPM removed the cornerstone, opened the capsule and unveiled the contents during a public ceremony. It took three weeks to chip away the mortar and slide the 1,000 pound block of granite away from the building. Located inside a hallowed cavity were two tin boxes. The boxes contained documents, photographs, books and objects from the citizens of El Paso County. A new time capsule was placed in the cornerstone on August 23, 2000. It will be opened in the year 2100. These images are examples of the contents of the time capsule. Items can be viewed by appointment, please contact: Starsmore Center for Local History (719) 385-5650 Email: sclh@springsgov.com. Item from the time capsule. Item from the time capsule. AJ Smith’s architectural rendering of the El Paso County Courthouse El Paso County Courthouse during construction (Sept. 1900) MUSELETTER AUGUST 2017 | PG 6
MUSEUM SPOTLIGHT! By: Leah Davis Witherow, Curator of History Every year, CSPM offers internships to students from UCCS, Colorado College and Pikes Peak Community College in addition to colleges and universities across the country. Interns conduct research, process collections, catalog artifacts, develop educational programs and work on marketing campaigns among other duties. In addition to providing a valuable service to the Museum, the internships offer students the opportunity to explore museum field career options. We are continually impressed with their level of interest and commitment to the Museum and are honored to be a part of their undergraduate and/or graduate studies. This fall, Patrick Lee, former Archives intern and current volunteer, will be heading off to Oxford University to pursue a graduate degree in History. We are extremely proud and asked him to share a bit about himself in the Museum Spotlight. Patrick Lee I started at the Museum in 2016 after finishing a Bachelor’s degree in History. Leah Davis Witherow was my Colorado History class professor, and she was kind enough to offer me a museum internship. The first project I assisted with was the Ascent and Marathon exhibit. I researched, wrote and conducted an oral history interview. Next, I researched Nicola Tesla’s time and experiments for “The Story of Us” exhibit and am currently helping with the Irene Bowman collection by organizing and preserving primary documentation boxes. Every day is rewarding and provides a new discovery. I studied history for four years, but it was not until my internship that I felt I was participating in the history process. I am actively discovering history while aiding in making history available to the public. I have learned about the research process. History is similar to detective work. You must find evidence and follow leads to reconstruct past events in an accurate way. This Fall I move to England to begin a Master of Science in the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine at Oxford University. The history of science and technology has always interested me, and with those spheres growing larger every day, it is important they are explored and studied. My core research will study a group of women known as the Harvard Computers. They were female astronomers, named after Edward Pickering, who were derogatorily dubbed “Pickering’s Harem.” These women have yet to be fully recognized for their contributions to astronomy. My aim is to begin a career in museum work. I have never visited a museum I did not find fascinating and being paid to go to one every day would be a bonus. I hope my degree leads me to a long career in the museum field. MUSEUM STORE The Museum store now accepts American Express and Discover charge cards! In addition, as a proud member of the Downtown Partnership, the CSPM store is now a participant of the Downtown Partnership’s Gift Card Merchant group! The Downtown Gift Card is accepted at more than 100 Downtown businesses: shops, restaurants, salons and more. Available in any amount from $10 and up, the Downtown Gift Card makes a perfect gift for birthdays and holidays, employee or client appreciation, a thank-you, or “just because.” Purchase you gift card at the Downtown Partnership office or at: https://downtowncs.com/gift-cards/ Support the museum and Colorado Springs’ downtown by spending your card in the store where shopping is cool and hassle-free! MUSELETTER AUGUST 2017 | PG 7
CSPM HAPPENINGS JUNIOR DOCENTS WEEKEND WARM-UP CSPM STAFF MUSELETTER AUGUST 2017 | PG 8
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