Founders Day celebrates Old Town birthday Aug. 12

       A mix of history, entertainment, education and shopping will fill the schedule for the 153rd anniversary of Founders Day in Bancroft Park Sunday, Aug. 12.
       The free event, commemorating the actual date in 1859 when the original Colorado City formally became a municipality, will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The sponsoring group is the all-volunteer Old Colorado City Historical Society (OCCHS).
       The OCCHS owns and operates the Old Colorado City History Center, 1 S. 24th St., which will also be open that day.
       Two presentations are planned, both at the historic Garvin Cabin (which itself dates back to 1859):
  • Noon - a Fort Carson representative will speak on the Battle of Glorieta Pass, a New Mexico Civil War battle - in which soldiers from Colorado City fought - that's been dubbed the “Gettysburg of the West.”
  • 2 p.m. - Eugene Red Hawk (Orner), a Westsider and American Indian, will talk about the Ute Indians who originally lived in this region.
           The schedule also calls for live music by the Cinnamon Tea Flute Ensem-ble at 10 a.m. and Major Chord (a strolling barbershop quartet) at 1 p.m.
           A participatory show by the local Victorian Society dancers will be at 11 a.m.
           Also scheduled are two guided walking tours. Led by David Rasmussen of the Old Colorado City Library, the tours will leave the cabin at 9:30 and again at 11 a.m.
           Set up all day at the park will be:
  • A reenactors' Union encampment. Activities will include marching, gun handling and musketry demonstrations.
  • An archeology dig for kids.
  • Colorado School of Mines instructor Steven Veatch with geology artifacts and other items.
  • The Hedgehog Rescue Association with animals.
  • The Garvin Cabin, open and manned by OCCHS members. On display will be a copy of Colorado City's original 1860 Fosdick Plat and photos of the second city hall, early Ute Pass and the Golden Cycle Mill.
  • More than 25 craft and artisan booths.
           Colorado City was its own municipality until 1917, when it was annexed into Colorado Springs. The town's downtown area, including Bancroft Park, came to be known as Old Colorado City after the original name, “Colorado City,” was scooped up by a latter 20th-century development south of Pueblo.
           For more information, call the center at 636-1225. The website is occhs.org.

    Westside Pioneer/press release