When someone mentions Colorado, many images come to mind, but one of the most iconic is skiing in the Rocky Mountains. It is no surprise then, that since History Colorado’s LGBTQ+ collecting initiative kicked off in 2020, we’ve brought in many items (see above) that document one of Colorado’s most beloved pastimes.
In particular, we have several items from Aspen Gay Ski Week. Founded in 1977, this is the oldest, week-long, queer ski event in the nation, formed amid local efforts to secure equal protections for homosexuals. Aspen, in fact, became the first city in Colorado to adopt such laws by 1979, promising a hopeful future for the nascent volunteer-led event. What began with small nightly soirées hosted by various ski clubs has evolved into a busy week of pool parties, world-class drag performances, and even the legendary Downhill Costume Party and Competition.
Similar queer ski events have built upon this model over the decades, but Aspen’s remains one of the most well-known and well-attended. In 1996, the event incorporated itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization called the Aspen Gay and Lesbian Community Fund, now known as the AspenOUT and the Roaring Fork Gay & Lesbian Community Fund (the organization has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in support and services for the local LGBTQ+ population). This year’s Aspen Gay Ski Week began on January 16 and runs through January 23.
A Lynching in Limon
People don’t often think of Colorado when they hear the word “lynching.” But in 1900, one of the most horrifying racial terror lynchings in US history took place in the small town of Limon on the Eastern Plains. Stream the latest episode of Lost Highways to learn more about Preston Porter, Jr, and how—more than a century later—a group of people from across the state of Colorado came together to make sure that he was remembered.
Wildfire Reading List
December’s Marshall Fire was a stunning reminder that “fire season” might become an outdated term, at least in Colorado. To help understand the impact of wildfires in the West, Sam Bock collected six book recommendations to help us think about the future of our homes on the range.
Hard at Work
In case you didn’t notice, there was a lot more energy at the State Capitol building last week. The Seventy-third General Assembly officially started on January 12 and Governor Jared Polis gave the annual State of the State speech the following day. Follow along with the session’s activity here.
We Need Your Help!
Are you a history buff with a special interest in Colorado’s Black communities? Did you grow up hearing stories of the Black Coloradans who came before you? Join Associate Curator of African American History and Cultural Heritage, Dexter Nelson II, as a Regional Ambassador for History Colorado! Your assistance in establishing contacts, partners, and content will highlight the important contributions African Americans have played—and continue to play—in Colorado’s history.
From North High School to Prime Minister
As a young woman, Golda Meir learned a great deal about politics and the world from around her kitchen table in Denver. She took that experience and went on to work toward the creation of Israel—and, for five years, served as its prime minister. Once slated for demolition, the modest building she called home is now the Golda Meir House Museum. Last week they hosted a celebration to honor people whose efforts helped to preserve the house and the story of its distinguished one-time resident (via Denverite).
The Remarkable History of Roadside Historical Markers
“This is something that’s as old as historical memory itself: What you choose to remember and how you choose to honor it changes from generation to generation, decade to decade.” That’s what historian Derek Everett told The Colorado Sun during their recent look at Colorado’s roadside markers and historical plaques, some of which are inviting reconsideration as communities continue to investigate and think critically about their shared past.
Like a Deer in the Christmas Lights
If you lit up your house for Christmas, it’s getting toward time to take down your lights. This unfortunate deer was an unwitting harbinger of the season’s end. Unless you live in Denver, of course. Then tradition dictates that you should leave them shining bright until the National Western Stock Show closes.
It is no secret that growing plants in the Centennial State can be hard. And doing so for more than a century is even more daunting. In this The Colorado Magazine article, Grace Galvan looks at the history of Long’s Gardens, a business that has cultivated plants–with a focus on irises–in Boulder for more than one hundred years.