Friends of the Museum and History Center

In honor of the sixth annual National Day of the American Cowboy, the museum and history center celebrated Saturday with a special presentation by retired brand inspector Joe Corum and refreshments provided by the Fremont County CattleWomen.

Corum spent almost 40 years in the Lamar District and moved to Cañon City after retiring in 2005. He discussed the history of branding and brand inspecting and explored some of Colorado’s laws and regulations during his presentation.

Tanner Marshall and his grandfather Dean Marshall attended the program; their brand has been in the family for about 20 years.

"We ran cow for years and years," Tanner said. "We have a small ranch south of Canon."

While they have a significant amount of knowledge and experience in branding, Dean said he still learned some new, interesting information from Corum’s presentation.

"I didn’t realize that they had issued the first brand back in the 1880s," he said.

According to the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the State Board of Stock Inspection employs 65 livestock inspectors located throughout the state including six livestock foremen and eight administrative personnel along with a division director. The annual budget for the division exceeds $4.2 million and is completely funded by fees levied to livestock owners and brand registration fees levied every five years.

Gerrie Colette, treasurer for Fremont County CattleWomen, said CattleWomen members were pleased to provide refreshments and be a part of the National Day of the American Cowboy. A Colorado CattleWomen’s throw that shows various Colorado brands also will be temporarily on display in the history center along with a photograph exhibit that shows the recreational side of ranching with rodeos, trail rides, sports, picnics, dances and more. The photograph exhibit is on display through Aug. 25.

Saturday’s event was sponsored by the Friends of the Museum & History Center. For more information, visit www.royalgorgehistory.org; www.fremontcountycattlewomen.viviti.com; or http://museumfriends.info/.

Carie Canterbury may be reached at ccanterbury@ccdailyrecord.com

Leading the way with a bright yellow flag, Carol McNew said the rain stopped just in time for the stroll. She said the tour was an idea brought to the board by a member after an out-of-town trip.

“We had a friends boards meeting and Gerri Collette brought a brochure that she had collected when she was visiting her son in New England,” McNew said. “They had gone on a church tour, and it was a night tour and they carried lanterns. It was very impressive.”

Participants began at Mercy Today Ministries, the former First Christian Church of Cañon City. The church was organized in 1888 in the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Ashby on River Street with 28 members.

For four years, members met at the Rockefellow Building in the 400 block of Main Street, followed by 20 years in a small, brick building at the corner of Sixth Street and Harrison Avenue. Groundbreaking for the current building at the corner of Seventh Street and Harrison Avenue took place in 1907 during the pastorate of J.B. Huntley. A beautiful Hammond organ was dedicated Oct. 19, 1947.

econd on the walking tour was the United Presbyterian Church at the corner of Seventh Street and Macon Avenue. Cumberland Presbyterian Church was established in 1867, five years before Cañon City was incorporated.

Anson Rudd, considered the founder of Cañon City, and one of the original members of the church donated the land for the first building on the northwest corner of Fifth Street and Macon Avenue.

After a medley of hymn favorites on the organ by Ed Kaelbaer, church custodian Sandi Roberts offered the colorful history of the church.

“Anson Rudd filed 160 acres, which is now downtown Cañon City,” Roberts said. “The first two churches that were organized in Cañon City were Cumberland Presbyterian and the First Baptist Church. The land for Presbyterian Church was donated by Anson Rudd, who was later governor of the state of Colorado.”

Sheldon Jackson, dubbed the “Heroic Apostle of the West,” founded the First Presbyterian Church in 1872. Jackson established 22 churches in Colorado and a few in Alaska, where he also organized the Sheldon Jackson Sitka College in Sitka, Alaska. The First Presbyterian congregation broke ground in 1874, where the present-day Cañon City Library stands at 516 Macon.

The present building at 701 Macon Ave. was dedicated Jan. 16, 1902.

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church merged in 1908 to form First United Presbyterian Church.

United Presbyterian Church, established in 1898 at Ninth and River streets, became Mountain View Presbyterian in 1959. They merged with First United Presbyterian Church in 1966 and became The First United Presbyterian Church of Cañon City.

Construction of the current building, which began in 1898, Roberts said, was complete in 1902. Of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture, the amber stone used for the building was quarried locally.

The original architect was from Denver,” Roberts said. “He also designed the Gibson mansion at Ninth and Greenwood, and what is known to a lot of locals as the Turks Castle out on East Main.”