Articles
Exploring the stories that have shaped Northern Colorado.
George Buss – Military Man and Early Settler Near Timnath
Military Man and Early Settler George Bussby Meg Dunn | Oct 3, 2019 | Fort Collins, Frontier Faces, Timnath | 0 comments On April 12, 1861, the Civil War began with a Confederate attack upon Fort Sumter. One month later, at the age of 31, George Edgar Buss enlisted in...
1300 Emigh St – The Boyajian House
1300 Emigh Street The Boyajian HouseWhen the historic preservation movement was becoming codified in our national law and consciousness, around the 1930 -1950s, Victorian buildings seemed far too new to be worth preserving. Instead, much of the focus of the movement...
The H. C. Howard House at 145 N. Loomis
145 N. Loomis Avenue The H. C. Howard HouseThe H. C. Howard House, located at 145 N. Loomis Avenue in the Loomis Addition, will be one of the oldest homes included in the Historic Homes Tour on September 14th, hosted by the Poudre Landmarks Foundation. But despite the...
The Sullivan House at 210 E. Elizabeth St.
Built around 1908 The Sullivan House 210 East Elizabeth StreetTour this house during the historic homes tour on september 14th! There are many historic homes in Fort Collins that are private residences, so you only get a chance to see inside them if you live in...
Timeline of the KKK in (mostly northern) Colorado in the 1920s
Timeline of the KKK in (mostly northern) Colorado in the 1920s by Meg Dunn | Jul 28, 2019 | Boulder, Denver, Estes Park, Fort Collins, Greeley, Laporte / Bellvue, Loveland, Weld County | 0 commentsRobert Alan Goldberg's 1981 book entitled Hooded Empire: the Ku Klux...
The Klan in Northern Colorado, Part 7 — We Weren’t Immune
The Klan in Northern Colorado,Part 7 — We Weren’t Immune by Meg Dunn | Jul 28, 2019 | Boulder, Cultural Character, Denver, Estes Park, Fort Collins, Greeley, Laporte / Bellvue, Loveland, Weld County | 0 commentsThe Ku Klux Klan had an unusually expansive influence...
The Klan in Colorado Part 6 – Bringing Religion into It
The Klan in Colorado Part 6 – Bringing Religion into It by Meg Dunn | Jul 10, 2019 | Berthoud, Boulder, Buckeye, Waverly & Wellington, Cultural Character, Denver, Estes Park, Fort Collins, Greeley, Laporte / Bellvue, Loveland, National History | 1 commentOn...
Colorado Women of the Ku Klux Klan – part 5 in a series
If your perception of the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado in the 1920s was largely a political movement for White Protestant men, think again. In this article you’ll learn about an artist and a suffragette who were also actively involved in the KKK.
How the Klan Took over Colorado Part 4 – Shrewd Planning, Crafted Messaging
How did the Klan grow so large in the 1920s in Colorado? Why did people that we otherwise might have thought of as fine Coloradans pull on the white robe and hood? How were some people convinced that fiery crosses were a symbol of family values? The answer is strategic marketing built on a foundation of fear.
When the Klan Came to Colorado Part 3 – Denoument
The Ku Klux Klan was at the top of its game in Colorado as 1924 came to a close. The organization had swept the statewide elections, putting Klansmen into positions of power on the U. S. Senate, the Colorado House and Senate, as governor of the state, as mayor of the state’s capital, and in numerous other positions throughout Colorado. But they were soon to discover that gaining power and keeping power were two very different things.
When the Klan Came to Colorado Part 2 – Rise to Power
Simmons “new and improved” version of the Klan got underway in 1915, but it didn’t gain traction until, in 1920, the organization hired a publicity company to help spread its gospel far and wide. What made the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan different than its Reconstruction-era predecessor? For one thing, it was organized.
An Overview of the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado
The Ku Klux Klan has exerted its influence in the United States during three distinct periods of time since its inception in 1865: 1) following the Civil War in response to Reconstruction, 2) following World War II in response to immigration and poor enforcement of Prohibition, and 3) in response to the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s.