Historic Lecture Series

Summer Lecture Series

Join us for another summer of history, socializing, and learning! We have a full 13 weeks with new topics, like El Vaquero America’s First Cowboy and the Jewish Pioneers of Leadville, mixed with some familiar faces like local historian Bill Fountain and the Wann burros. In honor of the Museum’s 40th Anniversary, we are bringing back Tom Noel, aka “Dr. Colorado,” to talk about Colorado’s beer and liquor history!

As the series has grown more popular, we are relocating the indoor talks to the Community Center at 3rd Avenue and Granite Street. The outdoor talks will remain at the Historic Park Gazebo, weather permitting. We are also pleased to welcome Charles Schwab as the official sponsor of the 2023 Summer Lecture Series!

Things to know before you go

• All the lectures are free to attend!
• Doors open at 11:45am to allow staff and our speaker time to set up.
• Seating is still limited and is first come, first serve.
• Please leave your pets at home.
• Please leave snacks and food at home.

Locations

This year we are in two locations. Please refer to the lineup below for weekly locations.

• Frisco Community Center- 110 3rd Avenue, Frisco, CO 80443
• Historic Park Gazebo- 120 Main Street, Frisco, CO 80443

2023 Lineup

June 14, 2023, 12:00pm at the Historic Park Log Chapel

Chicano Art & Literature, Presented by Ricardo LaFore, co-founder of CALMA and long-time Chicano activist

No political movement is complete without its art or the art it inspired. Chicano art was influenced by the Chicano Civil Rights Movement, El Movimiento, which began in the 1960s and peaked in 1980. Join us for the kick-off to our summer series with Ricardo LaFore as he discusses the importance of Chicano art and literature to the Chicano community and its struggles.

Watch the recorded lecture on the SCTV Youtube channel.

June 21, 2023, 12:00pm at the Old Frisco Community Center on 3rd and Granite Street

Jewish Pioneers of Leadville, Presented by William Korn from the Temple Israel Museum

Many early Jewish immigrants traveled west to escape oppression, improve social and economic status, find adventure, and make a new life for themselves. This lecture will shed light on the importance of the Jewish community in Leadville during the pioneer boom days and the town’s subsequent decline.

June 28, 2023, 12:00pm at the Historic Park Gazebo

Dinosaurs in Colorado, Presented by Kermit Shields from Dinosaur Ridge

For centuries, Indigenous peoples lived and traveled across the land now known as Colorado’s Front Range, including the long hogback ridge extending between the Rocky Mountains foothills and the Great Plains grasslands. Join Kermit Shields from Dinosaur Ridge to learn more about Colorado dinosaurs and the fossils they left behind.

Watch the recorded lecture on the SCTV Youtube channel.

July 5, 2023, 12:00pm at the Historic Park Gazebo

El Vaquero, America’s First Cowboy, Presented by Angel Vigil from History Colorado

Join Angel Vigil for a dynamic show as he presents the origins and development of cowboy culture in the American West. The show includes the stories of the working vaquero and demonstrations of bullwhip cracking and rope tricks. A special feature of the show is Angel’s historically accurate costume, representing the Spanish Colonial Vaquero of the 1700s.

Watch the recorded lecture on the SCTV Youtube channel.

July 12, 2023, 12:00pm at the Old Frisco Community Center on 3rd and Granite Street

Colorado Liquid History, Presented by Tom “Dr. Colorado” Noel, Professor Emeritus from the University of Colorado- Denver

Come learn about the Liquid History of Colorado with Tom Noel, aka “Dr. Colorado” himself! This lecture will be a light-hearted look at the history of beer, breweries, and saloons and how they impacted the local communities. Dr. Colorado is a professor emeritus of history at CU-Denver and the 2020 Colorado State Historian.

Watch the recorded lecture on the SCTV Youtube channel.

July 19, 2023, 12:00pm at the Historic Park Gazebo

Burro Pack Racing, Presented by Brad and Amber Wann from the ReDONKulous Ranch Sanctuary and Rescue, Inc

Pack Burro Racing is the only sport born in Colorado with deep ties to the mining industry. It was even designated the official Colorado summer heritage sport in 2012. Join us as Brad and Amber Wann share the history of one of the highest altitude races in the world and the stories of racing legends. Come meet a burro!

July 26, 2023, 12:00pm at the Old Frisco Community Center at 3rd and Granite Street

Chasing the Bad Guys, Enforcing the Law in Breckenridge, Colorado, Town Marshals 1881-1923, Presented by Bill Fountain, local historian and author

From 1881 to 1923, town marshals in Breckenridge, Colorado, were tasked with enforcing the law. This was no small feat in a growing mining town as the gold strikes brought more and more people. Bill Fountain, local historian and author, will share the best stories of Breck’s lawmen from his book, Chasing the Bad Guys, co-authored by Dr. Sandra Mather.

Watch the recorded lecture on the SCTV Youtube channel.

August 2, 2023, 12:00pm at the Old Frisco Community Center at 3rd and Granite Street

Droughts, Doubts, Respect, and Rejoicing: A History of Colorado Water, Part II, Presented by Dr. Matthew Makley from MSU Denver

The Colorado River supports over 40 million people, but now the reservoirs are lower than when they were created. What can history teach us about the long human relationship with the river and water in the region? This lecture will touch on themes from last summer’s lecture before diving into the twenty-first century to examine curtailment on the Colorado River.

Watch the recorded lecture on the SCTV YouTube Channel.

August 9, 2023, 12:00pm at the Historic Park Gazebo

Seasons of the Nuche, Tales of the Ute People, Presented by Nina Gabianelli and Skyler Lomahaftewa from Aspen Historical Society

Storytelling has been used in every culture for entertainment, education, and cultural preservation. Nina Gabianelli from the Aspen Historical Society and Skyler Lomahaftewa of the Northern Ute Tribe will present the history of the native people and the modern-day Ute experience. This is our most popular outdoor lecture, so bring your camp chairs, sunscreen, and sunglasses!

August 16, 2023, 12:00pm at the Historic Park Gazebo

Reintroduction of Animals to Colorado, Presented by Marissa Herzog, USFS, and Alex Strasser, CPW

Join Marissa Herzog from the Dillon Ranger District- US Forest Service and Alex Strasser, District Wildlife Manager of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, as they discuss wildlife introduction for two non-native species – the mountain goat and the moose. They will talk about the history of reintroduction and its economic and environmental effects on the Colorado landscape.

Watch the recorded lecture on the SCTV YouTube Channel.

August 23, 2023, 12:00pm at the Historic Park Gazebo

William Grandstaff: Colorado Miner and Black Frontiersman, Presented by Mary Langworthy from the Moab Museum

William Grandstaff defied expectations and stereotypes of what a frontiersman looked like as he worked as a cowboy, miner, and saloon owner in the late 1800s. Join Mary Langworthy, Public Programs Manager of the Moab Museum, to explore the pathways of Grandstaff’s life in Moab, Utah, and Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

Watch the recorded lecture on the SCTV YouTube Channel.

August 30, 2023, 12:00pm at the Historic Park Gazebo

The Creation of the Frisco Historic Park & Museum, Presented by Rose Gorrell from the Frisco Historic Park & Museum

In honor of the Museum’s 40th anniversary, Rose Gorrell will share the origin story of the Historic Park and the women who formed the first Frisco Historical Committee. This lecture is part of the Frisco As I Remember Project dedicated to recording Frisco’s history from 1940 to the present. Join us for more storytelling and sharing over coffee and cookies after the talk.

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