Janet Grace Johnson Howsam, daughter of Ed Johnson (long-term US Senator and Colorado Governor) passes away. 1920 – 2017 Gifts in Janet’s name can be made to Museum of Northwest Colorado, 590 Yampa Ave. Craig, CO 81625 Janet Grace Johnson Howsam died peacefully Thursday, December 7, 2017 at Royal Oaks Retirement Community in Sun City, Arizona. She was 97. Born February 19, 1920, Janet devoted her life selflessly to her family as loving daughter, wife and mother. Janet spent her earliest years in Craig, Colorado where her family homesteaded, before moving to Denver, Colorado when her father, “Big Ed” Johnson, was elected Colorado Lieutenant Governor in 1930. He would later serve three terms as Governor - elected in 1932, 1934, and 1954. One of Janet’s favorite childhood memories was sliding down the banister in the Capitol Building. She graduated from Denver East High School and attended the University of Colorado Boulder where she met and married Bob Howsam. She was a member of the Tri Delta Sorority. The war years found Janet raising her two sons, Robert and Edwin, at the Howsam family honey-producing business in La Jara, Colorado while Bob served as a Navy pilot. “Big Ed” was elected US Senator (1936, 1942 and 1948) and resided with Janet’s mother, Ferne, in Washington D.C. Following the war, Janet cared for her children while also energetically supporting her husband’s sports career. In 1948, the family purchased the Denver Bears and constructed Bears Stadium, next to the site of today’s Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Janet was a consummate baseball fan her entire life, and in these last years, she never missed a televised game of her favorite teams. In 1959, husband Bob was an original founder of the American Football League and the Denver Broncos. Janet kept the home fires burning as Bob tried to form a rival baseball major league, the Continental League, with Branch Rickey. Janet moved the family to St. Louis when her husband became General Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals (1964 - 1967). From St. Louis, it was on to Cincinnati to set up yet another home while Bob worked as President and General Manager of the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1978, winning back-to-back World Series in 1975 and 1976. Janet never missed a game, dressed in her cheerful red sweater and graciously hosting a multitude of guests at Riverfront Stadium. After retirement, the couple moved to Glenwood Springs and Janet was content to be back in her beloved state of Colorado. They would spend the winter months in Sun City, Arizona. Janet is survived by her two sons, Robert Howsam of Colorado Springs, CO and Edwin Howsam of Scottsdale, AZ. Other family members include four grandchildren (Erik Howsam, Andrea Howsam MacKenzie, Elizabeth Howsam, Rebecca Howsam) and four great-grandchildren (Aiden Howsam, Elsa Howsam, Lilly Dunne, Keira Dunne). Janet touched countless lives with her warmth, sincerity, loyalty and determination. Her family is forever graced with her loving, selfless support. A private family service will be held in Denver, Colorado.

Don't forget about the museum's gift shop this Christmas- recently expanded to include a wider selection of items!

Did you know that Northwest Colorado was visited by Teddy Roosevelt more than once to take in its vast beauty and big game? And while you may know that the teddy bear was named after him, do you know the whole story why? Enjoy! -Museum of Northwest Colorado, Downtown Craig

We currently have this exact rifle on display in our Wallihan exhibit. The Wallihans lived just west of Craig (in Lay) and are considered the first true wildlife photographers. Teddy Roosevelt even wrote the forwards to their photo books. We also have their camera and various original photos on display! - Museum of Northwest Colorado- Downtown Craig

JUST FOUND! Long Forgotten Yampa Valley Newspaper Company Steamboat Springs- 1895 Amazing discoveries can be found in the most unexpected places. Take, for instance, this unassuming scrap of newspaper found stuffed inside a 122-year-old elk head during recent preservation work. While it may not look like much, this piece of paper represents an all-but-forgotten Yampa Valley newspaper company based out of Steamboat Springs in the 1890s. In fact, it is believed to be the only physical evidence remaining from the short-lived publication. Even more extraordinary is that it is labeled "Vol. I. No. 1"- making this the very first issue, dated January 4, 1895. The Yampa Valley Democrat was originally managed by J.W. Gunn who was also a minister for the Congregational Church in Steamboat. It began publication in 1889 as “The Intermountain” until it was renamed in January of 1895. Just 2 years later, in 1897, a man by the name of Charles Leckenby decided to jump into the newspaper business by purchasing both the Democrat and the Steamboat Pilot and combining them into one. When the Pilot building was destroyed by fire in 1909, it is likely that all of the Democrat back-issues burned with it. While the Leckenby family eventually sold the newspaper some 91 years later (1988), the Steamboat Pilot lives on today. A big thanks to Mountain Man Taxidermy in Craig for recognizing this as something worth saving!

Here's a great write-up on the museum from one of our visitors a couple weeks ago. If you're looking for a way to beat the heat, stop on by- we have a lot of new exhibits for you to see!

NEW EXHIBIT! L. A. HUFFMAN- Capturing the Last of the Frontier West - Featuring 85 images including 6 originals Laton Alton Huffman arrived at Fort Keogh in Montana Territory as a post photographer in 1879. Just 3 years earlier, General Custer left this same fort for his final battle at Little Big Horn. The arrival of Huffman coincided with the twilight of one of the most romanticized periods in American history- the Frontier West. It was a time when cattle drives were still moving across the open range and buffalo were still scattered across the plains. It was also a time when the native inhabitants were being forcefully relocated onto reservations. While at Fort Keogh, Huffman photographed many of the natives as they were being processed after surrendering. These incredible images of Native Americans are recognized as some of his most important and stunning work. While capturing these portraits, Huffman became aware that he was witnessing a piece of history that would soon be gone forever. He became determined to not just capture the disappearing frontier life, but to capture it with honesty. His resulting images of Native Americans, cowboys and buffalo did precisely that. What Huffman left behind is an unparalleled photographic record that gives an accurate portrayal of this brief, yet iconic, period of the American West.

ARTIFACT HIGHLIGHT Dinosaur Footprint (naturally made) Found in a Coal Mine in Hayden, CO Dinosaurs in a coal mine? Believe it or not, it's not unheard of to occasionally find a dinosaur footprint clinging to the ceiling of coal mine. But why, you might ask? Coal is formed from the thick layers of highly organic ground, called peat, found in ancient swampy forests. As dinosaurs foraged these swamps, they would inevitably leave behind their footprints in the soft ground. Then, if the timing was just right, a flood would occur and quickly fill-in the footprints with silt and sand. Over millions of years, the peat on top of which the footprints were made slowly became buried and turned to coal, while the silt-and-sand-filled footprint turned to sedimentary rock. When the coal seam is eventually extracted by coal miners, the natural-cast footprint of the long extinct dinosaur is left clinging to the mine ceiling as though the creature was still standing directly above. This particular footprint, which is currently on display, was found in the ceiling of a coal mine south of Hayden, CO. It is believed to be from a type of Hadrosaur- also known as duck-billed dinosaurs- and is believed to be between 65 and 75 million years old. It was donated in 1968 by Agnes and Dick Miles.

NEW ACQUISITION! 10,000 Year Old Bison Skull With Human Cut Marks This fossilized bison skull was found in NW Moffat County back in the 1960s. Since being donated to the museum, it has been studied by a professional who determined that it displayed butchering marks made by prehistoric humans. The finder of the skull had one of the teeth carbon-dated by a friend at the Smithsonian Institution with a result of roughly 10,000 years old. That would place this bison around the same time when mammoths were roaming Northwest Colorado! In fact, mammoth fossils have also been found throughout NW Colorado including the immediate areas of Steamboat Springs and Craig. Some of them are also currently on display in the museum.

John Ledford- Moffat County's First Sheriff and Saloon Owner ON DISPLAY NOW!

A few photos from our Michael Martin Murphey concert this past weekend. We would like to extend a sincere "thank you" to not just Mr. Murphey and his son Brennan, but the entire NW Colorado community for helping make this such an amazing event. Michael stated several times after the show that "these are my kind of people". We couldn't agree more.