Vanya Scott Director Education Assistant Curator Curatorial Assistant
Jesse Gagnon
Kathleen Eaton
Doug Skiba
Alyssa Williams
Student and Interpretation and Development and Arts and Culture Family Programs Visitor Experience Communications Coordinator Coordinator Coordinator Editor (Discover)
Golden’s cultural landscape is brimming with energy and growth. This issue highlights several exciting developments: the City’s new Arts & Culture Commission, which is charting a vibrant path for creative partnerships and public art; remarkable additions to the museum’s collection, including a historic 1896 Coors pocket watch and a classic 1947 “New Look” suit; and the introduction
of a tipi to our educational programs, deepening connections to Indigenous history. Each story reflects the spirit of collaboration and discovery that defines Golden. Together, they remind us that history, art, and community are not separate threads but a richly woven fabric—one we are proud to share with you.
Golden High School (GHS) is the oldest continuously operating high school in Colorado. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the school, Golden History Museum hosted an exhibit from 2023-2024. For that exhibit, we were fortunate to borrow a pocket watch from the Coors Brewery’s archive collection. Even more exciting, when the exhibit ended, Coors generously donated this pocket watch to GHM&P for its permanent collection.
This Elgin National Watch Company gold pocket watch is
History Museum & Park, City of Golden Collection.
quite special
to John Prout, Jr., who was valedictorian for the GHS Class of 1896. Mr. Prout went on to attend the Colorado School of Mines where he earned a degree in engineering.
because beginning in 1896, Adolph Coors started the tradition of rewarding a watch to the top male graduate of GHS. This particular watch was the first award ever given, and it was presented GHS were given honors prizes as
The top female graduates of GHS were given honors prizes as well, such as bicycles, until 1923. That year, prominent lumber businessman and later Jefferson County Commissioner, W.G. Duvall, started presenting the top female graduate with a wristwatch for her achievements. The first young lady to receive a Duvall watch was Violet May Koch of the class of 1923. It was quite the honor to receive the Coors or Duvall watch— such that the Colorado Transcript regularly announced the honorees along with commencement exercises every spring.
The watch cover is decorated with a botanical motif, and on the back is inscribed, “Golden High School, May 20, 1896, John Prout, Highest Honor Graduate by Adolph Coors.”
Rosaline Bettinger Smith: 1947 New Look Suit
Rosaline Bettinger Smith has seen and done a lot of things in her 101 years. She grew up in Golden in a big family with eight siblings. She married three times and had four children and today has many grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. She is still an avid ballroom dancer—which her doctor considers a major attribute to her longevity.
attribute to her longevity.
One day in 2023, she called to offer Golden History Museum a suit she bought in Denver in 1947. While on the phone with her, she mentioned that she was a graduate of Golden High School’s Class of 1941. After chatting a bit, I did the math and realized a graduate from 1941 would be about 100 in 2023! As that realization dawned on me, Rosaline’s 82-year-old daughter, Linda, called to arrange a meeting with her and her mother.
Assistant Curator Vanya Scott and I went to Lakewood to interview Rosaline and Linda about their lives in Golden and beyond. Rosaline explained that the suit she gave GHM&P, a simple A-line Navy-blue skirt and matching jacket, represents “The New Look.” Not familiar with the term, we did a little research and found that it
Rosaline Bettinger Smith’s 1947 “New Look” suit.
was a post-World War II fashion movement—and a big one at that. Between 1941 and 1945, the United States and its allies were rationing materials like fabric, metal, and food for the war effort. Fabrics became more important for use in things like uniforms, tents, parachutes, vehicle upholstery, and backpacks, not “frivolous” things like fashion. Furthermore, women on the home front were working in factories producing munitions and supplies—jobs which required safety glasses and gloves—not skirts and nylons. While this shift in gender roles created the popular culture archetype Rosie the Riveter, once the war ended, women were moving back to more traditional feminine roles. Enter up-and-coming French fashion designer Christian Dior and his eponymously monikered studio. In a 1947 runway show in France, Dior introduced women’s dresses and suits that featured four
Rosaline stands near her suit on display at Golden History Museum. Surrounded by her daughter, daughter-in-law, and niece, she is pictured holding a photo of herself wearing the suit in 1947.
distinct elements: a fitted bodice, a cinched waist, a full skirt, and a skirt length that fell just below the knee. Elongated gloves, kitten heels, and a graceful hat completed the iconic look that would flourish from the late 1940s and up through the early 1960s.
Editor-in-Chief Carmel Snow of Harper’s Bazaar magazine is credited with coining this fashion movement. At the 1947 show, Snow was reported to have said to Dior, “It’s quite a revolution, dear Christian! Your dresses have such a new look!” The New Look encouraged women to embrace femininity and beauty, and to dress more extravagantly, after the somewhat depressing, but necessary, rationing years of the war.
While Rosaline’s suit is not necessarily opulent like some of Dior’s other New Look pieces, it represents a time when women’s fashion was reimagined for a new, more prosperous era.
At 100, Rosaline came to visit Golden History Museum to see her suit on view with several family members.
Corbin Family Photos and Wedding Dress
In 2024, Virginia Durbin, granddaughter of Henry and Lulu Corbin, donated several family photographs and her grandmother’s wedding dress from 1899. The Corbin family has a long history in Golden.
Henry Pinkney Corbin and Lulu Hannah White were married on June 2,1899, in Golden. Born in North Carolina in 1867, Henry moved to the Colorado Territory with his parents when he was just four years old. Lulu Hannah White was born in Arvada, Colorado, in 1876 to Torrence White Sr. and Dulcina Catherine Beasley, some of the first Euro-American settlers of the Golden area.
Lulu and Henry would go on to have four children, numerous
Lulu and Henry Corbin on their wedding day, June 2, 1899.
grandchildren, and Lulu even lived to meet some of their greatgrandchildren. Lulu worked as a teacher in Jefferson and Boulder counties, while Henry worked as a farmer, and later as a prominent politician who served on the International Boundary Commission to re-survey the border between the United States and Mexico.
Arts & Culture Golden’s New Commission
When people think of what defines Golden, some of the things that come up time and again are its beautiful natural setting, its unique historic character, and its innovative scientific and industrial environment. It’s also home to a hugely creative community and has the largest concentration of museums and cultural organizations per capita in Colorado. These elements are the heartbeat of Golden’s creative energy. In 2023, the City of Golden undertook an Arts and Culture
Master Plan to examine the City’s cultural landscape, understand its strengths and vulnerabilities, and devise a plan to help strengthen Golden’s creative sector. As a result, the three pillars of the City’s creative services: Golden History Museum & Park (GHM&P), the Art in Public Places program, and the Thriving Communities Arts & Culture Grant program, were united into a single division under the new Thriving Communities Department. A new Arts & Culture Commission
(ACC) was created by City Council and nine members were selected and seated this spring. The primary purposes of the ACC are to develop and support municipal arts and culture projects and programs, facilitate and encourage arts and culture projects by community partners, support the Art in Public Places program, advise and recommend financial support for City and community arts and culture programs, and support adopted City plans and strategic
goals related to arts and culture.
City leadership appointed staff representatives Sarah Vaine, Thriving Communities Director, and Nathan Richie, GHM&P Director, to liaise with the Commission and help it achieve key goals and outcomes. Among other things, Sarah will oversee the City’s granting program to Arts and Culture nonprofits which are funded by a lodging tax. Nathan will oversee the Art in Public Places program and other outreach initiatives. The City also recently hired a new part-time Arts & Culture Coordinator, Alyssa Williams, to manage Commission meetings and coordinate initiatives like calls for entry for new public art and installation of selected
pieces. GHM&P Curator Stephanie Gilmore will manage and care for the City’s public art collection which will be integrated into the City’s existing collection of more than 16,000 objects and archives.
The ACC recently adopted its 2025 Work Plan that includes four goals: undertaking a strategic plan, learning about the local and regional Arts & Culture landscape, completing the five public artwork projects currently in progress, and starting up its Art in Public Places and Grantmaking subcommittees. The ACC meets the first Monday of most months from 6 - 7:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers. Agendas, minutes, and recordings
of meetings can be accessed at www.cityofgolden.gov.
“The Golden community has an incredibly vibrant arts and culture scene,” said Nathan Richie, GHM&P Director and ACC liaison.
“The establishment of the Arts & Culture Commission is the next major step in elevating and supporting the arts and culture sector and encouraging community participation and engagement. We are witnessing a renaissance of Golden’s creative community, and the City of Golden is excited to partner and collaborate with its many stakeholders to elevate and sustain this core element of what makes our community so special.”
Photos: new 2025 art instillations in Golden: “Pickaxe & Shovel,” by Ian Houghton, New Loveland Mine Park, and “DeLong Park Junipers,” by Tom Benedict, DeLong Park.
Education Roundup
Behind the Scenes: A
Tipi Comes to Golden
By Jesse Gagnon
“The museum is now the proud owner of a tipi.”
Those are not words I ever expected to utter as part of my role as the Student & Family Programs Coordinator. However, as the museum’s Indigenous Connections Project continues to evolve and grow, perhaps it is not that surprising that we would add this architectural marvel to the museum’s teaching collection. With the addition of the museum’s Native American Arbor to
mulled over the idea of acquiring a tipi, I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into.
Golden History Park in 2024, I started to think about other ways that we could continue to layer Indigenous history against the backdrop of a pioneer homestead. Even in 2025, the notion that Native people are extinct is sadly pervasive, especially among our youngest visitors, and staff are often required to talk about Indigenous history in an abstract way using pictures and comparisons to traditional western living. I am also not ashamed to admit that when I
The actual purchase was easier than you might think. We were fortunate to receive a grant from the Golden Civic Foundation to cover most of the cost of the tipi itself. I chatted over the phone with representatives from Secret Creek, the vendor recommended by our Native American Advisory Board (NAAB), about our needs and intended us of the structure (for public events and programs). With a bit of paperwork and a credit card, the museum eagerly awaited delivery of the supplies for a 16foot tipi. Our 20-foot-long tipi poles
(all nineteen of them) shipped directly from Montana, while the rest of the materials (canvas cover, ropes, lacing pins, stakes, door) shipped from Montrose, Colorado. Now came the more challenging part of learning how to put the tipi up and to take it down, without damaging the tipi or ourselves. For this, I called upon Steve LaPointe and Erlidawn Roy, two members of our NAAB and owners of 1st Tribal Consulting. I blocked out half a day for staff to learn how to put up and take down the tipi. This part was not easy. Each tipi is different. Even if you and I were to order the exact same tipi, the process would vary based on the actual poles selected,
the canvas, and the intended environment and use. The process of assembly also changes over time as the tipi materials themselves age. We needed to identify our tripod poles, our lifting poles, learn to tie a clove hitch, how to work as a team as each pole went up, fight with the lacing pins to secure the two sides of the tipi together, among other steps. Rather than following stepby-step instructions, it was an ongoing process of seeing what felt and looked right and making tiny adjustments along the way, a process that my type-A linear brain really struggled with. We still
need a lot of practice to be truly proficient at the setup, and we learn something new each time we try. The addition of our interactive tipi exhibit will provide a hands-on exhibit space for use during events and programs. It is non-tribal specific, which will allow the museum to offer diverse programming, but also provide a blank canvas for community partners to present their own stories. If you would like to support the ongoing development of this exhibit, such as the purchasing of interior furnishings and teaching artifacts, contact Jesse Gagnon, Student & Family Programs Coordinator at jgagnon@GoldenHistory.org.
Be a part of the story. Donate $150 today using the envelope in this magazine or online at GoldenHistory.org/donate.
In 2026, Colorado will turn 150 and America will celebrate 250.
Big birthdays deserve bold action, and we want you to join the celebration. At Golden History Museum & Park (GHM&P), history isn’t dusty or distant. It’s hands-on, messy, and full of discovery.
On any given day, you might see kids panning for gold, families exploring the historic cabins, or teenagers completing a scavenger hunt in the museum.
As the stewards of Golden’s remarkable past, we safeguard a collection of more than 16,000 artifacts and share stories that connect generations. As part of the Arts & Culture Commission, we now also steward the City’s growing public art program, allowing Golden’s creative spirit to thrive.
Your gift of $150 (or any size—no amount is too small!) helps us:
Keep admission free for everyone. Spark curiosity through youth camps and clubs. Offer hands-on workshops and volunteer opportunities. Preserve Golden’s history and growing public art collection.
Let’s make sure the next 150 years are just as vibrant as today.
Programs
Programs are subject to change. Visit our website for full details.
Purchase advance tickets: 1) online,
2) by phone during business hours, 303.278.3557, 3) in-person.
October 10, 2025, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Arapaho History and Culture
Location: Golden City Hall, Council Chambers
Join Fred Mosqueda as he shares the history and culture of the Arapaho people in Colorado and surrounding area. Included topics:
• Creation Story
• Migration Story
• Treaty Years (1851-1869)
• Spirituality/Church of the Reservation Years
• Ghost Dance
• Land Runs
• Present Day Arapaho Life
October 11, 2025, 11 a.m. or 1 p.m.
Golden Cemetery Tour 2025
Location: Golden Cemetery
$10 members, $15 non-members
Guided storytelling tour of historic Golden graves. Registration required; rain-or-shine event.
1
October 18, 2025, 9 a.m. – noon
Blacksmithing in the Park
Location: Golden History Park
Transport yourself to the 1800s and learn blacksmithing basics at Golden History Park’s coal-fired forge.
Location: Golden History Museum $5 members, $12 non-members
Lance R. Blyth explores the 10th Mountain Division’s WWII history and its ties to skiing, mountaineering, and U.S. mountain warfare.
Chicken Update
By Kathleen Eaton
Frequent visitors to Golden History Park’s chicken coop likely noticed an empty yard yard over the winter and spring. Our previous flock members had lived long lives in the coop, and upon finding ourselves with only one lone hen, we made the decision to find her a new home with a local couple and take the opportunity to refresh the space. We used the
time to build a new fence, install new nesting boxes and a roost, and deep-clean the space. With our coop refreshed and a beautiful new fence and benches installed, we were ready to bring in our new flock.
In April 2025, our new chicks arrived in Golden and local families from the 79 Club of Jeffco/Jefferson County 4-H raised them to the age of 8 weeks old. The new hens
moved into the coop at the end of May and quickly established themselves in their new home. Since then, they have settled in and become quickly beloved by volunteers and visitors alike. And if the coop looks like a feather pillow exploded as we head into cooler weather, you needn’t worry! Molting is a process through which chickens shed old feathers to make way for new ones.
Our flock is comprised of different heritage breeds. A chicken is considered a heritage chicken if the breed was established in the United States prior to the mid-20th century as determined by the American Poultry Association Standard.
Volunteers care for the hens yearround and you can show your support by donating online or at any of our donation boxes at the Park. Next time you visit, don’t forget to bring a quarter to feed them a treat!
Have you snapped any pictures of the hens recently? Send your favorites to info@goldenhistory.org and maybe they’ll be featured on the museum’s Instagram!
Volunteer Profile Amber Webb
Originally from Montana, I was raised on my family’s cattle ranch where we cared for chickens, cattle, horses, sheep, and more. Living in the country taught me the importance of hard work, community, and staying grounded – values that continue
to guide me in everything I do, especially my volunteer work.
I first moved to Colorado over 35 years ago and have proudly called Golden home for the past 15. One of my most rewarding roles in volunteering is as a chicken caretaker at GHM&P. I enjoy engaging with visitors, connecting with fellow volunteers and neighbors, and sharing stories about Golden’s rich and vibrant history. It’s an honor to be part of a team that celebrates our heritage and fosters a sense of belonging.
Outside of Golden, I volunteer with Project Angel Heart in Denver, delivering meals to individuals with life-threatening illnesses. Additionally, I volunteer with the Jefferson County Election Department, helping to ensure fair and efficient elections.
For me, volunteering isn’t just an activity – it’s a way of life. It brings a deep purpose, connection, and joy and I’m grateful to contribute to the community I love.
School Break Programs at the Museum
Join us at Golden History Museum & Park when school is out! During these full-day programs for ages 6-12, participants will explore science, art, history and more while enjoying the unique setting of our history park, whether it is a visit to the chickens or cooking something in the historic Pearce/Helps Cabin. Space is limited. Dates coincide with no-school days for JeffCo Public Schools. Learn more at GoldenHistory.org.
Member prices require a current Household membership or higher.
Fall Break
Design & Build
October 10, 2025, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Explore historical examples of architecture and engineering in Golden and Colorado while also using their creativity and problem-solving skills to design and build their own structures.
Historical Concoctions
Monday, October 13, 2025, 9 am – 4 pm
Did you know that Jolly Rancher started in Golden, Colorado, or that Coors made pottery and malted milk for candy bars? We’ll spend the day mixing up materials and exploring what happens.
Cost per day:
$75 members; $90 non-members
Registration closes October 8, 2025
Thanksgiving Break
Survival Days with Hutch Monday, November 24 and Tuesday, November 25, 2025, 9 am – 4 pm
Join us for two days of survival skills with Colorado native and expert survivalist Aaron “Hutch” Hutchings. It is the perfect way to explore the outdoors, build teamwork, and gain confidence in their survival abilities. Each day will feature different activities. Sign up for one day or both! No prior experience necessary.
Tuesday Themes: Fire safety & skills, shelter and tracking, cordage and rope.
Cost per day:
$75 members; $90 non-members
Registration closes November 20, 2025
SAVE THESE DATES: Summer Camp 2026
Registration opens to members (exclusively) Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Registration opens to the public Friday, January 16, 2026
Volunteer
Profile
Erlidawn Roy
Staff Profile
Alyssa Williams
Alyssa began working for GHM&P in 2025 to support the Arts and Culture Commission’s goal to foster inclusive and accessible arts engagement across the community. Before joining the team, they worked with organizations such as the Denver Art Museum, Center for Visual
Art, Downtown Aurora Visual Arts, and Metropolitan State University of Denver, leading exhibitions, developing public programming, and supporting community-based arts education. Aside from working for the city, Alyssa also manages a small art gallery, teaches ceramics at Westminster City Park Rec Center, and is an active member of a Chant artist co-op. They graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver in 2024 with a BS in Psychology and a minor in Studio Art with a focus on the intersection of arts and wellness.
G
olden History Museum & Park is pleased to feature Erlidawn Roy, who is one of our Native American Advisory Board members and curators of the exhibit
We Are Still Here: The Endurance of Native Jewels. Erlidawn joined the GHM&P team as a volunteer in 2021. She is of the Meskwaki, Anishinaabe, Laguna Pueblo, and Isleta Pueblo people. With a passion for preserving culture through her lifelong commitment to her Native community, she has gained years of experience collaborating with Tribal, State, Federal, and community organizations serving Natives in the Denver metro area and nationwide. In addition to giving her volunteer time to GHM&P, Erlidawn currently works at The Professional Pow
Wow Association, Denver Public Schools Native American Culture & Education, and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. She is a gifted artist and seamstress, having sewn and beaded traditional Native regalia for herself, her family, and friends. Her Northern Traditional dress, a beaded breastplate, and her daughter’s elk tooth dress are all currently displayed in the We Are Still Here exhibit. She creates not only traditional dance and ceremonial regalia, but also modern clothing, jewelry, shoes, and home goods. Lastly, she dances both competitively and recreationally at pow wows with her husband, Steve LaPointe, their son, Mato, and daughter, Waseya.
Golden History Museum & Park Donors
January — December, 2024
$10,000 +
City of Golden
Community First Foundation
Anonymous
Barry and Liz Bettis
Lark Birdsong and Julie Brisson
Carol Cameron
Richard Flint
Mark and Nancy Foster
Suzy McKee
McKee Family Foundation
$1,000 — $9,999
Five Star Construction LLC
Friends of Golden History
Museum & Park
Golden Civic Foundation
Kathleen Weller Horky and Kevin Horky
$150 — $999
Chris E. Albrecht
Lydia Andrews-Jones and Jason Matisheck
Anonymous
Richard and Cynthia Bauman
Nancy Bell
Jeanne Benoit
Fred and Mary Ellen Berkman
Martha Bersch
Dirk Bird and Caron Blanke
Bill and Carol Bleau
Shelly and Nick Bleckley
Betty Bloom
Jennie and Charles Boeder
Phyllis Breese
William and Colleen Burnidge
Daniel Cheek
Thomas and Julie Clark
Sandra Curran
Jim and LouAnne Dale
Sarah Grace Danborn
Kathy and Mark DeMane
Marv and Jean DeSelm
Jen Dill
Pat Donahue and Kevin Skeate
Kathleen Doyle
Linda and Preston Driggers
Jeanette and Dean DuBois
Heather Duncan
Scientific and Cultural Facilities District
Pat Spieles
Sharon and Robert Kirts
Kristi and Robert Mallow
Elaine and Joseph Marolla
Bob Metz
John and Andi Pearson
Danielle and Louis Samuels
Billie Erxleben
Candace Eggers Nelson and Roger Nelson
Sheryl and Steve Fassino
Katherine and Garrett Fleming
Allison and Ryan Forsman
Stacy Fowler
Frances Fraser
Norma Fricke
Wendy and Rick Goad
Golden Lions Club
Martha Gould
Lynne Haigh
Kelly Harrison
Travis and Sarah Hartsburg
Margaret B. Henderson
Jon and Stephanie Hendrickson
Steve Hughes and Sue Cornish
Jesse Hutchens
Dawn Hykan
Frank and Gaye Jacobs
Candice Kowalski
John and Karen Lynch
Richard Lyon
Esther and Don Macalady
Mary Anna and Walter Madden
Pat and Judy Madison
Elizabeth and Karl Merritts
George Meyers and Merrill Wilson
Carl and Anne Mulay
Donna and John Mullins
Joyce Nelson
John and Lorraine Niemela
Janet Nunn
Vicki and Daniel Olson
Karen and Leon Oxman
Dr. Kurt and Joanne Papenfus
Don and Mary Parker
Mark and Cathy Pattridge
Paul and Nancy Rahne
Deborah Richardson
Stony and Theresa Shelton
Beth and Kermit Shields
Clare and Daniel Shier
Jack and Catherine Skokan
James and Melanie Smith
Susan Speer
Greg Steuck
Michael Tamny and Cynthia Merrill Tamny
Dixie Termin and Ron Miller
Robert Thresher
Justin and Sarah Wade
Barb Warden and Frank Blaha
Janice Waring
Scott Waters
Hugh Watson
Laura and Michael Weinberg
Angela and Tom Wheaton
Harold and Shirley Wheeler
Mike and Mary Wood
Be a part of Golden history. Become a member today!
Did you know members get special pricing on most programs? It’s one important way we can welcome you back time and again to discover the amazing history of our community. Peruse the benefits chart to decide which level is best for you. Then pay online, in-person, by phone, or by sending a check to 923 10th Street, Golden, CO 80401.
Member update letters via US Mail Summer Camp camp discount
Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00 am - 4:30 pm Object ID# 2014.006.3, Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, Golden, Colorado.
Indigenous women have persevered through hundreds of years of oppression and numerous attempts to destroy their culture. Explore modern Native fashions that utilize ancient Indigenous jewels and learn about prominent Native women in contemporary American society.
