It just makes sense to meet with CU Denver history professor Tom Noel -- also known as -- at Center鈥檚 exhibit From the Native American pottery of Mesa Verde to John Denver鈥檚 guitar, each of the 100 items tells a part of the state鈥檚 history.
鈥淚 like to tell my students, those who flunk history are doomed to repeat it,鈥� he said.
Depending on the story, that might not be so bad.
鈥淢ost people know the story of ,鈥� Noel said pointing to Brown鈥檚 opera cape. 鈥淧oor Irish girl who marries well and then educates herself and becomes a booster, a promoter for Colorado.鈥�
Near the cape are a pair of Crocs that Noel joked about pairing with the cape. No, the pair of very pink plastic shoes from the wouldn鈥檛 have matched the fur-collared cape. But that鈥檚 part of the fun of Colorado鈥檚 eclectic -- sometimes eccentric -- history, like the pair of long anti-contamination gloves used at .
鈥淣othing鈥檚 been bypassed here,鈥� he said.
After walking past the that dates Colorado鈥檚 earliest resident at 13,000 years ago, Noel talked about the state鈥檚 other population booms and busts.
鈥淭he gold rush of course is part of this exhibit,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his changed Colorado forever, of course. It had been a place for Native Americans and a few Spanish in the San Luis Valley. This brings in 100,000 people in just 1859, 1860. One of the great mass-migrations in American history.鈥�
While it isn鈥檛 part of the exhibit, when asked about the oddest bit of local lore, he said it鈥檚 definitely another story from around this same time.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 got to be ,鈥� Noel said.鈥� Who took prospectors into the mountains and returned all by himself. Explaining that they鈥檇 died of starvation, but he had this fat, greasy look to his face.鈥�
It turns out Packer may have resorted to cannibalism.
鈥淎nd then he was sentenced to death with the famous words -- that aren鈥檛 actually true but it鈥檚 too good a story to pass up, 鈥樷�楶acker! You man-eating son-of-a鈥� There are only seven democrats in Hinsdale County and you, you ate five of them!鈥欌��
While it may be one of the oddest moments, it鈥檚 not Noel鈥檚 favorite. That distinction goes to the Progressive Era of the early 1900s. It was a time of social activism and political reform around the country, and it had a big impact on Colorado.
鈥淢ayor Speer in Denver, for instance, transforming a dusty, drab, ordinary city into 鈥楶aris on the Platte,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淗ow you can transform cities? How you can solve a lot of social problems? By planning, putting in a great civic center, Greek theatre, attention on the public sector, on public education, on libraries, beautiful cities, beautiful environments.鈥�
To Noel, history is a chance to look back on those moments and learn from them.
鈥淗ow can we know where we鈥檙e going unless we know where we鈥檝e been?鈥� he asked. 鈥淲e have so many newcomers coming into the state, they need an introduction.鈥�
And they鈥檙e about to get a lot more teachers.
Since 1924, History Colorado has appointed a historian to work with the organization to preserve, interpret and share Colorado鈥檚 past. Last month, the group announced a new State Historians Council.
In addition to Noel, who was appointed chairman, the council includes Nicki Gonzales (Regis University); Jared Orsi (Colorado State University); Duane Vandenbusche (Western State Colorado University); and William Wei (University of Colorado Boulder).
Having more voices from across Colorado was important, he said.
鈥淥ne of the things we struggle with at History Colorado is not being Denver-centric, but trying to represent the whole state,鈥� Noel said.
(On Aug. 1, admission to History Colorado is free. The museum will host a in honor of Colorado Day.)
