CELEBRATING 55 YEARS
Education
Impacts of Cripple Creek Gold on the City of Colorado Springs
The Cripple Creek mining district has a rich history full of wild-west lore, and impacts of this gold craze on the city of Colorado Springs were profound. Much of the mining investment came from Colorado Springs, and most of the wealth generated returned to the city. Certainly railroads first introduced heavy industry to the region, but the mining, transport, and processing of gold generated jobs and injected wealth into Colorado Springs at unprecedented levels. Nothing in the city’s history up until then created a regional control center, generated profits, constructed a built landscape of both industry and urban opulence, attracted a new and diverse immigrant workforce, and fueled business-friendly politics like the bonanza from the Cripple Creek gold mines. Rivers of wealth flowed downhill to Colorado Springs, engaging the entire population and forever changing the city.
Lecturer Biography
John Harner is Professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. He received his Ph.D. from the Arizona State University in 1996. His research interests focus on American urban landscapes; cultural, economic, and social connections between the United States and Mexico; and the historical geography of Colorado Springs. His local work has culminated in the book Profiting from the Peak: Landscape and Liberty in Colorado Springs. Research for this book contributed to exhibits at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. He received the CU Thomas Jefferson Award in 2018.
Each monthly session will feature a different STEM or Colorado History topic where we explore in the classroom, in the museum and throughout the historic Museum Campus.
We do require that a supervising adult be present, but you may work together with other Homeschool families to coordinate supervision. Students of outlying ages/abilities may receive other age-appropriate activities. For further inquires, please speak with our Education Coordinator at education@wmmi.org.
Come celebrate the Harvest season and over 150 years of local history at the McAllister House Museum! This year is going to be one of our biggest with over 20 participating partners, vintage cars, live music, food & drinks, activities & crafts for kids, and hourly tours of the historic McAllister House Museum! This event is free to the public.
Event hosted by the McAllister House Museum. WMMI will be in attendance.
Showed up for STEM event and left a fan. This museum is not like any other mining museum i had been to. I working blacksmith and stamp mill was a pleasant touch. Flourscent Blacklight Mineral room is also a winner. Its an affordable and educational experience that is worth the value.
