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

Evergreen Ways to Learn more About the Environment at History Colorado in April and Beyond:
Traveling Exhibition- REVEALED: John Fielder’s Favorite Place | Pueblo, CO
El Pueblo History Museum | Opens April 22
Starting April 22, visitors to the El Pueblo History Museum will be able to journey from peak to peak, pinnacle to spire, and creek to creek alongside Colorado’s most celebrated nature photographer John Fielder. Previously on display at the History Colorado Center, REVEALED: John Fielder’s Favorite Place was curated in collaboration with Fielder prior to his death in 2023, and takes visitors to a location few have ever experienced, a location Fielder felt was 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.

Get Ready for Spring Wildflowers — a Photographic Journey | Montrose, CO
Ute Indian Museum | April 12, 10 - 11:15 a.m.
Join Ute Indian Museum volunteers Mary Menz and Jim Pisarowicz for an hour of beautiful wildflowers on the big screen, including many used by the Ute People. Participants will learn fun facts and tidbits about the local flora. Menz and Pisarowicz will sign their books Wildflowers of Colorado’s Western Slope and Common Wildflowers of the San Juan Mountains after the presentation, both of which are available in the Ute Indian Museum’s gift shop!

Rosenberry Lecture: Reckoning with Historic Place Names | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | April 16, 1 & 7 p.m.
Across the United States, the names of geographical features are being reevaluated in light of additional perspectives on the challenging history embedded in those names. Join Stacy Coleman, assistant director of Tribal Affairs for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, for an exploration of the transparent, community-driven research that goes into renaming efforts across the Centennial State. This discussion on this fascinating and complicated topic will give you a deeper understanding of how geography and place names shape communities, as well as the challenges faced when reckoning with historical wrongdoings that are etched in the cartography of our nation.

Tickets ($10-15) are available for both the 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. talks.

Music on the Lawn | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | April 17, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Bring a blanket, lawn chair, food, and drinks and enjoy music on the Bloom Lawns! Local musicians Christa and Todd are kicking off this monthly event in April. While listening to music and enjoying the evening, play a game of croquet, or do after-hours shopping in the museum gift store.

Through the Vine | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | April 17, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Tickets ($20-25) and additional information is available here.
Join the Trinidad History Museum Team in the beautiful Baca-Bloom Heritage Gardens for its second in a series of monthly gardening classes. April's topic is roses and participants will learn all about planting, pruning, propagating, rose selection, different rose varieties, and rose care in a fun and informal setting. Learn the basics and gain confidence  in planting  and caring for roses. Leave with a little something to take home along with an outline of the class. 

Ongoing Exhibitions Exploring Environment at History Colorado:
One of the core ways that History Colorado explores the relationship between the people of Colorado and the landscapes we call home are exhibitions at our museums across the state. 

History Colorado Center:

• Horizon: On the Plains with John Fielder on the John Fielder Mezzanine Gallery features a selection of iconic large-format Fielder prints that evoke the photographer's emotional connection to these sublime and diverse landscapes of Colorado, and invites viewers to lose themselves in the expanse of the Great Plains
• Destination Colorado 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 joyride 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 teaches visitors about how the Ute peoples have adapted and persevered 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 the relationship between Colorado’s oldest continuous residents and the land that is now the Centennial State
• Living West enlightens visitors on the deep relationships between Colorado’s people and the land through two distinct stories: one on life at Mesa Verde 800 years ago and another on the 1930s Dust Bowl on the Eastern 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
• What’s Your Story? Tells the stories of Coloradans past and present who found their superpowers and made an impact on the community, state, and nation including conservationist Maud Banks Duke, environmentalist and musician John Denver, and professional climber and climate change activist Tommy Caldwell
• Colorado Stories includes a number of exhibitions that highlight the ways in which Colorado communities have been influenced by, and shaped, their surrounding environment including:
  • Top of the World: A Silverton Silver Mine, which digs deep into the realities of hard rock mining in Southwest Colorado
  • Mountain Haven: Lincoln Hills, which explores the role outdoor recreation opportunities played in giving Black Coloradans an escape from discrimination in segregated America 

 

Exhibitions and Attractions at History Colorado Museums Across the State:

• 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, culture, and continued connections to the lands of what is now the Centennial State 
• The Ute Indian Museum in Montrose also has 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, 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 environment
• 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
• 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, visitors to the Baca-Bloom gardens can view native flowers, cacti, and grasses– the perfect background for anyone looking to relax, play croquet, or enjoy a classic summer picnic

Essential Listening and Reading
Your exploration of the connection between Colorado’s landscapes and its people doesn’t have to stop at the boundaries of our museums. Between History Colorado’s The Colorado Magazine and critically acclaimed podcast Lost Highways: Dispatches from the Shadows of the Rocky Mountains, there are hours of reading and listening opportunities available including:

• “Colorado's Forgotten Diversion Dilemma” by Michael Weeks
• “Water, Democracy, and Sustainability: The Acequias of Southern Colorado” by Devin Flores
• “Preserving the Historic Pines Ranch—One of Colorado’s Oldest Summer Resorts” by Megan Eflin
• “A High-Country Encounter” by John Fielder
• “Readings for a Too-Long Fire Season” by Sam Bock
• “Burning Truth: The Beginning of the End for Colorado’s Forests” by Thomas Andrews
• “The Dirt Was Everywhere” by J. Joseph Marr and Joseph P. Weibel
• “Collective Loss, Collaborative Recovery” by Ernest House, Jr. (Ute Mountain Ute)
• “Health, Recreation, Education, and Uplift: Lincoln Hills and Black Recreation in the Colorado Mountains” by Ariel Schnee
• “Remains of the Day” by Lindsey Flewelling
• “Collecting Colorado” by John Bradley
• “When History Burns” podcast episode by Lost Highways
• “A Wild Horse Isn't Just A Horse, Of Course” podcast episode by Lost Highways
• “The Dearest Field” podcast episode by Lost Highways
• “Flesh for Fantasy” podcast episode by Lost Highways

For those looking to delve even deeper, the Colorado Encyclopedia has dozens of articles on the ecology and environment of the Centennial State that are sure to spark wonder. History Colorado’s Collection holds tens of thousands of objects, images, and manuscripts chronicling the natural environment including John Fielder's Colorado Collection. 

New EV charging stations installed at two History Colorado locations
For travelers who want to see more of the Centennial State in their electric vehicles, History Colorado is excited to announce that it has successfully installed four dual-port Electric Vehicle charging stations; two at Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center and two at the Fort Vasquez Welcome Center and Museum in Platteville. Funded through a Charge Ahead Colorado grant from the Colorado Energy Office, History Colorado invites EV drivers to spend time learning about history while they are topping up their vehicles.

New Attractions
15th Annual Southern Colorado Regional Quilt Show | Pueblo, CO
El Pueblo History Museum | April 3 - 13
Join El Pueblo History Museum for the Pride City Quilt Guild's 15th Annual Southern Colorado Regional Quilt Show. The show is free to attend and features over 100 quilts from Southern Colorado quilters. View the show for free at El Pueblo History Museum April 3 through April 13, 10 - 4 p.m. daily. Kids 18 and under are free everyday. Additional information — including information about a meet and greet with artists on April 3 and a fundraiser on April 5 — can be found here.

New Exhibition - Ms. Destiny | Denver, CO
Center for Colorado Women’s History | Opens April 4
Starting April 4, visitors to the Center for Colorado Women’s History will be invited on an exploration of women’s resolve in the museum’s upcoming exhibition: Ms. Destiny. Using historical accounts – as well as a mixture of personal artifacts, private correspondence and artist renditions where available – Ms. Destiny uncovers the stories of seven influential Colorado women who took fate into their hands, overcame barriers, and defined their realities.

Among the women highlighted in Ms. Destiny are:

• The beautiful and alluring Elizabeth “Baby Doe” Tabor, who married a wealthy silver baron and, following the silver crash of 1893, became known as the “mad-woman” of Leadville
• The resilient and diplomatic Chipeta (Kiowa Apache/Uncompahgre Ute), who spent two decades advocating for peace in the face of Anglo-European expansion into Ute homelands
• The perseverant and stylish Katherine McHale Slaughterback — better known as “Rattlesnake Kate” — who utilized her versatile skillset and spirited nature to challenge social expectations
• And the valiant and determined Cathay Williams, who cut her hair short, took a man's name, and became the only woman to serve in the all-Black Buffalo Soldier regiments

New Art Installation - 12 Tablecloths | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | Open April 4
Trinidad History Museum is excited to announce the installation of 12 Tablecloths, which opens to the public on April 4, in the Santa Fe Trail Museum building. Created in collaboration with award-winning artist and historian Chloé Duplessis, 12 Tablecloths is a transformative art installation that explores emancipation, the Great Migration of African Americans into the American West, and the realities of domestic service for women of color. To celebrate the opening of 12 Tablecloths, the Trinidad History Museum is hosting an opening reception and artist talk on April 4 from 5 - 6:30 p.m., featuring a presentation, Q&A, and on-site fiber art demonstration led by Duplessis. This opening coincides with Trinidad’s First Friday Art Walk.

Georgetown Loop Seasonal Trains | Georgetown, CO
Georgetown Loop Railroad and Mining Park | Tickets on Sale Now!
Spring is right around the corner and with it comes another season of fun on the rails at the Georgetown Loop Railroad and Mining Park. Located forty-five miles west of Denver, the Georgetown Loop Railroad is one of Colorado’s most authentic living history experiences and will offer weekend train rides starting April 12 before resuming its daily rides in May. Tickets to the Georgetown Loop Railroad are on sale now for both normal operation days and its exciting theme days such as the upcoming Bunny Trains and of course the Mother’s Day Weekend Trains!

Signature Event - Artisans Spring Market at Fort Garland | Fort Garland, CO
Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center | April 19, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Join the Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center for its annual Artisans Spring Market at Fort Garland on April 19. Shop for unique items created by local artisans and crafters, and enjoy a day filled with delicious food, carnival games for the kids, and a pair of Easter Egg Hunts. Admission is free. Doors open at 9 a.m., with parking and entrance at the front of the museum. 

Vendor registration for the Artisans Spring Market at Fort Garland is open until April 11. Interested vendors may pick up an application at the Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center or register online. The cost for vendors is $20. Spaces are limited and will be filled on a first come, first serve basis.

New Exhibition - The Disappearance of Thomas Riha | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | Open April 25
CU Boulder Russian history professor Thomas Riha vanished on March 15, 1969. He’s never been found. Was it the FBI? The CIA? Russian intelligence? Or a mysterious woman who left a trail of lies in her wake? The Disappearance of Thomas Riha invites you to investigate this unique Colorado cold case. Riha vanished during the Cold War, raising questions about possible links to international espionage. For the first time, see original documents, photos, and artifacts from key suspects and intelligence agencies relating to Riha’s disappearance. From Boulder and Washington, DC, to Moscow and Prague, History Colorado Center asks you to dig into the files and examine the evidence. What do you think happened to Thomas Riha?

April Events
Preservation for a New Day: Panel and Community Conversations | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | April 2, 2:30 - 5 p.m.
History Colorado is hosting the inaugural Preservation for a New Day: Panel and Community Conversations. This is a new forum designed to challenge traditional ideas about preservation and community development. This inaugural event will focus on housing, exploring how to take a project from concept to completion while honoring community and place. The event brings together diverse voices — policymakers, preservationists, architects, community leaders, and more — to push the boundaries of what housing and preservation can look like in communities across Colorado. This event, as well as the 2025 Stephen H. Hart Awards Celebration later that day, are free. Please RSVP in advance.

2025 Stephen H. Hart Awards Celebration | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | April 2, 5 - 8 p.m.
Join History Colorado for our annual Stephen H. Hart Awards Celebration with host Mekialaya White, CBS Colorado News Anchor! This event, and the preceding Preservation for a New Day: Panel and Community Conversations, are free to attend. Please RSVP in advance.

Paint Night @ the Museum | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | April 4, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Tickets ($25-30) and additional information available here.
Join the Trinidad History Museum for a guided paint class, taught by local artist Risa Phelps. Tickets for this event are $30/person. History Colorado Members receive a $5 discount. Light refreshments will be provided, but outside beverages and food are welcome. Reservations are required, to reserve your space purchase a ticket online or contact Millie at emily.duren@state.co.us or 719-846-7217.

Poetry & Posole with Bobby LeFebre | Fort Garland, CO
Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center | April 5, 12 – 2 p.m.
April is National Poetry Month, so celebrate by joining us for our 2nd annual Poetry & Posole event with renowned poet Bobby LeFebre! A posole luncheon will take place at 12 p.m., followed by a poetry reading and performance at 1 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but RSVP is requested in advance.

Artist Panel Discussion: ¡Viva La Causa!/ Long Live the Cause! | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | April 10, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Come hear first-hand from artists featured in ¡Viva La Causa! Long Live the Cause! The Art of Change, currently on exhibit at the History Colorado Center. Lucha Martinez de Luna, Curator for Hispano, Chicano, and Latino History and Culture at History Colorado, will facilitate a discussion with a panel of artists featured in the exhibit, including Emanuel Martinez, Floyd Tunson, Aisha Renee and Adrian Molina. Space is limited, so please RSVP in advance to secure your seat at this insightful program.

PAAC National and State Register Nomination Workshop | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | April 12 & 13 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Tickets ($15 per day) and additional information is available here.
The Office of the State Archaeologist is pleased to announce a two-day professional development workshop focused on the preparation of nominations for the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties and the National Register of Historic Places led by State and National Register Coordinator Eric Newcombe. This Program for Avocational Archaeological Certification (PAAC) workshop will provide participants with a thorough understanding of the nomination process, including eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, and submission procedures.

Bold Women. Change History. Camille T. Dungy | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | April 17 7 - 9 p.m.
Tickets ($15-18) and additional information is available here.
Join us for a special reading and author talk with Camille T. Dungy, author of Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden. Soil documents Camille’s seven-year journey to resist the policies restricting her ability to diversify her garden in Fort Collins, Colorado. This heartfelt memoir draws intricate parallels between the ongoing struggles of a Black woman existing in a predominantly white neighborhood and the complex relationships of the Black diaspora with land and soil. Camille’s lyrical and poignant words will leave you feeling inspired and motivated to get your hands dirty.

Rocky Mountain Map Society presents Enos Mills: Chasing a Dream for Colorado | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | April 22 5:30 - 7 p.m.
As a sickly boy not expected to live to adulthood, Enos Mills (1870-1922) seemed most unlikely to become a legendary mountaineer. Yet his 1884 arrival in Colorado at age 14 was the start of an abiding reverence for nature. Five years later, a chance encounter would inspire him to wonder: could he do for the Rocky Mountains what Muir did for Yosemite? Come celebrate the 155th birthday of Enos Mills and take a journey through this first-person narrative inspired by adventurous times when grizzlies still roamed Colorado and a national park was an elusive dream. This event is free and open to the public but RSVP is requested.

"Meet You in Pueblo" Food and History Tour | Pueblo, CO
Courtyard by Marriott-Downtown Pueblo | April 25 & 26
Tickets ($285-394) and additional information is available here.
Pueblo’s identity is rooted in agriculture and built upon the steel mill, which once supported the city’s economy. Join Stories Through Food and  El Pueblo History Museum, a community museum of History Colorado, to explore the history of the Pueblo community through the agricultural and steel mill industry. Registration in this event includes overnight accommodations at a 3-star hotel, dinner, music, and a lecture on April 25, as well as breakfast, bus tour, exhibit tour, and lunch on April 26. Registration for this deep dive into the delicacies of Pueblo closes April 10 so make sure to secure your spot today!

El Día del Niño - Free Day | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center & Center for Colorado Women’s History | April 27
El Día del Niño—the Day of the Child—is one of the year’s most exciting and vibrant events at the beautiful History Colorado Center and the Center for Colorado Women’s History. Admission to both museums and their exhibits are free of charge throughout the day. This celebration will include performances by local and international artists in addition to access to engaging exhibitions like The 90s: Last Decade Before the Future and Ms. Destiny! Visitors will also be able to visit other nearby cultural attractions during El Día del Niño with free admission and programming like Clyfford Still Museum, Denver Art Museum, and Denver Public Library.

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 146-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