Transitional shoulder months in Colorado are full of beauty and surprises. One minute, a blizzard sends you scurrying toward the hearth and a pile of quilts, then the sun pops out and lures you outdoors to linger among crunchy leaves and inhale the warm breath of Indian Summer.

As shadows lengthen and the days grow shorter, activities related to collecting, preserving and enjoying pioneer history return indoors. During a recent snowstorm, I set aside research and read a book entitled, Prayers For Sale, by Sandra Dallas. As a longtime fan of  Sandra Dallas, I would be hard pressed to find fault with anything she writes. She is a lovely person, and a terrific role model for a writer on a quest to produce worthy and worthwhile historical books and articles.

Prayers For Sale is enjoyable on many levels. It is appealing to those who savor great historical fiction and to those who simply relish a darn good read. Dallas does her usual outstanding job of characterization while weaving, or rather quilting, an intriguing and well-crafted story thread set in a Colorado mining camp. Themes of pioneer courage, friendship, mentoring, enduring love, and forgiveness enrich the story, provoking thought and delighting historical sensibilities. When I need inspiration, or I wish to be transported to an earlier time and place, Sandra Dallas always delivers. The story motivated me to resume my needlework, always a centering activity.

To learn more about Sandra Dallas, go to: www.sandradallas.com

This coming Saturday, November 14, my writing path leads to the town of Elbert, on the plains southeast of Denver. Librarian Gayle Gresham has invited members of Women Writing the West to meet and greet the public at the Elbert Library Open House. Book displays and authors will be available between 1 and 3 p.m. in the public library, which shares space with the school library, at 24489 Main Street. Come out to Elbert to mingle with the authors and enjoy cider and cookies. Elbert Public Library is home of the Women Writing the West collection, over 100 books donated to their library by the non-profit national writing organization.

Joyce B. Lohse, 11/10/09
www.lohseworks.com

History researchers in Denver beware and be aware. As of Oct. 31, the Colorado Historical Society is closing its library for the next two years while they move and reconstruct their museum. Yes, I said two YEARS!! Realization of this closure has thrown my research schedule for my next biography into panic mode. The subject for the next book is Elizabeth Tabor, known around Colorado as “Baby Doe”, the Silver Queen of Leadville.

Although my writing and research schedule has become somewhat tospy-turvy and compressed, I hit paydirt this week when I squeezed in a visit to CHS before the impending closure. The large volume of the Tabor holdings are a two edged sword. The good news is that there is much information to read, view and assimilate. The bad news is that it takes time and organization to sort through the inconsequential, sift down to the nitty-gritty, and identify the really good stuff.

Frustrations slip away when treasures fall into the researchers hands. Fortunately, those moments came and I was transported to a time long ago when our pioneer state was newly formed. A silver king named H.A.W. Tabor put aside his ego and business concerns to scribble words of love to “Lizzie”, the bold script fading but the intent still clear on thin scraps of paper. A voyeur into the past, I was able to interpret these items directly from the source. History was in my hands.

I will miss CHS while they regroup. However, when one door closes, two more usually open. The adventure is just beginning. I am almost grateful that I was forced to scramble into disjointed action. Almost.

Joyce Lohse, 10/23/09

Colorado Sprgs Pioneers Museum

After an exceptional week of book and history activity, I come away with troubling news. I am not often motivated to make a political statement. Although I choose my battles carefully, this situation calls for action.

Colorado Springs, my home for 18 years, is on the cusp of an election which will make or break the city’s future. Without a tax increase, one of the casualties will be the closure of the  Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. This important historical resource in the old county courthouse is the repository of the region’s history. The staff are exceptional caretakers, the displays significant, and the acquisitions critical to researchers, educators, historians, and authors. Without access to this amazing resource, my biography of General William Palmer would not be complete. Although I am grateful and fortunate that I was able to study Palmer’s historic photographs, letters and journals for my research, I cringe to think that others might not have access to this important repository and the capable guidance of the museum staff. The thought of this museum closing is truly heartbreaking.

If you would like further information about the affect of these ballot issues, please go to the following link:
http://www.csindy.com/colorado/message-to-our-readers/Content?oid=1425860
If you lack the time or inclination to read the article, and you live in C. Springs, please vote YES on 2c, and NO on 300 in November, and encourage other residents to do so. Palmer founded this city on the premise that residents would benefit from an exceptional quality of life. The future of this beautiful city is at stake.

– Joyce B. Lohse, 10/4/09

Montrose County History in a D&RG Station

Sometimes as I explore Colorado, I stumble across a historic treasure. A few weeks ago, while visiting Grand Junction on the West Slope, I drove south in search of history and new outlets for my books. In Montrose, about an hour from Junction, I was drawn into a museum on a side street by an impulse fondly recognized by writers and researchers as serendipity.

Housed in a restored Denver & Rio Grande railroad station was a wonderful collection of artifacts from Colorado history. Deb Barr welcomed me inside while sharing her knowledge and passion for area history and other things. She wears many hats in the community, from museum curator, to reporter, to clerk, to jazz singer. She was pretty excited to learn about my latest title, “General William Palmer: Railroad Pioneer”, founder of the D&RG Railroad. The book is now for sale in the museum gift shop, a fine collection of items pertaining to area history.

This little museum is not to be missed. If you are in the area with little time on your hands, at least step inside the depot and gift shop. The museum, which operates independently, is well-deserving of support and attention from history buffs. It is open until mid-October before closing for the winter. Watch for gift shop events in the winter.

Montrose County Historical Museum
21 North Rio Grande
970-249-2085
open mid-May through mid-October
Monday through Friday 10 AM – 4 PM
Saturday 10 AM – 2 PM

– Joyce Lohse, 9/25/09

House still standing at Dearfield

This past week, I attended a screening at the Colorado Historical Society of Dearfield: The Road Less Traveled, with commentary by producer, donnie l. betts. The video, which was outstanding, was especially meaningful to me as I had visited the ghost town of Dearfield a few weeks earlier. Located thirty miles east of Greeley, Colorado, Dearfield was a colony settled by African American pioneers between 1910 and 1940. At one time, the community, founded by businessman O.T. Jackson, contained about 700 residents. The land was so dear to them that they named the town “Dearfield”.

Life was not easy in Dearfield. Weather was harsh, and growing conditions difficult for farming. World War I took away young men who did not return, and the Depression took a further economic toll. Although residents tried valiantly to maintain the town, hard times depleted it. By the 1940s, only twelve people remained. As betts pointed out, one reason the colony endured as long as it did, with a successful dining room and gas station, was due to the courage and tenacity of the female residents.

Fortunately, circumstances have led the Black American West museum to become owners and custodians of the property. Restoration as a historical landmark and for an interpretive center require much time, effort and funding. Much work has been done, and more is on the horizon. Hopefully, those things will all come together to keep the story and the dream alive.

Joyce B. Lohse, 9/6/09

Nobody puts on a Western parade like Leadville, Colorado during Boom Days. This festival is a celebration of historic Leadville’s mining past as a boom town, at an elevation of 10,200 feet above sea level. The parade and festival, which take place during the first weekend in August, are the perfect excuse for the inner cowboy and cowgirl to come out and play in the cool, fresh mountain air. I was in town, with my traveling pard, Christie, not only for Boom Days, but also for a booksigning in the charming, independent Book Mine bookstore. I signed books along with another Women Writing the West member, Ann Parker, who writes mysteries set in Leadville. The whole day was splendid and a wonderful celebration of the Wild West. There seemed to be fewer horses and mules than usual in the parade, perhaps a nod to the tight economy. But it was fabulous in every other way.

It was a busy week for this western author. After traveling to Leadville on Saturday, Sunday found me at ParkerFest, at the Douglas County Library display, along with author Cynthia Becker. We had a great time, although the crowd was more interested in buying produce and crafts than biographies.

On Wednesday, I presented pioneer stories to the Longmont Genealogical Society. Talk about a wonderful group! We had a great time, and they were enthusiastic about my stories and books. I’ll return to Longmont any time.

Now, it is time for this cowgirl to stay closer to home and regroup, write some articles, do some research, and enjoy the rest of the summer. Bring on the good times, and some of those wonderful West Slope Colorado peaches!

Joyce Lohse, 8/15/09
www.lohseworks.com

Dianne and Joyce at Glen Eyrie - photo by Doris Baker

Last Monday, I had the good fortunate to visit Glen Eyrie Castle in Colorado Springs for a private tour. Our guide was Len Froisland, 25-year historian for the castle. Women Writing the West members Dianne Hartshorn, who portrays Queen Palmer around C. Springs, and publisher Doris Baker of Filter Press completed our group.

General William Palmer, founder of Colorado Springs and the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, originally built Glen Eyrie in 1872 when he married his wife, Mary Lincoln Mellon, known as “Queen”, a nickname since childhood. The house was restored in 1881, and again, beginning in 1902, when it took on the appearance of a stone castle. Palmer’s instruction to architects was to build a home that would endure for a thousand years. After one hundred years, the house has done very well. Currently, it is owned by the Navigators, a Christian organization, which maintains and utilizes the property as a retreat and conference center, with facilities open to the public for afternoon tea, bed and breakfast, and tours.

The house is remarkable. Inside, custom woodwork was used to decorate throughout. Special attention was given to fire prevention after Palmer’s Antlers Hotel burned in 1898. Palmer was extremely innovative in his attention to detail and his desire to create a self-sufficient compound for himself and his family. A power station, creamery, and greenhouses were built close at hand without disturbing the sprawling lawns, staggering vistas, and striking rock formations on the grounds tucked against the Rocky Mountain foothills. Scottish landscape artist, John Blair, designed the layout with beautiful landscape treatments, pathways and rock bridges. A school house was built in the early 1880’s to provide the children with private schooling, guarding them from possible kidnap during the raging railroad wars while rivals struggled to dominate transportation routes through the mountains.

During reconstruction of his home, William Palmer traveled throughout Europe with his daughters collecting artifacts and decorations to complete the mansion. Although most of those items are gone now, they have been replaced with similar furnishings. Many of his collected touches, such as Dutch tiles around fireplaces and fixtures, still exist. Queen died at the young age of 44 in 1894, before the castle was rebuilt, although the plan implemented some of her original ideas. William Palmer suffered a horseback riding accident in 1906 which left him paralyzed. He continued living life as best he could in the sprawling mansion until his death in 1909.

For more information, refer to:

General William Palmer: Railroad Pioneer
by Joyce B. Lohse
Filter Press, 2009, “A Now You Know Bio”
www.lohseworks.com
www.filterpressbooks.com

My quest for Western history and adventure took me down a new path. Joined by my Yellowstone pal, Carol, our journey took us out on the eastern plains of Colorado to visit the remains of the African-American ghost town of Dearfield. A photo shoot on a hot July day yielded plenty of material for a future article.

That evening, we met up with another friend, Helen, in Severance, Colorado, for a dinner of Rocky Mountain oysters at Bruce’s Bar and Grill. These oysters, which have nothing to do with the ones you find at the seashore, are prepared from [um, how can I put this ...] the delicate parts of bulls which are removed when they are neutered during branding. They are either considered a delicacy in cowboy culture, or are portrayed as such to segregate those with true Western grit from tinhorns and flatlanders. My curiosity evolved when the subject came up on the Women Writing the West e-bulletin board. The time had come for me to experience them for myself, in the interest of journalistic and historic research, of course.

Bruce’s is definitely the place to go for “oysters” in Northern Colorado. It is their specialty and they serve up plenty of them. They know how to cook them properly, a prerequisite for the discerning diner, or anybody with a healthy survival instinct.  Bruce’s Bar, a roomy, friendly, lively roadhouse, puts the little town of Severance on the map. It is the chosen destination for hungry families, bikers, and ranchers for miles around, and those of us looking for a little adventure and a new experience. Our outing had been on the calendar for some time, and as the date loomed, I was a little wary. However, our appetites were healthy after our outdoor research jaunt in the hot sun, and we were ready to eat just about anything. Almost.

We all decided to order bison, um, fries rather than the beef variety when the waitress assured us bison was more tender. It was a good choice. Our bison fries were served much like fried chicken strips with French fries in a heaping full basket lined with paper, with a ketchup-based dipping sauce on the side. They tasted fine. The sauce lacked pizazz, so we switched to either mustard or ranch dressing (blue cheese dressing would have been ideal). A good wheat beer with lemon, kept close at hand much like a fire extinguisher, was a good beverage choice. (No wine pairing suggested here!) The “oysters” were tender and mild with a faint liver taste and a consistency which was not the least bit chewy. The whole experience was fairly anti-climactic as we chatted and munched on our fries. All in all, the outing was fun and memorable.

I doubt I will go out of my way to order Rocky Mountain Oysters again, but I was happy with the experience. I will gladly go back to Bruce’s in Severance whenever friends nudge me in that direction. Just twist my arm.

Bison Fries

Joyce Lohse, 7/26/09
www.lohseworks.com

Evergreen Cemetery Chapel

Our Palmer Tribute at Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs was a grand success. Folks came out to learn more about General Palmer and to visit with Dianne Hartshorn and myself, to discuss books and history. Once again, I found myself in a cemetery, surrounded by history and stories of pioneers. I had not previously been inside the little chapel, built in 1909, which turned out to be the perfect venue for the gathering.

I especially enjoyed visiting with my pals from Women Writing the West: Filter Press publisher Doris Baker, Doris McCraw, Gayle Gresham, and Dianne Hartshorn. It is always a pleasure to encounter and share time with friends who are members of this outstanding group of talented writers. For information about membership, go to: www.womenwritingthewest.org .

The busy summer continues with upcoming book events in Leadville, Parker, and Longmont in August. Leadville Boom Days is a special way to get in touch with the Old West. The parade down Harrison Street at 10 a.m. on August 8 will be full of horses and horse thieves, miners, dance hall girls, school marms, gamblers, you name it. If you go, stop by the Book Mine and say Howdy! I will be signing books there most of the afternoon.

Joyce Lohse, 7/21/09
www.lohseworks.com

Upcoming Event in Colorado Springs:

Palmer Statue in Colorado Springs

A Palmer Tribute –

What is it?

A free open house event to celebrate Colorado Springs founder, General William Palmer, will take place at the Evergreen Cemetery Chapel in Colorado Springs on Friday, July 17, from 1 to 4 p.m.

Author Joyce B. Lohse will discuss General Palmer with visitors, with a computer slide show on display. She will be available to sign books, including General William Palmer: Railroad Pioneer, which will be available for purchase. Books by Joyce appeal to history buffs of all ages, and are appropriate for young readers. Dianne Hartshorn of A Perfect Era and Blanche’s Place will appear in character as Palmer’s wife, Queen.

General William Palmer: Railroad Pioneer, ISBN 978-0-86541-092-3,
list price $8.95, is available through booksellers, or from the publisher, www.filterpressbooks.com . Check author web site for appearances and information at www.lohseworks.com . To learn more about the Victorian Era and historic costumes, go to: www.aperfectera.com and www.blanchesplace.com.

Please join us for conversation about
history and books at A Palmer Tribute.
– Joyce & Dianne

General audience – public welcome!

Joyce B. Lohse, 7/7/09
www.lohseworks.com