The date marks the 137th anniversary of Colorado's statehood. In 1861, after the South seceded from the Union, Congress created the Colorado territory. As a result of the gold rush and mining booms, the region was quickly populated. Denver, being a major supply town, became the territorial capital. Nicknamed the Centennial State, Colorado became the 38th state in the Union in 1876, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Colorado Territory into statehood.
The Overland Trail Museum offers a second reason to celebrate: Thursday marks the two-year anniversary of the opening of the High Plains Education Center. The facility has been a popular place for education programs, speakers and special gatherings since its opening in 2011. The HPEC gallery space helps to tell the stories of the land, the people and the resources of the northeast Colorado plains. The exhibit includes interactive computers, digital photo archives, a full-size covered wagon, a 150-year timeline and more.
The city of Sterling and the museum are celebrating Colorado Day and the HPEC anniversary by offering free admission to the museum on Aug. 1.
Call the museum, (970) 522-3895, for more information.