In 1977-78, City Council took the first steps to provide permanent funding and staffing for Centennial Village museum. In February 1978, Mr. Florenz Flo Hinz, a Colorado native and advertising executive from the Washington, D.C. area, was hired and served until 1983 as the first coordinator of Centennial Village.
Flo was a talented man and a compelling speaker and actor who loved flamboyant clothing. Centennial Village was his stage. Passionate about history, he was an extraordinary promoter of the Citys new museum. As the budget for Centennial Village was very limited in its early days, staff took extreme measures to conserve resources, including repotting plants and wintering them over in the depot. Flo loved working outside and after the Village closed for the season, he started repotting plants one scorching hot day in October. As it was quiet this time of year and he was the only employee on the premises, Flo decided he might as well be comfortable and dress appropriately for the weather. Flo had a superb Mediterranean complexion, a body that belied his age, and a personality that overshadowed any semblance of modesty. He donned a light-colored micro-swimsuit, his pair of silver-tinted sunglasses, and his boots and started to work, oblivious to the rest of the world.
Jil Rosentrater, Cultural Affairs Director, was in her office when she received the first of several calls from people driving by the Village that afternoon: Theres a naked man in Centennial Village! Jil thanked the callers and said she would leave immediately and find out what was going on. When she arrived, she found her employee up to his micro-suit in his potting project. Flo looked up and said, What brings you out here? Jil replied, Floweve got to talk, but first, you need to put on some clothes!
Flo never let the Citys dress code fly in the face of fashion& or his personal comfort! The staff laughed about this for years!
Jil Rosentrater, who passed away in 2013, will be honored during a dedication of Art & Soul on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 6 p.m. at the Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Avenue.
Written by: Peggy Ford Waldo, Development Curator for Greeley Museums