Museletter IGNITE your curiosity. DISCOVER your story. OCTOBER 2019 CHEYENNE SCHOOL SEWING CLASS H.L. STANDLEY photograph 1915
PHOTOS: Students with Judi at CSPM. School Programs BY MEG POOLE, PROGRAM COORDINATOR When I look back on my days as an elementary student, it’s easy to remember that feeling of joy when the teacher announced that the class would be going on a field trip. I would carefully collect the field trip permission slip and place it neatly in my backpack. I couldn’t wait to show my mom and tell her about the adventures to come! Even though my school days are gone, as the museum’s Program Coordinator I still have the privilege of experiencing the joy and curiosity that those two words instantly evoke: field trip! Jeanie with students MUSELETTER OCTOBER 2019| PG 2 AT CSPM
Each school year, the museum welcomes over 5,000 K-12 students to explore our exhibits, connect with the past, and gain new understandings. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) views social studies as an avenue for students to develop “the knowledge and skills to make sound judgments, understand historical and contemporary experiences/events, analyze interpersonal and global tensions, and actively participate in the complex world in which they live.” (www.cde.state.co.us/cosocialstudies). The museum supports regional educators with these lofty goals. Schools can choose from a variety of field trip options that will work best for their students. We align our activities with the CDE standards to ensure students have not only a fun, but impactful visit. Recently, a group of 60 4th graders visited our new Evidence exhibit that explores the life of our city’s founder, General William Jackson Palmer. Students were introduced to how a team of archaeologists excavated Palmer’s trash and learned a great deal from their findings. In small teams, students looked through their own “dig” box and had to discuss what stories the items told. With very little information, they drew conclusions about the ages of the occupants of Glen Eyrie (Palmer’s home near Garden of the Gods), ideas about what they ate, and even the family’s class. Hands-on activities like these challenge the students to utilize their inquiry skills and take the learning into their own hands. Students participating in the “Trailblazers” station with Makaela Worden, Education Assistant I am fortunate to have an incredible team that supports these program offerings. Makaela Worden, Education Assistant, supervises program set-up and student introductions. Our team of volunteers train to lead specific exhibit stations, and work diligently to not only teach, but inspire and engage visiting students. We are all driven by the “ah ha!” moments where students truly connect to exhibit content. Students also have a unique way of reminding us how special this museum building and its collections are. I love observing and listening to their comments when they first enter the building, “Wow!” “Is this a castle!?” “I love this place!” We are truly a museum for everyone, and are thrilled when the big yellow buses pull up each week! Meg Poole, Program Coordinator with students at the “History Detective” station in the new Palmer exhibit MUSELETTER OCTOBER 2019| PG 3
UPCOMING EVENTS NOW OPEN: EVIDENCE: FINDING THE FACTS ABOUT GENERAL WILLIAM JACKSON PALMER 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Tues – Sat (regular museum hours) CHILDREN’S HISTORY HOUR: Can You Dig It? Wednesday, October 16 10:00 – 11:00 am RSVP required HALLOWEEN HISTORY HUNT Saturday, October 26 10:00 am – Noon | for kids ages 2 - 12 RSVP required FOOD TRUCK TUESDAYS! Every Tuesday through October 29 11:00 am – 1:30 pm Enjoy a tasty lunch from local food truck vendors on the west lawn of CSPM every Tuesday. Also enjoy live music while you dine and then, drop in the museum for a free History in 10 short and informative storytelling session! PIKES PEAK REGIONAL HISTORY LECTURE SERIES Indigenous In Plain Sight Presented by Gregg Deal Saturday, November 9 2:00 – 3:00 pm RSVP for events at: www.cspm.org/rsvp-for-an-event or Call 719-385-5990 MUSELETTER OCTOBER 2019| PG 4
MUSEUM STORE While touring the museum’s wonderful exhibits, make sure to navigate through our Museum Store for a delightful array of books and unique regional gifts! All proceeds from the Museum Store support the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. PARTNER SPOTLIGHT MUSELETTER OCTOBER 2019| PG 5
DID YOU KNOW? INTERNATIONAL BOXING MATCH ARENA COLLAPSE, 1916 ON WEST COLORADO AVENUE By Leah Davis Witherow, Curator of History Among the CSPM’s hundreds of boxes and thousands of folders storing our large photograph collection is a single image titled, “International Boxing Match Arena Collapse, 1916 on West Colorado Avenue.” The grainy image was donated by local historian Wanetta Draper in 1971, and is a prime example of a small object that can tell a big story. In the sunny days of early September 1916, Colorado Springs was the center of the boxing universe. Freddie Welsh, Lightweight Champion of the World was slated to take on challenger Charley White in a 20 round bout. Both men arrived a few weeks earlier to train for the match, with Welsh hosting public practices at the Temple Theater on North Nevada Avenue. According to promoters, “…tickets were selling like hot cakes,” and a hastily constructed outdoor arena was built on West Huerfano Street to accommodate up to 15,000 fans. To ensure public safety, Colorado Springs Chief of Police Howard Stark posted detectives several days prior at train stations and throughout the arena the day of the event to round up pickpockets and other troublemakers. Little did local authorities know, trouble would be of a different kind…Freddie Welsh, known as the “Welsh Wizard,” was born in Pontypridd, Wales in 1886. His father was a coal miner and the family lived in poverty. The young man turned to boxing as a way to escape his father’s fate. Freddie immigrated to America, becoming a professional boxer in Philadelphia in 1905. He won the lightweight title in 1914, and was wellknown for his “healthy living” philosophy of not smoking and following a vegetarian diet. He was also wealthy. Organizers of the Colorado Springs match guaranteed him a prize of $13,500 or 50% of the gross gate receipts, and 51% of moving picture revenues – whichever amount was larger. CHARLES ANCHOWITZ On the other hand, they offered challenger Charley White a $4,000 flat fee whether he won or lost. Charley’s real last name was Anchowitz. He was born in Liverpool, England in 1891, the child of Russian Jewish parents. A tailor by trade, Charley’s father moved the family to Chicago where they settled in a largely Jewish, working-class neighborhood on Chicago’s west-side. Living in crowded urban conditions, Charley contracted tuberculosis at age 13. To build strength in his son’s weakened lungs, his father sent him to the famous O’Connell’s Sports Club. There Charley took up boxing and 18 months later was declared free of disease. At age 15 he changed his name to White and joined brothers Jack and Billy as professional boxers. MUSELETTER OCTOBER 2019| PG 6
ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP CARD - TJ FISHER The championship bout was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Labor Day, Monday, September 4, 1916. Gates opened at 10 a.m. and people arrived early to purchase $3 general admission tickets for bleacher seats. Reserved seats varied in price from $5, $7.50, $10, and $15 box seats. Promoted around the country, people were arriving in droves to attend. The newly constructed wooden arena took up the better part of a vacant city block and was bordered on the north and south by Pikes Peak Avenue and Huerfano Streets (now known as Colorado Avenue) and on the east and west by Spruce and Walnut Streets. Today that block is home to City Glass, Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church, Deep Rock Water, Ormao Dance Company and ProCycling. The newly organized Colorado Springs Athletic Club organized the match, hoping positive press attention would draw tourists, along with future residents and businesses. The members of CSAA were among the richest, most powerful men in town and included many familiar names such as: Penrose, Shove, Shoup, Howbert, Hayes Davis, Sharp, Carpenter, Hefley, Robbins, Tutt, Taylor, Lennox, Kaufman and Giddings. They hired local architect Charles E. Thomas of MacLaren &; Thomas to draw up plans, with Contractor William Farnsworth and Foreman W.E. Soley, both of Denver to oversee construction. Unfortunately, it was later revealed that Farnsworth set aside Thomas’ plans as too complicated and expensive. They instructed workers to take short cuts – after all the structure was not meant to be permanent. Local carpenter A.R. Hyde later testified that Farnsworth and Soley insisted on using poor lumber, two few nails and told workers to, “put it up (the arena) any way to get it up.” It is not hard to imagine what happened next. As 10,000 spectators filled the arena, small cracking noises were heard as the bleachers in the south section began to sway. As people moved down from the highest rows, the entire section collapsed. Over 500 men, women and children plunged 20 feet to the ground in a tangled mass. Authorities and bystanders moved quickly to remove bodies from the pile of rubble. All seven ambulances in the city and dozens of private automobiles began transporting victims to local hospitals. Injuries ranged from bumps and scrapes to broken bones, internal hemorrhaging and head wounds. St. Francis Hospital took in nearly a hundred patients with Beth El and Glockner a dozen or two each. At least 100 others were treated on the scene or taken to local homes. After several days, officials determined that 288 spectators suffered significant injuries. Tragically, in the weeks following the arena collapse, three spectators succumbed to their injuries: Albert A. Nostrum of Colorado City, Thomas Allen of Colorado Springs and George P. Rhea of Porter, Oklahoma. District Attorney M.W. Purcell pursued the initial investigation which soon turned into a Coroner’s Inquest. Dozens of witnesses testified and multiple parties were found negligent. Architect Charles E. Thomas was exonerated as his plans for the arena were never used. Most of the blame was placed on the contractor and foreman for their shoddy work. Members of the Colorado Springs Athletic Association quietly disbanded their organization and went largely unnamed in the local papers. Interestingly, outraged residents demanded enhanced building code enforcement and mandatory inspection of temporary buildings to prevent future tragedies. By the way, the champion won the bout by points after twenty rounds. FREDDIE WELSH MUSELETTER OCTOBER 2019| PG 7
VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH Tom Keenan Our front desk volunteers set the tone for visitor’s experiences with the museum. We often receive feedback from the public that our front desk team makes them feel welcome and valued. For the month of October we’d like to recognize Tom Keenan who has supported the front desk for the past year. Jim Wahl, CSPM Security Officer, relies on the front desk volunteers to provide great customer service for our guests, “Tom has been an absolute pleasure to work with. He has gone out of his way to help fill vacant front desk openings on multiple occasions. His greatest asset is his friendly and upbeat greeting to guests.” We asked Tom to share what inspired him to join CSPM, “I enjoyed my first visit and was impressed with the museum.” His interest in U.S. history also made him think that it might be a good fit. Tom interacts with hundreds of guests each day, “The thing I most enjoy about the museum is meeting all the different people that come in and having conversations with them, sometimes local history and other times just related to my background or where they are from.” While Tom has learned a great deal about local history, his favorite story was hearing about how the community worked to save the El Paso County Courthouse from destruction. We often receive feedback from the public that our front desk team makes them feel welcome and valued. In his retirement Tom stays busy with a variety of volunteer roles and keeping up with his favorite hobbies of reading and working in his yard. Thank you Tom for supporting the front desk! MUSELETTER OCTOBER 2019| PG 8
MUSUEM SPOTLIGHT Welcome to CSPM, Steve Winters Maintenance Technician II As a native of Colorado Springs, Steve has a long history in the region. His grandparents were original “health-seekers” and came to Colorado due to his Grandmother’s asthma in 1931. Steve has an extensive background in building construction, floor covering, and building maintenance. He worked 10 years with the Colorado Springs Utilities Wastewater Division as an Industrial Waste Technician, and later as Industrial Waste Field Operations Supervisor. Steve also had 21 years with the Colorado Springs Fire Department from which he recently retired. Steve went to Wasson High School and graduated from Pikes Peak Community College with an Associate Degree in Fire Science. He enjoys building and restoring classic cars in his spare time as well as visiting wineries in different states with his wife on their motorcycle. Thank you Carol Denning Matt Mayberry presenting framed print to Carol Denning After twenty-one years of overseeing the CSPM’s Museum Store, Carol Denning is retiring to spend more time with her family—especially with her new grandchild. After retiring as a nurse for Penrose Hospital, she came to the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum to manage the Museum store in 1998. She was instrumental in featuring local artists, and helping visitors take a little bit of Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region back home with them. Through her leadership and commitment, the museum store has provided a critical visitor amenity while contributing financial support for museum operations.“Carol was a wonderful boss and an even greater friend. She will be sorely missed by her volunteers,” said Barbara Knox, Museum Store Volunteer. From all of us at CSPM, we cannot thank Carol enough for her dedication to the Museum and wish her all the best! MUSELETTER OCTOBER 2019| PG 9
CSPM HAPPENINGS Makaela Worden instructs volunteer group Become a member of the CSPM Volunteer Program today…we’d be history without you! Volunteers Trevor & Darryl practice their delivery MUSELETTER AUGUST 2019| PG 9 Connect with CSPM!
General Palmer Lecture September 22, 2019 Shield 66 filming commercial in Division 1 Courtroom WWW.CSPM.ORG
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