To celebrate Historic Preservation Month this May, Greeley’s Historic Preservation Commission will be celebrating Greeley’s agricultural past and hosting two free public events.
White-Plumb Farm Tour
From 5:30-7 p.m., May 11., join a site tour of the historic White-Plumb Farm Learning Center, 955 39th Ave. One of Colorado's Centennial Farms, the same family ran White-Plumb Farm Learning Center for over 100 years. Civil War Veteran Charles White settled the farm in 1881—and Greeley’s first female architect, Bessie Smith, designed the house in 1907.
In the event of inclement weather, this event will shift to Greeley History Museum,714 8th St., Greeley.
Dearfield, Colorado’s largest African American Colony
At noon, May 19, learn about Dearfield and its connection to Union Colony Greeley in a special History Brown Bag presentation at the Greeley History Museum,714 8th St.
Distinguished historian Bob Brunswig will present “The Conjoined Histories of the African American Dearfield Townsite and Colony and the Union Colony Greeley.”
In 1870, Nathan Meeker established Greeley with the notion that agricultural endeavors could provide superior quality of life. About 40 years later—during the Jim Crow era— Oliver Toussaint Jackson established Dearfield, inspired by Booker T. Washington’s philosophy of gaining social and economic security through hard work on the land.
Call for Brown Bag Speakers!
Greeley’s Historic Preservation Commission wants to resume its regular schedule of Brown Bag series events. Officials ask that anyone with expertise in history—or historic preservation-related topics—and anyone interested in speaking at a Brown Bag event to please reach out to Elizabeth Kellums at Elizabeth.kellums@greeleygov.com or 970-350-9222.
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