Blog
Buckskin Bill’s Imaginary Love Affair with Rattlesnake Kate
One might feel like they are intruding while reading the personal correspondence between Colonel Charles D. Randolph, who called himself “Buckskin Bill” the “Poet of the Plains”, and Kate Slaughterback, a.k.a. Rattlesnake Kate. The reality is that the poems are a reflection of the story-spinning abilities of this “Poet of the Plains.”
Traditions of New Year’s Past
New Year’s gifts were popular during the 1870-90 era in Greeley, and some were elaborate or unusual.
Things I Learned while Looking Up Something Else
Historian Carol Rein Shwayder began researching her family genealogy in the 1970s. She was “dismayed, and shocked” to find there was no book written for Weld County history. In 1983, Shwayder self-published Weld County Old & New: History of Weld County, Colorado, Vol. I, Chronology 1836-1983. It is described by the author as “A chronological compendium of interesting, useful, and hard-to-find facts and information about the history and development of Weld County, Colorado. Herein follows a sampling of excerpted entries.
Out of the Cold
Keeping warm was a priority in the winter months of Greeley’s early days. During the 1870s, The Greeley Tribune reported many incidents of people who had frozen their feet and hands while working on the plains in severe weather conditions.
Fort Jackson and the Fur Trade
Fort Jackson was established in 1837 on the South Platte River. It was well-stocked with trade goods and quickly shut down the local small operations in the region.
Oasis on the Plains: Mapping Through Weld County’s Water Rights
Cartography, or mapmaking, has been an important part of human history, even since ancient civilizations. Whether you use them to explain and navigate the world, or to make decisions about where to go, maps are critical tools that have endless capabilities.
Wedding Customs of the Late 19th Century
The social “dos and don’ts” of wedding etiquette can be perplexing and they continue to change with time. The wedding ceremony of Rozene Meeker, daughter of Greeley’s founder Nathan Meeker, gives us a glimpse of what a typical wedding was like in the 1880s.
Knights of the Roaring Wheels
In 1938, motorcycling had a dramatic comeback in Greeley with the organization of the “Knights of the Roaring Wheels”, a motorcycle club emphasizing safety.
Archiving the Camp Family Collections
A Reflection by Katalyn Lutkin, City of Greeley Museums Archives Assistant I started processing the Camp Family Collections in July of 2016. At that time, there was only one donation with several more on the way. In the last 3 years, I have processed 13 collections...
Innovation with the Fascination
Explore over 100 years of photographic history of Northern Colorado through the work of father and son photographers Lew and Denny Dakan.
Not everyone in Weld County is directly involved with cattle, but everyone ought to know that the cattle industry has been BIG here since the earliest years of our history and has touched every aspect of life in our communities. Cattle ranching, breeding, feeding, buying and selling, shipping – could probably be called our “origin story”, the story of men who shaped our economy and way of life. What about the women, you ask? They have worked alongside the men every step of the way!
On February 17, 1955, women joined forces to form the Weld County Cow Belles. Their original bylaws called for them merely to “help the men’s organization” – the Weld County Livestock Association. By 1984, there were 80+ members independently engaged in educational and promotional activities for the beef industry. The Cow Belles also provided college scholarships, ran informational booths at the National Western Stock Show and the Weld County Farm Show, and through monthly meetings provided social support and education for its members.
In 1988, after 40 years of being known as the Colorado Cow Belles, the State chapter voted to change its name to Colorado Cattle Women, Inc. It was left to local chapters to follow suit or not. Can you imagine the discussion and debate? Some preferred the old name, some were tired of “cow belly” and “ding dong” jokes, some appreciated the more professional image of Cattle Women over Cow Belles. We don’t have a written record of the decision, but since the late 80s, the Cow Belles have been named the Weld County Cattle Women, working together to educate, promote, and protect the cattle industry.