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The Colorado Magazine

The Colorado Magazine gives voice to writers who share our passion for the past and the Centennial State.

  • Four men standing on rail road tracks in front of a box car labelled C&S. The men are wearing hats and holding rifles.

    The Mystery of the Hat in the Trunk

    A Ludlow Massacre footnote reveals details about a photojournalist time forgot.

  • Bruce Randolph holding up a street sign which reads: "Bruce Randolph, Ave."

    A Mile-High Life in Barbecue: "Daddy" Bruce Randolph, Sr.

    Colorado's most prominent pitmaster in the twentieth century, "Daddy" Bruce was as famous for his generosity as he was for his sauce. 

  • Photo of a large lightening bolt coming out of the cloud in the middle of the sky, and several fingers of lightening contact the ground. There are two very tall power line poles in the foreground. The bright lightening illuminates the darkness in this very dark photograph.

    We’ve Seen Stranger Things in Our Collections

    If your social media feeds and company water coolers are anything like ours, Season 4 of “Stranger Things” has been all the talk this summer. And if you are arriving a little late to the party, never fear no problem! We’ve got the CliffsNotes for you.

  • Three women in turn-of-the-century dress sit together in an outdoor setting. The second from the left is wearing a dark dress, while the other three wear light colored or white dresses. The three older women are wearing broad-brimmed hats.

    They Were Sisters

    As a young child, I looked forward to spending the night with my great-aunt Mary Cronin. Cooking cinnamon rolls was our thing. Using time and patience, we’d create a cinnamon-sugar-butter concoction that blanketed flat dough, which we rolled into a continuous loop of goopy, reddish-brown swirls. As we worked, Mer—that’s what we called her—sometimes mentioned Aunt Ella and Aunt Frances in passing. The two sisters were ephemeral to me at the time. My life began about fifteen years after their lives finished. Without faces and memories, the names mostly vaporized from my head. 

    Even today, the aroma of baking cinnamon rolls sends me back to Aunt Mary’s kitchen. Maybe the lovely smell and the affection I felt is why I recall the scene so often—and why I’ve spent a lot of time learning more about the women that Mer didn’t want me to forget. 

  • A man and a woman in turn-of-the-century dress ride in an early open-top car. The car is driving along a gravel path next to a small body of water. Mountains are on the horizon. A caption reads "The 100-mile Fritchle: The recognized highest-grade electric automobile in the world. Address: Fritchle, Denver."

    On the Road

    If you’ve cruised down Colfax Avenue in Denver lately, you’ve likely noticed the growing number of electric cars rolling along the thoroughfare. And while some people may still associate electric cars with “The Jetsons” or Elon Musk, historians will note that this mode of transportation is firmly rooted in Colorado’s past. 

  • Photo of a portion of the twists and turns of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The view is of a race vehicle having just gone around a hairpin turn, kicking up a trail of dust from the dirt track. Beyond the track lies the rocky hill top of the mountain, the steep terrain evident as the car climbs higher along the course.

    Race to the Clouds

    For the 100th Running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, we look back at the famous road race’s history.

  • A woman stands on two skis in a snowy landscape. She is wearing a jacket, scarf, and hat, and looks over her shoulder at the camera.

    Looking Back

    An autochrome pays homage to one of Colorado's most important assets.

  • A family sits on a porch. A man sits on a chair to the right, while a woman sits on a chair to the left with a young girl in her lap.

    Las Voces de Covid

    During the first year of the pandemic, we listened to the experiences of immigrant essential workers. Today, their memories and words resonate more than ever.

    Durante el primer año de la pandemia, escuchamos las experiencias de los trabajadores esenciales inmigrantes. Hoy, sus recuerdos y palabras resuenan más que nunca.

  • Photo of Robert Kennedy on the left of the image, standing next to Marilyn Monroe who is wearing the iconic nude-looking dress that is covered in rhinestones. President Kennedy stands next to her with his back to the camera and they are in a room with shelves filled with books. There is a partial image of a man captured on the right edge of the image. They are talking and smiling.

    When Kim Kardashian Wore Marilyn Monroe

    To both shock and applause, Kim Kardashian made waves wearing Marilyn Monroe’s famous rhinestone-laden gown to the Met Gala.

Hindsight 20/20

How will 2020 go down in history? In the Hindsight 20/20 project from The Colorado Magazine, twenty of today's most insightful historians and thought leaders share their visions of how 2020 will go down in history. 

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