Summer Hours at Big Timbers Museum on the Santa Fe Trail
Summer hours have started at the Big Timbers Museum. Along with the afternoons each day of the week, Big Timbers Museum is open in the morning too. Located along the Santa Fe Trail near Lamar, Colorado, Big Timbers Museum offers historical displays from the surrounding areas. If you’re looking for something to do for a few hours, or even all day long, there’s plenty to view at the museum.
Folks have found the artifacts at Big Timbers to be full of information and resource materials. Many review the paper clippings and photos at the museum for family photos and varification of specific times in history.
Are you a writer looking for resources or muse? I bet you’ll find something in the Big Timbers Museum to stir up your imagination. One of the biggest Bank Robbery Investigations in history is revealed in rows of glass cases along the south wall, complete with artifacts and documentation of the event. You can purchase The Fleagle Gang - Betrayed by a Fingerprint online, or at the Museum. If you stop by Big Timbers, local author Tom Betz just may be on hand to autograph your copy.
Sign of Changing Times - PCHS By Laws
There will be a Bylaws Meeting for the General Membership of the Prowers Count Historical Society on May 15th, 2008. If you’re a member of the Prowers County Historical Society, you’ll want to attend this meeting and vote for or against the new ByLaws. The meeting will be held in the Big Timbers Museum north of Lamar, Colorado.
Lamar Days - Prowers County Historical Society
Dressed in their finest, pioneer, and historical garb the Prowers County Historical Society will be riding in the Lamar Days’ Parade on May 10, 2008. An annual event for this community on the high plains, the Lamar Days’ Parade celebrates pioneers of the prairie, frontier homesteaders, and the giant step taken into the future. This year’s theme “Pride and Possibilities” is displayed on the Museum Float as “Big Timbers Museum displaying Pride and endless Possibilities” in celebration of both our history and our future.
Lamar Days celebrates the kick off of Big Timbers Museum’s Summer hours, starting June 1 with longer hours of 10 AM until 5 PM - Monday through Saturday and 1 - 5 PM on Sunday until August 31. Over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday celebration of Lamar Days there will be NO ADMISSION Charges at the Museum. Bring your family and friends to Big Timbers Museum for a FREE DAY of fun and adventure exploring historical evidence of Pride and Possibilities along the Santa Fe Trail.
Big Timbers Museum - Lee Robinson - Video Taping Artifacts
Most recently, Lee Robinson has spent time at the Big Timbers Museum video taping artifacts for videos to be displayed on the website and at various presentations representing the Museum. Robinson, a long time resident of Lamar, Colorado has been active in taking photos of artifacts and treasures of the Prowers County Historic Society now on display at the Museum.
Robinson’s photos will eventually be included in the Big Timbers Museum website.
History Along the Santa Fe Trail
Boy Scouts work along side Riley Widener, leader and Eagle Candidate, a student at Granada High School, to restore Camp Amache. Prowers County Historical Society member, Jan Verhoeff encouraged the boys and wrote an article for the Lamar CO USA blog about their efforts. For more information, click on History in the making along the Santa Fe Trail and read the whole story. For more information about Camp Amache, click the link and visit the site.
For more information about Camp Amache Displays at the Big Timbers Museum contact the Curator at 719/336-2472.
Prowers County Historical Society - Appreciation Party
Big Timbers Museum hosted the Prowers County Historical Society Appreciation Party on April 17, 2008 in the main display room at the museum. Curator Kathleen Scranton welcomed guests and members to the party. President Ava Betz extended her welcome to guests and members and acknowledged the hard work and efforts of Leroy Dawson, Lee Robinson and others who have contributed over the past year to the renovation, improvements, and promotion of the Big Timbers Museum.
The Vaqueros Saddle Club’s Antique Juke Box played traditional music from the 50’s and 60’s while members of the Historic Society danced the evening away. Virginia Inman lifetime resident of Lamar, Colorado and member of theProwers County Historic Society partnered up with Sean Verhoeff for a stroll around the dance floor. Terry DeWitt, of DeWitt Excavation, also a lifetime resident, joined his wife Janet for a stroll later in the evening, to Marty Robbins rendition of “White Sport Coat”. The Vaqueros were asked to identify photos of Saddle Club members from the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. Parade goers were recognized by many visitors and guests at the museum.
Big Timbers Museum Projects in the News
Kathleen Scranton, Curator of the Big Timbers Museum reports that Lee Robinson, local photographer, is currently photographing the War Memorials Display located in Lamar, Colorado. The project will enable anyone googling an artist from the World War I era to find posters from the era on display on the museum website. Detailed names and descriptions of the World War I Poster Collection will be displayed along with photographs of the display, when the project is complete.
The War Memorials Display takes up the lower floor of the Museum dubbed the Eldon Green Room. The Museum was renovated over last summer and offers a fresh take on many displays along with newly organized displays in the main rooms. Kathleen Scranton and her team of Historic Society Members and County Employees cleaned and painted the interior of the museum over a twelve week period of time and had the Museum up and running by the end of the summer, after the loss of former Curator, Jeanne “Jinx” Clarke.
For views of Grand Opening visit this link: Grand Opening
Historic Society Membership Drive
Renew your Historical Society Membership today!!!
Or if you’re not a member, this is a great time to join! Just in time for summer fun at the Museum.
Most memberships are Annual Dues (membership valid through December 31, of each year) include free admission to the museum and special events. contact the Prowers Historical Society (a 501c3 Organization) for special gifts, lifetime bequests, and memorials or to donate historical items to preserve the history of Lamar and Southeastern Colorado.
Choose your level of membership:
Individual $10.00
Family $15.00
Individual Patron $25.00
Family Patron $50.00
Business Member $50.00
Life Member $100.00
Business Patron $100.00
Corporate Member $250.00
Corporate Underwriter $500.00
Museum Benefactor $1,000.00 +
Memorials $35.00 +
Send your member name, phone number, address and email address to:
Prowers County Historic Society
PO Box 362
Lamar, CO 81052
or just drop it off at the Museum.
Your Prowers County Historical Society Board of Directors:
Ava Betz, President
Chris Wilkerson, Vice President,
Karen Marble, Secretary
Angie Higbee, Treasurer
Bud Barker, Historian
Board Members
Virginia Inman, Reva McCorkle, Mary Ann Gilbert, Pat Palmer, Don Emick, Helen Emick, and Cindy Waldrip
Appreciation Party - Prowers County Historical Society
Prowers County Historical Society
sponser of Big Timbers Museum
PO Box 362
Lamar, Colorado 81052
719-336-2472
Graciously invites you to Our 1st Annual
“APPRECIATION PARTY”!
Thursday April 17, 2008
at 7:00 P.M.
at Big Timbers Museum
7515 US Highway 50
Lamar, CO 81052
719-336-2472
FAX 719-336-2482
There will be free admission to the Big Timbers Museum, Refreshments and a short program.
PLEASE RSVP by April 11th, 2008 either by phone or by fax.
We hope to see you ALL there. Thanks again!
Preserving our Past for the Future!