Kate Burke’s Western History Series
A little fact, a little fiction, told as ‘her’story
* Designates Keynote Speaker
MONTROSE
Sept. 11, 2023
Sept. 20, 2023
Oct. 23, 2023
Programs: January – November, 2023
* Little Bighorn, the Back Story
Manifest Destiny, broken treaties, discovery of gold in the Black HIlls, a series of inter-tribal conflicts, and the ongoing fight for natural resources culminated in infamous battle known as Custer’s Last Stand. Guest presenter George Gleason will share information about the monument today. [Read story]
Jan. 23. 1 pm. Montrose Senior Center, Pavilion Drive.
Feb. 25, Noon. Brown bag lunch, WHAFV, 4 Hillcrest Plaza Way
*Chocolate—5,300 years of history for America’s favorite sweet treat
food for the gods, gift of governments and sweethearts. Chocolate has been used for sacrifice, seduction, reverence, and political persuasion. Follow the chocolate trail from its origins in Meso-America,to Europe (where it was first used in solid form because of the Industrial Revolution), to North America, where it has become nearly a $128 billion industry. [Story here]
Feb. 14. 1 pm. Montrose Senior Center, Pavilion Drive.
Feb. 20. Noon. Montrose Woman’s Club, Lions Clubhouse. 602 N. Nevada Ave.
*
Utah’s Colorful Parks & Monuments
Each of the Parks and Monuments of Utah has a distinct personality all it’s own. What they have in common is their geologic basis – some of it more than a billion years old![Read story]
Mar. 13, 1 pm. Montrose Senior Center, Pavilion Drive
* Time Banking Explained
What is it? How does it work? Why should you care? A unique look at a non-monetary economic system that honors time, talent, and community. Learn about Time Dollars, Time Bank Credits, and Time Bank Exchanges—and all the benefits Time Banking has to offer.
Aug. 07. 1 pm. Montrose Senior Center, Pavilion Drive.
Sept. 20. Noon. Montrose Woman’s Club, Lions Clubhouse. 602 N. Nevada Ave.
* Ouray’s Goldfields & Bachelor Syracuse Mine.
Kate Burke’s history series burrows into the history of gold mining and how Ouray’s Bachelor Syracuse Mine saved the town. Today, the mine offers tours into Gold Mountain. PPT, handouts, displays of minerals and mining tools. Copies of book, Tales of the Bachelor Mine, from San Juan Publishing will be available. [Read story]
Sep. 11. 1 pm. Montrose Senior Center, Pavilion Drive.
Oct. 16. Noon. Montrose Woman’s Club, Lions Clubhouse. 602 N. Nevada Ave.
* Silverton’s Four Narrow Gauge Railroads & the Mountain Mines.
Kate Burke’s history series explores the Silverton and San Juan Mining District and the flour trains that served it, traversing up to 7% grades, 30-degree curves, and passes over 11,000 feet to supply the mines, smelters, and mining communities. PPT, handouts.
Oct. 23. 1 pm. Montrose Senior Center, Pavilion Drive.
* Historical Accounts of the Utes in SW Colorado.
Kate Burke’s history series delves into the background of the Ute people, the oldest residents of Colorado, who arrived as much as 2,000 years ago. A guest presenter from the Ute Museum will share stories about the Utes of SW Colorado. PPT presentation. Displays, hand handouts from the Ute Museum.
Nov. 23. 1 pm. Montrose Senior Center, Pavilion Drive.
–> Click here for Kate’s Western History talks and presentations.
–> Click here for list of topics and presentations, past, present and future.
Talks are 30-40 minutes with 5-10-minute introduction and 15-30 minutes Q&A time afterward. Presentations include Power Point, sometimes video Internet Youtube or weblinks. Related handouts. Presentations must be scheduled at least 30 days in advance, and I do charge a speakers fee.
Topics include history and travel, with interesting takes on both. The most popular focus on our own regional history—hard rock mining, narrow gauge railroads, farming and homesteading, multi-generational families and their related activities. And, of course, whenever appropriate, I try to connect it all to arts and entertainment.
Not talks are in Montrose. As presentations are scheduled elsewhere, they will be listed here.
2023 Presentation Summaries & Story Links
Little Bighorn, The Back Story & What Came After the Battle
Manifest Destiny, broken treaties, discovery of gold in the Black HIlls, a series of inter-tribal conflicts, and the ongoing fight for natural resources culminated in the battle between the U.S. Calvary and seven Indian* groups. George Armstrong Custer and his troops were overwhelmed and all perished. Many of the Indian chiefs and warriors who participated, were later captured or surrendered and were killed.
Kate Burke presents a colorful and intriguing portrayal of the characters and events that led up to the Battle of the Little Bighorn, otherwise known as “Custer’s Last Stand.” Her presentation Includes authentic maps, video, rare photographs, and clips from the award-winning documentary Contested Ground by author, historian, and interpretive ranger, Steve Adelson. Joining Kate will be George Gleason, a volunteer guide at the Battleground, who will share information about the monument today.
Read Kate’s story here, of the Little Bighorn Backstory.
*Note: When the Europeans arrived and began to colonize the Americas, they referred to those already living here as “Indians.” (Perhaps based on the thought, that Columbus, when he first arrived in India, his original destination.) The term “Native American” was not used at that time, nor would it have been welcome, as the white colonizers considered themselves “American.”