AURORA MUSEUM FOUNDATION
The story of Aurora, Colorado
November 2005
HISTORY MUSEUM WILL REMAIN OPEN:
Motorcycles Lead Parade of Museum Exhibits
Assured that the Aurora History Museum will be open all of 2006 and beyond, the museum staff has prepared a dazzling array of special exhibits for 2006. It all begins with Harley-Davidson VROOM which opens on Tuesday, November l5 and runs through February l2, 2006.
On October 1 the Aurora city council voted to merge the city’s Historic Preservationoffice into the museum which provided mostof the funds needed to keep the museum open to the public through 2006.
Motorcycles have been an important part of the American transportation system for more than l00 years and Harley-Davidson has been the most popular of the many American-made bikes. The oldest motorcycle in the history museum show will be a 1906 Harley but there will be a replica of a l903 model. Others will include a 1913 “Silent Grey Fellow,” a 1925 motorcycle with side car, a 194l military bike, a ‘5l “Panhead” and the “Captain America” chopper. Visitors to the museum will have the opportunity to look at the “Hawg” from a new perspective as the industrial design of the slick American inventions are highlighted with motorcycle spanning more than a full century.
The three-month exhibit of Harley-Davidson motorcycles will be only the beginning of a year-long schedule of entertaining and informative temporary exhibits at the museum.
The schedule for all of 2006and into 2007 follows:
- City Employees Art Show: January 10 to March 26, 2006
- Rock ‘n Roll: February 28 to May 28, 2006.
- Maps and Aerial Photos: March 31 to June 11, 2006.
- On the Backs of Soldiers: What soldiers throughout history carried in their backpacks and why?. June 13 to July 12, 2006.
- Gateway to the Rockies Art Exhibit: September 26 to October 28, 2006.
- Festival of Wreaths: November 7 to December 7, 2006.
- 1960's Suburban Empire: How we lived in the l960's. November l4, 2006 to February ll, 2007.
Aurora’s Ethiopians Demonstrate Their Culture
With a grant from the John Thomas Foundation, Aurora’s History Museum hosted a party on Saturday, October 8 at which representatives of the city’s Ethiopian community demonstrated their culture, food and music.
Guests at the meeting were representatives of the Thomas Foundation, the Aurora Museum Foundation and the Cultural Roundtable. There are an estimated 15,000 recent immigrants from Ethiopia living in the Denver metropolitan area and 8,000 of them call Aurora home.
The informative evening program began with the serving of native Ethiopian foods eaten without benefit of forks, knives or spoons. The menu consisted of teff injera(sponge bread) Hembasha (wheat bread) kitfo (minced meat and potatoes) tibs elecha (non-spicy meat), spinach, meser watt (lentils) filfil (injera and vegetables) tibs wat (spicy meat) and tej (a non-alcoholic honey wine).
All of that food required two days of preparation by Elsa Syefu and her husband, Ato Syefu.Pastors Endashaw Kelkele and Jeremiah Teesfamichael from the Ethiopian Evangelical church led the discussion on Ethiopian history and culture. Both told their audience that the Ethiopian immigrants have made Aurora their home and that they want to participate in their new community.
Ethiopian music was demonstrated by vocalist Ezira Reda who was accompanied on the keyboard by Abato Alemu. Dr.Gordon Davis, executive director of the Aurora History Museum, added his insights on Ethiopia. Davis lived there for a time in the l960's.
The October 8 dinner meeting was the third history museum activity supported by the John Thomas Foundation designed to celebrate the cultural diversity of Aurora. The Cultural Roundtable with representatives from several Aurora ethnic communities was organized at a diversity seminar held at the museum in October of 2003. Representatives of the Cultural Roundtable attending the Ethiopian dinner were Sam and Galena Dudevich, Sum Nguyen, Dala Giffin and Alla and Mike Uvarov.
With a grant from the John Thomas Foundation, Aurora’s History Museum hosted a party on Saturday, October 8 at which representatives of the city’s Ethiopian community demonstrated their culture, food and music. Guests at the meeting were representatives of the Thomas Foundation, the Aurora Museum Foundation and the Cultural Roundtable. There are an estimated 15,000 recent immigrants from Ethiopia living in the Denver metropolitan area and 8,000 of them call Aurora home. The informative evening program began with the serving of native Ethiopian foods eaten without benefit of forks, knives or spoons. The menu consisted of teff injera(sponge bread) Hembasha (wheat bread) kitfo (minced meat and potatoes) tibs elecha (non-spicy meat), spinach, meser watt (lentils) filfil (injera and vegetables) tibs wat (spicy meat) and tej (a non-alcoholic honey wine). All of that food required two days of preparation by Elsa Syefu and her husband, Ato Syefu.Pastors Endashaw Kelkele and Jeremiah Teesfamichael from the Ethiopian Evangelical church led the discussion on Ethiopian history and culture. Both told their audience that the Ethiopian immigrants have made Aurora their home and that they want to participate in their new community. Ethiopian music was demonstrated by vocalist Ezira Reda who was accompanied on the keyboard by Abato Alemu. Dr.Gordon Davis, executive director of the Aurora History Museum, added his insights on Ethiopia. Davis lived there for a time in the l960's. The October 8 dinner meeting was the third history museum activity supported by the John Thomas Foundation designed to celebrate the cultural diversity of Aurora. The Cultural Roundtable with representatives from several Aurora ethnic communities was organized at a diversity seminar held at the museum in October of 2003. Representatives of the Cultural Roundtable attending the Ethiopian dinner were Sam and Galena Dudevich, Sum Nguyen, Dala Giffin and Alla and Mike Uvarov.
Recollections of Aurora Program Placed on Hold
To ensure that individual memories and collective memories are not lost, the Aurora History Museum is proposing a new oral history program entitled, “Recollections of Aurora.”
The museum’s collection of oral histories dates back to the 1970's and is a rich resource, but needs help to fill in many gaps. It takes only two hours to complete an oral history interview and document a rapidly changing Aurora.
However, at present the “Recollections of Aurora” program is on hold because of realignment of resources. Aurora residents wishing to learn more about the project should contact Mary Ellen Schoonover at (303) 739-6667.
Tax Levy Fails But History Museum Will Survive
Aurora voters overwhelmingly defeated a proposed four mill increase in the city’s property tax at the November l election but the Aurora History Museum will remain open in 2006. It won’t be business as ususal.
Members of the Aurora city council voted on October l to keep the museum open by merging the museum and historic preservation commission staffs and eliminating one full-time and two part-time employee positions.
The compromise which keeps the museum from closing its doors to the public in 2006 also calls for eliminating two planned exhibits and curtailing other programs and activities.
Dr. Gordon Davis, executive director of the History Museum, will also serve as staff liaison to the Aurora Historic Preservation Commission. Preservation Assistant Kim White continues in that role but will move her office from the DeLaney Farm to the museum.
Aurora voters overwhelmingly defeated a proposed four mill increase in the city’s property tax at the November l election but the Aurora History Museum will remain open in 2006. It won’t be business as ususal. Members of the Aurora city council voted on October l to keep the museum open by merging the museum and historic preservation commission staffs and eliminating one full-time and two part-time employee positions. The compromise which keeps the museum from closing its doors to the public in 2006 also calls for eliminating two planned exhibits and curtailing other programs and activities. Dr. Gordon Davis, executive director of the History Museum, will also serve as staff liaison to the Aurora Historic Preservation Commission. Preservation Assistant Kim White continues in that role but will move her office from the DeLaney Farm to the museum.
Director’s Message:
Reflections on the Past:
We know that the past surrounds us, every scene, every statement and every action has some content from earlier times. Even daily decisions made by our elected leaders are based upon individual and collective recollection. Today’s longevity means that an individual’s life can encompass both the remembered past and the written historical past. As we mature as individuals more and more of our past becomes history and we are sometimes surprised to see a portion of what we experienced documented in history textbooks for younger generations of readers.
To ensure that our individual and collective memories are not lost, you too can contribute to Aurora’s history by volunteering two hours of your time for an oral history interview. The Museum’s collection of oral histories dates back to the 1970's and is a rich resource, but needs your help to fill in many gaps. This new oral history program entitled Recollections of Aurora hopes to document a rapidly changing Aurora. To learn more about this project please contact Mary Ellen Schoonover at (303) 739-6667.
What’s Happening at the Museum: Aurora’s Historic Preservation and Historic Sites responsibilities have been reassigned to the Musem and will be supervised by museum staff. Prior to 200l these activities were housed in the Museum and Michelle Bahe, the Museum’s current Collection Curator, was actively involved in preservation efforts and has had extensive experience with historic preservation.
The Aurora History Museum experienced the seventh consecutive month of better attendance than that recorded in 2004. The Science Fiction Century exhibit had 2,95l visitors. Each new exhibit offers the opportunity to reach new audiences and we think that our next temporary exhibit, Harley Davidson Vroom: November 15-February l2 will offer many opportunities to reach less-served or never-served audiences.
A sampling of the museum’s extensive collections is being exhibited at the Town Center at Aurora (formerly the Aurora Mall). The shopping mall management constructed museum cases which have been placed in the new Food Court on the second floor and in the Kids’ Section on the ground floor. Initial exhibits in the new Town Center at Aurora museum cases are antique food preparation equipment in the Food Court and antique toys in the Kids’ Section. The changing exhibits will encourage Town Center of Aurora patrons to visit the Aurora History Museum.
Festival of Wreaths: Holiday wreaths decorated by Aurora organizations and businesses are on display and available for purchase at the museum. Please don’t miss the opportunity to participate in the silent auction for the Aurora Museum Foundation’s Festival of Wreaths which opened on November 8 and will close on December 9. Bidding on the wreaths will end at noon on December 9. Be sure to mark your calendar for the following events at the museum:
Working in the USA and the History Makers Awards: Sunday, November 20, from 2:00 p. m. until 3:30 p. m. Enjoy Christine Hauber’s photographic documentation of the people of American and the work they do. This program celebrates the work contributed by the History Makers of Aurora. The History Makers Award honors citizens, businesses and organizations that have “made a difference” due to their contributions to Aurora. honorees will be announced and awards presented from 2:00 to 2:30 p. m.
Georgetown Christmas Market: Saturday, Dec. 10, 8:30 a. m. to 4:30 p. m. Explore historic Georgetown during its famous Christmas Market Festival. First visit the historic Hamill House and the Hotel de Paris, decked in holiday decor. Then wander the town and enjoy the shops, carolers, holiday treats and craft booths. The $22 fee for residents and $29 for non-residents includes tours. No cancellations or refunds after December 2.
Historic St. Nick: Sunday, December 11, 2:00 to 3:30 p. m. Visit historic St. Nick as he steps off the pages of history and into the museum to listen to requests and give treats to “good little girls and boys.”
Bring your camera! We hope you will take the opportunity to participate in some of these programs and thank you once again for your continued support of the museum’s activities.
Gordon Davis,
Executive director
Appraisers:
The four antique appraisers who worked the Museum Foundation’s September 24 Antique Appraisal Fair were a busy crew. There were over l00 participants who brought nearly 400 antiques to be appraised. The appraisers were Leon Feldman of Loveland, Jeffrey Miller of Denver, Burns Searfoss of Aurora and Daniel Geary of Greeley. The appraisal fair earned $1200 for the Foundation after expenses were paid. Tentative dates for next year’s Antique Appraisal Fairs are April 22 and September 23. Members of the Foundation who helped with the fair included Stu Pyper, Jay Bobick, Morey and Sue Miller, Hal and Annabelle Dunning, Carol Drollinger, Fred Seybold, Bob Eide,Ruth Schmunk and Ruth Fountain.
The Brown Bag Lecture Series Continues in 2006
The Aurora History Museum’s Brown Bag and White Linen lecture series will continue in the year 2006. All through the year 2005 the noontime programs have featured the role of women in Aurora, in Colorado and in the nation. Two of those programs, which have been supported by the Aurora Historical Society, remain on the calendar for November and December.
The noontime lectures are presented in the museum’s community room
the third Wednesday of each month. There is a $3 charge for admission and
those attending are expected to bring their own lunch. The schedule for the next four months:
Wednesday, November l6: Making Lemonade Out of Lemons. State
Representative Debbie Stafford of Aurora inspires with her life experiences of
going from welfare mom to the Colorado House of Representatives
Wednesday, December 21: Women on the Homefront in World War II.
Gail Beaton, historian and dramatist, portrays the beginning of the women’s
liberation movement as women come out of their homes to run the nation’s
industry and business during the dark days of World War II.
Wednesday, January 18: Million Dollar Baby The rags-to-riches-
and-back-again story of Colorado’s legendary Silver Queen, Baby Doe Tabor,
chronicles the Silver Days in this sensational love story presented by Barbara
Daubenspeck.
Wednesday, February 15: Lewis & Clark: Trade and the Northwest
Passage. This expedition opened trade with the Indians and forever closed the
Northwest Passage. The lecture by Stuart Wier includes replica and original
artifacts and maps like those used by the expedition.
The Brown Bag and White Linen lectures begin promptly at l2 noon and end by 1 p. m. so that those who are employed can get back to work on time.
Centennial House Schedules Christmas Opening
Centennial House, the 1890's museum home at 167l Galena St., will be decorated for the holiday season on Saturday, Nov. 19 and will be open to visitors for three Saturdays in December.
Open house hours will be from l:00 p. m. to 4:00 p. m. on December 3, 10 and l7. The Aurora Historical Society is caretaker for Centennial House. Connie Kniss is the society’s coordinator for the house. Tours of Centennial House can be arranged at any season by calling (303) 289-0l4l. Touring school children are especially welcome.
Centennial House is the oldest of nine remaining houses that Aurora-founder Donald Fletcher built for his speculative community in the 1890's. The city of Aurora purchased the house in l990 and members of the community restored it in time for the city’s centennial celebration in l99l.
The nine Fletcher homes on Galena Street are among the oldest surviving buildings in Denver. The Historic Preservation Commission is considering making the street north of Colfax an historic district.