AURORA MUSEUM FOUNDATION
The story of Aurora, Colorado
May 2006
May 2006 Newsletter of the Aurora Museum Foundation
THESE ARE EXCITING DAYS AT THE HISTORY MUSUEM
Much is happening at the Aurora History Museum to generate excitement this spring. New and enthusiastic staff members, exciting exhibits and entertaining and educational special events are attracting a throng of happy visitors.
The excitement began on February 28 with the opening of the museum’s Rock ‘N’ Roll: The Day They Came to Town exhibit which salutes the musical craze that swept over the United States in the l950's and continues to this day.On display at the museum are many artifacts associated with many of the famous Rock ‘N’ Roll artists and a huge display of posters that have promoted Colorado Rock concerts over the past 50 years.
Support for the Rock ‘N’ Roll exhibit has come from many sources. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation of Ontario, California contributed a l950's Stratocaster classic series guitar and gig bag to the Aurora Museum Foundation as its contribution to the success of the exhibit. The guitar has a retail value of nearly $900. Foundation members hope to have a prominent visiting Rock star autograph the guitar and then sell it at an auction to raise funds for the history museum’s ongoing exhibits. Many others have helped to make the exhibit a success with their lending of important artifacts from the golden age of Rock ‘N’ Roll. They include the Experience Music Project of Seattle, Washington; The Buddy Holly Center of Lubbock, Texas; the Stax Museum of Memphis, Tennessee; Twist and Shout of Denver; Specialties of Fort Collins; Mike and Jill Lenz; Jeff Holland; The Inactivists and Music Go Round of Aurora.
Among the artifacts included in the exhibit are Chuck Berry’s guitar, Isaac Hayes’ coat, a signed guitar from Widespread Panic, Janis Joplin’s feather Boa, Bo Diddley’s guitar, a Theremin from the Inactivists, Rufus Thomas’ cow-pattern cape and shorts, a sweater from Booker T and the MGs, a saxophone from the Delfonics, the Bar-Kay’s star-spangled vest, a guitar fragment from KISS and Buddy Holly’s sweater, pants and microphone.
When the Aurora History Museum’s Rock “N” Roll exhibit closes on May 28 it will be replaced with an exhibit called On the Backs of Soldiers which is scheduled to open on June 13 and continue until September 17. The exhibit will show what American soldiers carried into battle in all of the nation’s wars. From private collectors, Collections Curator Matt Chasansky has obtained the loan of a full line of military firearms carried into the nation’s wars will have in the exhibit uniforms and back packs that have been worn and carried by American servicemen.
To supplement the On the Backs of Soldiers exhibit in Gallery 2, the Aurora History Museum will show once again its popular 10th Mountain Division exhibit in the Community Gallery from June l6 through September 7. The museum will have a special evening opening from 5 p. m. to 8 p. m. on Tuesday, July 4 when several thousand people gather in front of the Aurora Municipal Building to watch the fireworks display.
ELVIS SCORES A HIT AT FOUNDATION'S ANNUAL MEETING
Elvis Presley (aka Tribute Artist Dennis Thornberry from Divide, Colorado) was a smashing success at the Aurora Museum Foundation’s annual meeting March 5 at the Aurora History Museum. Thornberry mimicked rock star Presley’s songs and moves from his early success in the l950's to his more subdued performances in the l970's to the delight of foundation members and other museum visitors who made up the the audience of 50 plus for the 90-minute performance. Presley was known for the energy that went into his performances and Thornberry matched it song for song.
Dennis Thornberry is shown in the photo with his daughter, Shelby, who appeared with him in one of the numbers. The showwas in fact a Thornberry family production. Dennis’ Father, Dave, provided the narration of Presley’s life and acted as soundman for the show. In the audience were Dennis’ mother, Linda, his wife, Carrie, and his twin son and daughter, Dean and Alicia. All of the Thornberrys live in or near Divide and Dennis has been a radio disc jockey since 1990.
At a brief Museum Foundation business meeting before the Thornberry performance, members relected Bob Eide, president; Carol Drollinger, secretary, and Jay Bobick, treasurer. Hal Dunning was named the foundation’s vice-president. Eide, Sandra Sweeney and Sue Miller were re-named to the foundation board and Stu Pyper and Ruth Schmunk were elected to three-year director’s terms.
Treasurer Bobick presented a foundation budget for 2006 and it was approved by members of the board of directors attending the annual meeting.
Gordon Davis, executive director of the Aurora History Museum, presented an annual report of museum activities to members attending the meeting. Davis cited the record attendance of 17,702 at the museum and 2.7 million viewers for exhibits and collections in off-site venues as major accomplishments for 2005.
He thanked members of the Aurora Museum Foundation, the Aurora Historical Society and the John Thomas Foundation for their support of 2005 museum activities. At the beginning of 2006 the history museum’s operations were merged with oversight for Historic Sites and liaison for Aurora’s Historic Preservation responsibilities.
HISTORICAL SOCIETY SPONSORS BROWN BAG PROGRAMS AGAIN The Aurora Historical Society will again provide $2,000 to the Aurora History Museum in 2006 to fund the museum’s Brown Bag and White Linen Lecture Series. The lectures are offered the third Wednesday of each month at noon in the museum’s community gallery. Admission for those attending is $3.00 and they must bring their own sack lunch.
The schedule for lectures through August:
Wednesday, May 17: From Frijoles to Foundations. LaCueva Mexican Restaurant owner Norma Nunez shares 20 years of involvement with cuisine, Colfax and community service. Hear one of Aurora’s leading citizens talk about enterprise, elbow grease and contributions to the next generation.
Wednesday, June 21: High Line Canal and Water Rights. Stacy Renouf, who is with the Denver Water Board’s community relations department, will present a powerpoint lecture entitled “The Past, Present and Future of the High Lane Canal.” In the 1880's English and American capitalists and land developers began digging the High Line Canal as a business venture. Their dream was to connect the mountains to the plains. Junior water rights, a typhoid epidemic, leaks and drought turned their dream into a financial failure. One hundred years later some of these issues still impact the canal’s operations.
Wednesday, July 19: Justina Ford, M.D. The first African American woman doctor in the state of Colorado is brought to life in this first-person dramatic interpretation. Dr. Ford brought medical services to the disadvantaged and underprivileged in the metropolitan area. Author and actress Wallace Tollette brings Justina to life.
Wednesday, August l6: O Those Pioneer Women. Suzie Solomon tells the stories of ordinary women who became extraordinary and embodied the spirt of the West. Meet Rattlesnake Kate, Chipeta and Silverheels among others in her first person stories and songs.
COLFAX AVENUE'S DUTCH MILL IS IN THE NEWS AGAIN
The white and blue Dutch windmill on Colfax avenue–an Aurora landmark for nearly four score years-- is in the news again. The mobile home court surrounding the mill has been purchased and the new owner plans to redevelop the square block surrounded by Peoria and Oswego streets and Colfax and l6th avenues. There is a possibility the Dutch Mill will be destroyed if it is not moved to another site.
Several groups, including the Aurora Museum Foundation, the Aurora Historical Society, the Aurora Historic Preservation Commission and the Del Mar, North Aurora and Hoffman Heights neighborhood associations have shown an interest in preserving and perhaps moving the Dutch Mill.
The Dutch Mill has a strong association with the former Fitzsimons Army Hospital. Arthur Hart had been a patient at Fitzsimons and in 1927 he purchased five acres across the street from the hospital and built a home, ten small cottages and the windmill near the corner of Colfax and Peoria. His purpose was to provide housing for families visiting patients at Fitzsimons. The Dutch Mill was to be a tea room but it proved too small so it became an office and gift shop.
The design for the Dutch Mill was inspired by an illustration on the label of a Van Camp food can. It is a miniature version of the mills in the Netherlands used to pump water and grind grain.
Briefly: Radio Station KEZW has signed on as a sponsor for the Aurora History Museum’s On the Backs of Soldiers exhibit which will be on display from June 13 until September 17. The sponsorship means that the exhibit will be promoted extensively during KEZW’s broadcasts. . . . The Limon, Colorado Heritage Society has reported that it’s endowment for its Limon Museum has reached $200,000. . . .Cherry Creek Valley Historical Society President Susan Knapp reports that Arapahoe county commissioners have agreed to provide financial support for moving Twelve Mile House from Watkins where it has served as a liquor store back to a location close to its original site. Twelve Mile House was uprooted more than half a century ago by the construction of the Cherry Creek dam.
Antique Appraisal Fair: Your Aurora Museum Foundation staged another successful Antique Appraisal Fair at the History Museum on Saturday, April 29. A team of five volunteer appraisers examined 339 antiques for l43 registrants who paid almost $2000 for the service. The appraisers, facing the camera in the photo, were Leon Feldman and his assistant, Mary Humphrey, from Windsor; Daniel Geary from Greeley, Burns Searfoss from Aurora, Jeffrey Miller from Denver and Gerre Leyden from Aurora. Kathy Sanders once again organized and directed the Antique Appraisal Fair. Foundation members who staffed the event included Morey and Sue Miller, Fred Seybold, Hal Dunning, Sandy Sweeney, Ruth Schmunk, Ruth Fountain, Carol Drollinger and Bob Eide. There was a steady flow of antique owners on hand from the 9 a. m. opening until 3:30 p. m. The Aurora Museum Foundation’s next Antique Appraisal Fair will be held on Saturday, September 23.
THREE JOIN STSAFF OF AURORA HISTORY MUSEUM
Mike Thompson Brian Shaw Ken Clinton
Three new staff members have signed on with the Aurora History Museum. Preservation Assistant Brian Shaw, Museum Assistant Mike Thompson and Facilities Manager Ken Clinton all bring valuable experience to the museum staff.
A Denver native, Preservation Assistant Brian Shaw graduated from George Washington high school and did his college undergraduate work at the University of Colorado and Metropolitan State College. He’s working on a master’s degree at the University of Colorado at Denver. Brian worked for four and one-half years as manager of the historical marker program for the Colorado State Historical Society. He and his wife, Brenda Morrison, and daughter Kaylene, live in Denver.
Facilities Manager Ken Clinton had a long career in education in Massachusetts. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston in l969 and has a master’s degree in fine arts from Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Mass. He taught at Braintree for nine years, at Hanover for l4 years and was director of visual arts, dance, music and theater education at Middleborough for l2 years before retiring in 2004. Ken and his partner, Marcie Caswell, moved to Colorado after Ken retired and live in Elbert county on property that was the Hungate farm and scene of an early Indian raid in 1864.
Museum Assistant Mike Thompson was born in Englewood, grew up in Littleton and now lives in Aurora. He has an MA in Museum and Artifacts Studies from the University of Durham in Durham, England and earned his bachelor’s degree in English and Anthropology at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Before joining the Aurora History Museum staff he was the collections manager for the Molly Brown House. He’s also been curator at the Golden Pioneer Museum and collections manager at the Denver Firefighters Museum and the Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys in Denver.
SMOKY HILL TRAIL MARKER WILL BE DEDICATED ON MAY 20
Aurora’s Historic Preservation Commission will dedicate a plaque identifying Historic Landmark No. 22–a portion of the Smoky Hill Trail–at 239l2 East Smoky Hill road at 2 p. m. on Saturday, May 20. Aurora city officials and other public officials will be invited to participate in the ceremony and guest speaker will be Trail Historian Lee Whiteley of Centennial.
The dedication ceremony will be held on the grounds of the Southland Shopping Center but the plaque will be on the south side of Smoky Hill road, across the street from the shopping center.
Those contributing to the plaque’s purchase include the Cherry Creek Valley Historical Society, Aurora Museum Foundation, Alberta Development Corporation, Aurora Historical Society, Aurora Gully Washers and Delving Damsels chapters of International Questers, Toll Gate Creek chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Aurora Historical Preservation commission.