2024 Spring Newsletter

Hello, history-loving friends!  Buckle up for another year of fascinating local history!  Our first program of the year took place at our Annual Meeting on March 23rd at the historic Coaldale Schoolhouse, now known as the Coaldale Community Building.  We enjoyed a “meet and greet” time before the business meeting, and then moved on to our featured program, “Cattlemen, Cattle Ranches and Cowboys” presented by Debbie Hildebrand and Shari Mohr.  Debbie and Shari have been involved in extensive research and documentation of the history and location of the historic cattle operations in Fremont, Custer and Chaffee Counties, and shared some of the information and stories they have gleaned.  If you missed the program, they will be happy to answer your questions and share research findings anytime!

 UPCOMING EVENTS AND PROGRAMS

•  “LOOK BACK INTO HISTORY” ongoing open-house events with rotating displays at our two history centers
  • COTOPAXI-MULLINS HISTORY CENTER, located at CR 12 at Plum Street in Cotopaxi – 2nd Sunday of every month, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
  • HOWARD HISTORY CENTER, located at 70 CR 56 in old Howard, 4th Sunday of the month from May through September, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
• June 8, 1-3 p.m., Cotopaxi school – “North Country Cattle Barron” – all about T. Witcher
• July 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – vintage car show at Howard History Center
• September 14, 1-3 p.m. – Coaldale area history, with particular emphasis on the quarry
• October 13, 1-3 p.m. – Cotopaxi/Plum Street tour

In addition to the above events, we will once again have a table at the Coaldale Market which takes place at the Coaldale Community Building on Wednesdays from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. during the summer months.  Stop by to say hello, ask questions, or purchase local history guides or tour books (great gifts!). We hope you will be able to join us for as many of these programs or events as possible.  Documenting and sharing local history is our mission and we learn something new or make a new connection every time we get together.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

This spring we added two new Board members, Sandy Wallace and Clark Gardner, who have already contributed numerous hours assisting at the evolving Cotopaxi-Mullins History Center.  Volunteer opportunities abound, whether it might be research and filing, watering plants around the buildings, cutting grass/weeds, maintaining the areas around the “Pathways to History” signs on CR 45, distributing event flyers, providing goodies for bake sales – whatever your skill set or interests, we’ll find a place for you!  THANKS FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT AND INTEREST IN LOCAL HISTORY; SEE YOU SOON!