JANUARY 2018 AdAmAn Lighting Fireworks ca 1925 Standley Photography
CSPMA COMMUNITY GA History matters. Community matters, and when the two come together, it can lead to amazing things. In 2018, the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum (CSPM) experienced a record setting year bringing more people than ever in its 122 year history in different ways to celebrate the Pikes Peak region’s history and culture! You helped us welcome more than 90,000 visitors to explore new exhibits and programs and helped people better understand their community through better understanding its history. The year started with the long-awaited opening of The Story of Us exhibit. 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 provides residents and visitors with a foothold for developing community connections, identity and belonging in the hopes of sparking a new era of community pride and citizen engagement. Using GIS mapping technology, the interactive, state-ofthe-art touchscreens allow visitors to explore the region’s history and geography and offers compelling ways to discover the past, make sense of the present and shape the region’s future. The museum hosted a number of major community events to build a broader audience and encourage more people to visit the museum. On April 18, the building stayed true to its civic roots as the city swore in its newly elected City Council members. Throughout the summer, CSPM, along with Imagination Celebration, served as the hub for connecting our community with others worldwide by hosting a Portal, an international, interactive public art installation started by artist Amar Bakshi. Portals use immersive audio-visual technology to connect people in cities where other portals are located. For the later part of the year, CSPM served as temporary home to an Art-o-mat® art vending machine. Art-o-mat® machines are retired cigarette vending machines that have been repurposed to dispense small, handmade works of art, connecting the Colorado Springs creative community to a network of artists and enthusiasts across the globe. Bringing the downtown business community together, Mayor John Suthers asked the Parks Department, the Downtown Partnership and CSPM to collaborate and create Food Truck Tuesdays. More than 10,000 people gathered during the ten weeks and enjoyed good food and fellowship under the shadow of the 1903 El Paso County Courthouse. In addition, thousands of people came together for the annual Waldo Waldo 5K, the Rotary of Colorado Springs’ kaleidoscope of butterflies, Pikes Peak Hospice’s Trees of Life, the What If Festival and the Colorado Farm and Art Market. 90,000th Visitor!
ATHERING PLACE Essential to CSPM’s mission is establishing connections through exhibits, partnerships and programs. In November, Beads, Blankets and Buffalo: Trade at Bent’s Fort, the newly remodeled children’s gallery, opened to a steady stream of families, and World War I in Colorado Springs connected CSPM and Fountain Valley student curators. More than 1,000 people enjoyed a warm, summer day at CSPM’s Colorado Grown Festival, and more than 2,400 rang in the holiday season at the Festival of Lights Family Fun Day, a 30+ year old museum tradition. CSPM continually offers families the opportunity to spend time together through its ongoing Children’s History Hour, Weekend Warm Ups and Family Fun Days. At the 7th annual Gift of History breakfast, CSPM invited people to build connections to their community through The Story of Us portal where people can add their own stories through “Y” = You at www.cspmstoryofus.com and to learn more about public art in the letter “P.” The building saw a record year bringing together families, friends and colleagues for weddings, receptions, anniversary celebrations, holiday parties, corporate outings and retreats that were hosted in its one of a kind setting. Finally, CSPM launched the Clock Tower Society, creating a distinguished group of donors who support the museum to ensure our community forever remains a place where active minds flourish. Clock Tower Society donors receive exclusive access to events, programs and outings dedicated to bringing people together who share a passion for the region’s culture and history. For more information on how you can become a part of the Clock Tower Society, please call the Lance James in the Development Office at 719.385.5633. City Council Swearing In A big thank you to all of you who are part of our museum community and for all you did to help us reach 90,000 visitors in 2017. We could not do it without you! 100,000 visitors are squarely in our sights for 2018, and we look forward to offering you more compelling ways to “Ignite your Curiosity” and “Discover You Story.” MUSELETTER JANUARY 2018| PG 3
UPCOMING EVENTS CHILDREN’S HISTORY HOUR – SNOWFLAKES (AGES 4-8) Wednesday, January 17th and Saturday, January 27th (10:30 am – 11:30 am) Have you ever wondered what snowflakes look like up close? Wilson Bentley did! Enjoy the book Snowflake Bentley about Wilson Bentley and his discoveries, then explore the museum to find other examples of scientists. The hour will end with a snowflake making craft! Suggested for children ages 4-8. Reservations Encouraged -$3 Suggested Donation PIKES PEAK REGIONAL HISTORY LECTURE SERIES A WINNING TEAM: ARCHITECT RUHTENBERG AND PHOTOGRAPHER BURGESS presented by Elaine Freed Saturday, February 10th (2:00 pm – 3:00 pm) In the mid-20th century, two local artists joined forces to tell a remarkable story of modernist design in Colorado Springs. Jan Ruhtenberg, an architect, designed the buildings; Guy Burgess photographed them. The resulting images appeared again and again in the country’s leading design magazine, Progressive Architecture—a publicity coup of the first rank. Reservations Required - $5 Suggested Donation, Free for Members SILENT FILM SOIREE: ROARING 20s COSTUME PARTY & KIDS NIGHT OUT Friday, February 16th (6:45 pm - 9:30 pm) Join CSPM for the second annual Silent Film Soiree featuring a screening of the rare 1920s classic “The Cameraman,” accompanied live by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra playing the score. Guests will also enjoy exclusive access to the “Behind the Lens” exhibit, a Roaring 20s themed costume party, photobooth and more! Tickets include 2 alcoholic beverages (beer or wine), soft drinks and a dessert bar. While parents enjoy the festivities, children are invited to CSPM’s Kids Night Out featuring refreshments, crafts, activities, access to the children’s exhibit and a children’s movie screening. Please RSVP for these events: www.cspm.org/rsvp-for-an-event/ or call 719-385-5990 McAllister House Valentine’s Day Tea FEBRUARY 10, 2018 11 am & 2 pm 423 N. Cascade Ave. www.mcallisterhouse.org (719) 635-7925 First seating at 11AM, Second seating at 2PM Cost: $27 per person, $30 gluten free, Includes tour of the McAllister House 423 North Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80903 RSVP at 719.635.7925 or Mcallister.curator@gmail.com MUSELETTER JANUARY 2018 | PG 4
Presents the 2nd Annual Silent F Roaring 20s Costume Party & Kids Night Out Featuring a Screening of the 1920’s Silent Classic “The Cameraman” Accompanied LIVE by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra Friday, February 16th Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum • 215 S Tejon Street Doors open at 6:45 PM • Film begins at 7:30 PM Film & Costume Party $35 Non Members • $25 Members 1920s Themed Costume Party Film & Live Performance “Behind the Lens” Exhibit 2 Drink Tickets (Beer & Wine) Soft Drinks & Dessert Bar Photobooth Kids Night Out $15 Non Members • $10 Members Child Supervision Beverages & Snacks Crafts Activities Children’s Exhibit Children’s Movie Space is Limited! For more information or to purchase tickets, visit cspm.org or call 719.385.5990
MUSEUM STORE Gifts Artisans Jewelry Books There’s always something new at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum Store! For the Van Briggle Collector, the museum store is offering “The Story Behind the Clay,” by Sharon Swint ($27.95) and “ Van Briggle Notes & More” ($75.00). Local history buffs will enjoy “Early Ascents on Pikes Peak” by Woody Smith, which explores Colorado’s early mountain history ($21.99). For a unique gift idea come check out artisan K8E Orr’s hair jewelry, which is hand crafted from vintage watches. Store Hours Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 am – 4:45 pm CSPM members receive a 10% discount at the museum store! Partner Spotlight MUSELETTER JANUARY 2018| PG 6
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT! On Saturday, December 2nd, more than 40 CSPM volunteers supported our annual Festival of Lights Family Fun Day. From 10 am to 2 pm, volunteers painted faces, ran the elevator, managed craft lines and greeted guests. Interpretive volunteers were also stationed throughout the museum, providing mini tours of exhibits and sharing information at our Hands on History stations. With more than 2,400 guests, volunteers were critical to managing crowds and keeping spirits bright. In addition to the wonderful support of the volunteers, we cannot go without thanking the many community partners that contributed to the success of Festival of Lights Family Fun Day. The Pikes Peak Weavers Guild, the Rocky Mountain Lace Guild, TOPS Stewardship Program, North Cheyenne Canon, Slim Rails Model Train Club, the United States Postal Service, the Colorado College Mascot “Prowler,” and the Switchbacks Mascot “Ziggy” all donated their time and supplies. Thank you to everyone who made this special day possible. Festival of Lights Family Fun Day is CSPM’s gift to the community, and it would not happen without help from volunteers! THANK YOU! Sharon Dixon and Jim Sciegel Eliana Bertman and Jenna Baker, CSPM Junior Docents Harry Gautsche and Mary Elizabeth Ruwell Judy Cross, John Osborn, Meg Poole and Jessica Green MUSELETTER JANUARY 2018| PG 7
By: Leah Davis Witherow, Curator of History For the past several decades the museum has actively collected oral histories. Every year CSPM interviews a few dozen individuals who have stories to share about our community’s past and present. Sometimes the interviewees are leaders in the community with easily recognizable names, and sometimes they are not. However, each story is important and every interviewee’s perspective is an invaluable piece of our history. All told, CSPM’s Oral History Collection consists of several hundred interviews, which span thousands of hours and cover nearly every conceivable topic in our region’s history. One of CSPM’s most challenging tasks continues to be convincing members of our community that their story counts and is worth recording. They ask, “Why me?” We answer, “Why not?” Everyone’s history matters. Interviews in the CSPM collection are now “born digital;” meaning using digital audio recorders that easily transfer voice recordings to computers for access and file storage. However, interviews from the 1960s through the 1990s were done on analog tapes. This type of media becomes extremely unstable over time and must be migrated for permanent preservation. Thankfully, Stephanie Prochaska, Assistant Archivist, researched the technology to complete the migration on CSPM computers at minimum cost. As a result she has successfully migrated from analog tape to digital file the majority of our interviews from CSPM’s Voices and Visions project in the 1990s. This award-winning collection was originally funded through a generous grant from the Colorado Endowment for Humanities (now Colorado Humanities) with the goal of interviewing 100 women in 1992 to celebrate the centennial anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in Colorado. All told, 126 women were interviewed during the grant period resulting in a wide range of stories that serve as a remarkable connection to our past. For instance, the 1994 interview conducted with Norma Beghetto Dellacroce describes her family’s deep roots in our community. Her maternal grandfather Antionio Gheno came to Colorado Springs from Italy around 1910. He found work at the City Coal Mine and boarded with a family in Papeton, now known as Venetian Village. Ten years later, his wife and children joined him in Colorado. The family built a home on Pennsylvania Avenue in Papeton where Norma’s mother, Tranquillla, attended school in the neighborhood with the Venetucci and Pinello children. Norma’s mother remembered the dances held at the Papeton community hall and the warm, comfortable feeling in a working-class neighborhood filled with Polish, Italian, Czechoslovakian and Hispanic miners or farmers and their families. Norma’s father Raymond Beghetto was born in Tombolo Padua, Italy in 1896 and came to America at the age of sixteen with just $12 in his pocket. After working various jobs in Chicago and for the railroad in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Raymond came to Colorado Springs to do cement and construction work on the new South Junior High School in 1923-1924. Introduced to his future wife through friends in the tight-knit Italian community in Colorado Springs, Raymond took the streetcar to the end of the line on North Tejon Street to spend Sunday afternoons with Tranquilla and the Gheno Family. According to daughter Norma, Raymond would, “…fill his pockets full of rocks and he would walk from there to the Papeton area to visit my mother and the family. The rocks were to chase away the dogs because everybody had dogs and cats, and they would follow him.” MUSELETTER JANUARY 2018| PG 8
West Junior High ca. 1927 The couple married in 1924 at the original Corpus Christi Catholic Church on North Cascade and lived in an apartment above a broom factory on West Colorado Avenue. Norma Beghetto Dellacroce’s story is filled with wonderful wit and insight and paints a vivid picture of life decades ago in Colorado Springs. If you are interested in learning more about Norma’s fascinating story or to view any of our other oral histories, please contact the museum to make an appointment to visit the archives. To make the interviews accessible for researchers, CSPM transcribes them. To do this important work, the museum relies on a small cadre of wonderful volunteers. Transcription is a painstaking process but absolutely essential to making the interviews useful for historical purposes. For every one hour of an oral history, it takes approximately 4 to 6 hours of transcription time. Every section of the voice recording must be listened to numerous times to get an accurate transcription. Additionally, transcripts must be edited for spelling and other errors before they are approved for use in research and exhibits. The oral history collection is “mined” extensively in the research and preparation for new exhibits. For instance, CSPM has dozens of interview excerpts in the Story of Us exhibit and online platform. Visitors enjoy the “first-person” narration of local events and subject matter available through these stories. For the past several months, CSPM has conducted interviews in preparation of upcoming exhibits on the families of POWs/MIAs during the Vietnam Era in addition to the founding members Sankofa. And the work continues. Do you have stories to share? Would you or someone else you know participate in our ongoing oral history documentation project? Would you like to volunteer to help us conduct interviews or transcribe them? If so, please feel free to contact Leah Witherow at your convenience. The CSPM team looks forward to hearing from you! MUSELETTER JANUARY 2018| PG 9
CSPM HAPPENINGS FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS: FAMILY FUN DAY CSPM staff members ready to spread cheer! Meeting with Ziggy, mascot for the Switchbacks Making a CSPM ornament Enjoying Professor Higgins’ magic show CSPM partnered with Chamber Orchestra of the Springs for “Folklore: A Piano and Cello Recital” on December 29th MUSELETTER JANUARY MUSELETTER JANUARY 2018 | PG 10
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