“Ouray County Ranching Stories” Kicks Off OCHS Evenings of History Lecture Series

Dutch Charlie, Button Porter, California Frank… get to know these and other colorful characters from Ouray County's ranching history at 7:30 p.m. on June 16, when the Ouray County Historical Society kicks off its Evenings of History lecture series at the Ouray Community Center with Jane Bennett, the Ouray County Ranch History Museum's resident storyteller.

For 25 years Jane Bennett has been telling stories about the American Southwest as a member of both the tourism and publishing industries. In 1995 and 1996, she was principal performer in "The Diggers," a musical variety show about mining history in Ouray. She wrote her first book, Tales of the Bachelor Mine, in 2005 and is a member of the Western Writers of America. In the last five years she has helped to launch the new Ranching Museum at the historic Old Schoolhouse in Colona, and is currently the acting President of the Museum's Board.

The 2009 lecture series will cover topics ranging from "The Camp Bird Mine" to "The History of Ouray Through Postcards" and will be held every Tuesday night from June 16 through July 21. All lectures begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at the Ouray Community Center. Admission to the lectures is free, but donations are very much appreciated by OCHS. For more information and a complete schedule of OCHS summer lectures and events, contact the Ouray County Museum at 325-4576 or visit their website at www.ouraycountyhistoricalsociety.org.