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Greeley Historic Preservation to host 2 free events, calls for speakers

Greeley Historic Preservation to host 2 free events, calls for speakers

Greeley’s Historic Preservation Commission will celebrate the city’s agricultural past with two free public events this month, which is celebrated as Historic Preservation Month.

The first event is a tour of the historic White-Plumb Farm Learning Center, 955 39th Ave. One of Colorado’s Centennial Farms, the site was run by the same family for more than 100 years. Civil War Veteran Charles White settled the farm in 1881, and the city’s first female architect, Bessie Smith, designed the house in 1907.

The tour is 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesday at the center. Inclement weather may shift the event to the Greeley History Museum, 714 8th St.

The second event is a special History Brown Bag presentation at the museum regarding Dearfield and its connection to early Greeley. Historian Bob Brunswig will present “The Conjoined Histories of the African American Dearfield Townsite and Colony and the Union Colony Greeley.”

Nathan Meeker established Greeley in 1870 on the idea agricultural endeavors could provide a superior quality of life. In 1911, during the Jim Crow era, Oliver Toussaint Jackson founded Dearfield about 30 miles east of Greeley. Jackson was inspired by Booker T. Washington’s philosophy of attaining social and economic security through hard work on the land.

The presentation begins noon Thursday, May 19 at the museum.

The commission is seeking speakers to resume its regular schedule of Brown Bag series events. Anyone with expertise in history or historic preservation-related topics and anyone interested in speaking at a Brown Bag event is asked to contact planner Elizabeth Kellums at Elizabeth.kellums@greeleygov.com or (970) 350-9222.

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Preservation Month Events

Preservation Month Events

Preservation Month will start a little early for Round Rock this year. A preliminary schedule for events celebrating Round Rock’s history is posted below.

Events:
April 29: Chuckwagon Dinner. The Williamson Museum invites you to a Dutch oven dinner with beer, wine, and all the fixin’s. 6-9 p.m. at Old Settlers Park. $30 per person/ $25 for members/ $15 for children.
April 30: Pioneer Day at Old Settlers Park. The Williamson Museum presents a day of pioneer crafts, food and demonstrations for children at Old Settlers Park from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
May 12: Exploring Undertold Stories of Texas. Friends of the Texas Historical Commission presents a webinar about the Undertold Marker Program. Learn how to apply for an undertold marker in your community! 6:00 p.m. over Zoom. Register here.
May 17: Lunch and Learn: the Chisholm Trail. Noon-1:00 p.m. at the Baca Center.
May 22: Discovering Round Rock History: Kenney Fort. Sunday, May 22 from 1-2 p.m. at the Library. Refreshments provided by Estes Audiology.

Exhibits:
Round Rock – This Place Matters
by members of the Baca Center Art Club. Monthlong in the Baca Center Lobby.
Round Rock Landmarks by Round Rock Preservation. Monthlong in the Library’s first floor display case.

New website resources:
Video series: Texas Time Machine Short videos about Round Rock history
Video series: Places in Time Short videos about the stories behind Round Rock landmarks
A History Buff’s Guide to Round Rock
Historic Downtown Round Rock, Texas Walking Guide (pdf) Printed copies will be available at the Library in May.
A Kid’s Guide to the History of Round Rock (pdf) Printed copies will be available at the Library in May.