PRESS CONTACT                            
Luke Perkins, Manager of Communications and Public Relations 
303-866-3670 | luke.perkins@state.co.us 

How History Colorado Cultivates Agricultural Knowledge:
Exhibit Opening: The Seeds of a Nation | Denver, CO
Center for Colorado Women’s History | August 1, 10:00a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Join the Center for Colorado Women’s History on Colorado Day, August 1, for the opening of The Seeds of a Nation. This exhibition takes visitors through an investigation of the complexities that sprouted with the development of Victory Gardens. Grown out of the necessity of war – as traditional agriculturalists dawned uniforms and marched into World War I and II – Victory Gardens allowed American civilians to contribute to the war effort by planting, harvesting, and storing their own food. 

Even after the war was over, the gardens remained as symbols of resilience, unity, and self-sufficiency and contributed to the complex beliefs around what it means “to be American”– especially in turbulent times. The Seeds of a Nation informs us on the legacies constructed through these gardens – one of nationalism and another of exclusionism – and the enduring impacts they have on communities. 

Come discover how history is sown in Colorado soil on August 1.

Fort Collins Museum of Memory - Agriculture, Beetworkers, & Immigrant Story | Fort Collins, CO
Fort Collins Street Facilities | August 5, 12 - 2 p.m.
History Colorado’s Museum of Memory Initiative is seeking and identifying collective memories of the immigrant experience through a series of workshops in Fort Collins. Partnering with Betty Aragon-Mitotes – a community leader, founder of Mujeres de Colores, and co-founder of Museo de Las Tres Colonias – the Museum of Memory Initiative continues to expand and preserve the histories of Mexican American, Hispanic immigrant, and Betabelero (sugar beet worker) communities. For additional information, read the full event description here. 

Colorado Terroir: An Experience in Colorado’s Agricultural and Wine History | Littleton, CO
Carboy Winery (Littleton) | August 10, 6 p.m.
Tickets ($60-65) and additional information available here.
Colorado is known for its beautiful landscapes, outdoor activities, and diverse agriculture: but what about grapes? Since 1970, Colorado wineries have received high praise for producing quality wines from high-altitude grapes. Let your traditional supermarket California cabernet breathe and taste some spectacular wines that are close to home.

On this tour, join CEO and co-founder of Carboy Winery, Kevin Webber, and the Director of Winemaking, Tyzok Wharton, for a discussion on Colorado’s agricultural and wine history– paired with delicious appetizers of course. Find out how Carboy Winery has impacted Colorado’s wine industry with a keen focus on sustainability and their Colorado Proud© grapes. Tickets for this event will go quickly, so reserve a spot for this private winery tour as soon as possible!

Centennial Farms & Ranches Celebration | Pueblo, CO
Colorado State Fairgrounds | August 25, 11 a.m.
The Centennial Farms & Ranches Program, a joint initiative of History Colorado and the Colorado Department of Agriculture, honors the contributions of the state’s ranching and farming families. This event, held at the annual Colorado State Fair, commemorates the accomplishments of those resilient individuals, families, and organizations who have withstood the pressures of growth, changes in farming methods, drought, and economic conditions to preserve important pieces of our state's commercial and cultural history.

Additional Ways to Learn About Colorado’s Agricultural History and Heritage
In addition to the events above, History Colorado has a number of exhibitions that explore the agricultural history of the Centennial State. For example, the History Colorado Center features:

• Destination Colorado, which explores the triumphs and challenges of farming on the Eastern plains in the early 20th century. Purchase goods from the general store, take a virtual joy ride on a Model T, and act as a farmer for a day by collecting eggs and milking cows all while exploring the Colorado prairie town of Keota
• Written On the Land, which teaches visitors about how the Ute peoples have adapted and preserved in Colorado throughout the centuries. With more than 200 artifacts on display– beadwork, clothing, basketry, and tools– alongside videos of elder oral histories and celebrations, Written on the Land serves as a crucial exhibition in understanding Colorado’s relationship with the land
• Living West, which enlightens visitors on the deep relationships between Colorado’s people and the land through two distinct stories: life at Mesa Verde 800 years ago and the 1930s Dust Bowl on the southeastern plains. Braid twine, paint clay pots, gauge your daily water usage, and grasp the challenges farmers faced while enduring the infamous dust storms that wreaked havoc on the American West
• The Dry: Black Women’s Legacy in a Farming Community, which chronicles through first-hand accounts how the families of a predominately Black homesteading community, known as The Dry, persevered despite challenging conditions. Fortified by the tenacity of women, the people of The Dry transformed the landscape of southeast Colorado, established a community that existed outside of racially segregated America, and forged a legacy of freedom, family, and resilience

Similarly, History Colorado’s Community Museums across the state highlight agricultural history through the following exhibitions

• More Than Place: Colorado, Women, and Land at the El Pueblo History Museum in Pueblo expands our understanding of the integral and often invisible roles played by women in shaping the lands of the Centennial State. Through a series of panels, visitors learn how land ownership gave some women social and economic power but often at the expense of Indigenous populations who were being dispossessed and pushed from their traditional homelands
• Written On the Land at the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose takes visitors on a journey of iconic places around Colorado to learn the story of Ute life, history, and culture. View artifacts from renowned Ute leaders such as Chief Ignacio, Chief Buckskin Charley, Chief Ouray and Chipeta in addition to objects highlighting contemporary Ute craftsmanship
• Ute Knowledge: Colorado’s Original Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math at the Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center in Fort Garland exemplifies how Colorado’s longest continuous residents have thrived through their deep understanding of the landscape and environment. Visitors can explore hands-on activities (engineering a stick shelter, creating a beadwork pattern, testing woven materials, and matching plants with their uses) that highlight how Ute people solved problems in the past and still do today
• The Ute Indian Museum in Montrose hosts expansive grounds featuring both the Ute Ethnobotany Garden and the Naturescape Playground. In particular, the Ute Ethnobotany Garden acts as a haven for native plants and includes panels detailing how these plants were used by the Ute in various ways- including not just as food and medicine, but also for creating textiles, dyes, or soap. With pathways, shaded lawns, and outdoor seating alongside various educational offerings, the Ute Indian Museum Grounds are a great way of connecting with Colorado history and its agricultural past
• Baca-Bloom Heritage Gardens at the Trinidad History Museum in Trinidad enchants visitors with colorful victorian flowers, antique roses and grape vines, and heirloom herbs and vegetables that line the garden walkways. Additionally, the Baca-Bloom gardens serve as grounds to view native flowers, cacti, and grasses– the perfect background for anyone looking to relax, play croquet, or enjoy a classic summer picnic

Unable to make it to our Museums and Sites highlighting agricultural history? Accessible from any mobile device, History Colorado’s Online Exhibits and critically acclaimed podcast, Lost Highways, make learning about the Centennial State more accessible. Some notable exhibitions and episodes include: 

• La Gente: Colorado’s Mexican History features an extensive overview of the ways in which Hispanos, Mexican Americans, Chicanos and Latinos played important roles in Colorado history as ranchers, farmers, explorers, entrepreneurs, sociopolitical advocates, artists, and more. Explore this history beginning with the Indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica and of the Southwest to the Chicano Movement
• Ute Tribal Paths provides an interactive way of exploring how the Ute people, Colorado’s oldest residents, have persevered through colonization and westward expansion. The online exhibition details the ways the Ute peoples have honored and adapted their traditions of hunting and land stewardship from time immemorial to today
• From Lost Highways: Dispatches from the Shadows of the Rocky Mountains, episodes such as ‘A Wild Horse Isn’t Just a Horse’ and ‘The Dearest Field’ provide a unique scope of agriculture history, animal husbandry, and land ownership. With dozens of topics to plant the seeds of curiosity for both the casual podcast listener or avid history buff, each episode expands upon the often overlooked stories fundamental to the history of the American West and how they continue to impact our lives today

New Exhibitions:
New Exhibition- REVEALED: John Fielder’s Favorite Place | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | Now On Display!
Journey from peak to peak, pinnacle to spire, and creek to creek alongside John Fielder, the premier landscape photographer of the Centennial State. Renowned for his conservation efforts, Fielder has collaborated with History Colorado to curate REVEALED: John Fielder’s Favorite Place which takes visitors to a location that few have ever experienced– a location Fielder feels is the most sublime in all of Colorado. With a combination of well-worn equipment and breathtaking photography, REVEALED: John Fielder’s Favorite Place uncovers how Fielder survived nature’s disregard for a photographer’s comfort, embraced the incredible solace to be found in spaces of complete vulnerability, and captured the magic of the moment.

New Exhibition- Rainbows & Revolutions | Pueblo, CO
El Pueblo History Museum | Opening August 5, 2023
History Colorado’s Rainbows & Revolutions, the first state-funded exhibition covering the successes and struggles of Colorado’s LGBTQ+ community, is opening at the El Pueblo History Museum on August 4, 2023. Exploring how LGBTQ+ people’s very existence in Colorado has been a rebellious act beyond the rainbow, Rainbows & Revolutions chronicles everything from quiet assertions of identity to loud and proud demonstrations for civil rights and equality.

Created in partnership with the Gill Foundation, and originally on display at the History Colorado Center in Denver, Rainbows & Revolutions has been expanded to include artifacts and stories collected from the LGBTQ+ community in Pueblo and shows how the regional advocates have pushed against stereotypes and transformed mainstream perceptions.

In recognition of Rainbows & Revolutions coming to Pueblo, the El Pueblo History Museum is hosting a public celebration on August 5, 2023, from 5 – 8 p.m. This free event features catered food, and remarks from local equality leaders as well as History Colorado staff.

Additional information about this opening celebration can be found here.

August Events:
Month Long Series- Reel to Real | Denver, CO
Sie Film Center | August 1, 8, 22, 29, 6:30 - 9 p.m.
Tickets ($12-15)
History Colorado and Denver Film have joined forces to present Reel to Real, a four-week series that brings Colorado’s history, culture, and communities to life through film. After each screening, History Colorado curators and other experts lead discussions covering the film’s historical context, impact, and thematic connection to the state.
Tickets to these in-person events can be purchased at the link here or at the individual event pages listed below. 

• On August 1, join History Colorado’s Curator of Business & Industry Rachel Storm for a viewing and post film discussion of There Will Be Blood. This multi award-winning film focuses on a ruthless silver miner turned oil prospector, Daniel Plainview, who cons California landowners to sell their valuable property which starts a slow-burning feud with local preacher Eli Sunday
• On August 8, Su Teatro and Cine Fe are hosting a viewing of La Bamba (1987), which is followed by a post-film discussion with actor, musician, composer, and activist, Daniel Valdez. This biographical drama chronicles the story of Los Angeles teenager Ritchie Valens who becomes an overnight rock ‘n’ roll success before meeting an untimely end on “the day the music died”
• On August 22, discuss the morbid history of the “Colorado Cannibal,” Alfred Packard, with History Colorado’s Curator of Archives Shaun Boyd in this showing of Cannibal! The Musical (1996). Trey Parker and Matt Stone– renowned creators of South Park– reimagine the ill-fated events that led a once gold-hungry miner to crave human flesh, speckled with dark humor and an undoubtedly engaging storyline
• On August 29, view Studio Ghibli’s Pom Poko through a new lens under the expertise of History Colorado’s John W. Emery Family Associate Curator of Oral History, Kim Kennedy-White. Understand how the themes of environmentalism, human impact, and conservation collide through the mystical events that unfold throughout this animated film

Tours & Treks Presents – 17th Street: Denver’s Wall Street of the West Walking Tour | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | August 4, 9 - 11 a.m.
Tickets ($30 -40) and additional information available here. 
Denver is a city of giants and 17th Street is just one of the many trails they blazed. With iconic architecture like Union Station and the Brown Palace Hotel bookending 17th Street, this tour leads you through, quite literally, the rich history of Denver. This tour requires a moderate amount of walking on streets, trails, and stairs. For additional information or questions, please contact Ani Steele at ani.steele@state.co.us. 

El Pueblo History Museum: Rainbows & Revolutions Exhibit Opening | Pueblo, CO
El Pueblo History Museum | August 5, 5 - 8 p.m.
Connect with the Pueblo community through the opening of Rainbows & Revolutions at History Colorado’s El Pueblo History Museum! This exhibition highlights the defining acts of rebellion, self-expression, and solidarity taken by the LBGTQ+ community throughout Colorado. Through art, video, and objects, the exhibition acts as a continuation of these stories of resilience and pride. Rainbows & Revolutions will also include new artifacts and stories from the LGBTQ+ communities in Pueblo who have been a part of the movement for equality. No reservations or tickets required for the opening of the exhibition, so bring some friends and celebrate! 

Ye Olde Flea Market Arts and Crafts Sale | Leadville, CO
Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin | August 5, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Join the Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin for a community market featuring everything from antiques and vintage memorabilia to arts and crafts! Held on the Healy House Museum lawn, this outdoor market invites people of all ages and interests to see what Leadville residents and beyond have to offer. This event is free to the public, so don your favorite summer garb and pursue local Leadville offerings!

House Museum Book Club | Denver, CO
Center for Colorado Women’s History | August 6, 12:30 – 2 p.m.
Join the Center for Colorado Women's History and the Molly Brown House Museum online or in-person for a collaborative book club hosted by two of Denver’s historic house museums. On August 6 at 12:30 p.m., book club members are discussing Full Body Burden: Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats by Kristen Iverson. This event is free but does require registration in advance. Please email Cat Jensen at cat.jensen@state.co.us to register. 

Summer Saturdays at the Trinidad History Museum | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | August 19, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Enjoy the grandeur of summer in the Southern borderlands of Colorado at the Trinidad History Museum. This free, accessible, and family-friendly event highlights the usage of pressed flowers and harvested materials. Have any questions? Feel free to reach out to the Trinidad History Museum Team at (719) 846-7217.

Borderlands of Southern Colorado presents - Conline’s Skirmish: The Forgotten Prelude to the Battle of Hembrillo Basin | Fort Garland, CO
Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center | August 19, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Join the Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center on August 19 for a free lecture from renowned southwestern New Mexico archaeologist, Karl Laumbach. This lecture details Conline’s skirmish– an event that was virtually unknown to historians until the 1990s– and its impact on the history of the Hembrillo Battlefield. 

On April 5, 1880, Lieutenant John Conline, formerly stationed at Fort Garland, led a company of 9th Cavalry troopers (Buffalo Soldiers) into the San Andres Mountains in search of Victorio (Chiricahua Apache) and his men. However, the battle was only uncovered through the unified efforts of a team of archaeologists, representatives from the Mescalero Apache, and volunteers who identified the location of the conflict based on historical records in 2002. Additional information about this free lecture can be found here.

Women’s Equality Day | Denver, CO
Center for Colorado Women’s History | August 26, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Recognize and remember the achievements of women throughout the Centennial State at the Center for Colorado Women’s History! Tour the historic house onsite, open-house style, to learn about the phenomenal women backing Colorado’s activist movements in the exhibition Vision and Resolve, or spend time engaging with the narratives of community resilience in our victory garden. Speaking of victory gardens: our newest exhibition, The Seeds of a Nation, will also be open for viewing! 

In addition to our exhibitions, there will be crafts to make and displays from vendors to help celebrate Women’s Equality Day. This event is free and open to the public, so be sure to stop by and see how we honor women every day!

About History Colorado
History Colorado is a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education and a 501(c)3 non-profit that has served more than 75,000 students and 500,000 people in Colorado each year. It is a 143-year-old institution that operates eleven museums and historic sites, a free public research center, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation which provides technical assistance, educational opportunities, and other access to archaeology and historic preservation, and the History Colorado State Historical Fund (SHF), which is one of the nation’s largest state funded preservation programs of its kind. More than 70% of SHF grants are allocated in rural areas of the state. Additionally, the offices of the State Archaeologist and the State Historic Preservation Officer are part of History Colorado. 

History Colorado’s mission is to create a better future for Colorado by inspiring wonder in our past. We serve as the state’s memory, preserving and sharing the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through educational programs, historic preservation grants, collecting, outreach to Colorado communities, the History Colorado Center and Stephen H. Hart Research Center in Denver, and 10 other museums and historic attractions statewide. History Colorado is one of only six Smithsonian Affiliates in Colorado. Visit HistoryColorado.org, or call 303-HISTORY, for more information. #HistoryColorado