Pikes Peak Regional History Symposium 2025
Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) invites history enthusiasts and curious minds to the 2025 Pikes Peak Regional History Symposium. The 2025 theme is "Histories Beyond the Written Word," exploring the rich tapestry of history told through non-traditional sources, shedding light on the diverse and dynamic ways we can understand our past.
The program will include a film festival and a symposium day of presentation from scholars, historians, researchers, and history enthusiasts presenting on Pikes Peak region history.
As part of the 2025 symposium, PPLD’s Regional History & Genealogy staff are exploring the experiences of Jim Bates, a wartime photographer and Palmer High School graduate who worked for the Alexander Film Company. Through the lens of his camera, we will delve into Bates' unique perspective, focusing on his artistic choices and techniques. By critiquing his work, we will also gain insight into what his experiences must have been like as a filmmaker at war.
History Symposium Film Festival
When: Sat., June 7 from 1 – 4 p.m.
Where: East Library
This year, the Pikes Peak Regional History Symposium kicks off with our best film festival yet! Featured films include a visual journey through photos and film exploring an in-depth exploration of Jim Bates’ WWII films; a historical hike through the Greenwood Park ruins co-produced by Regional History & Genealogy; a look at the history and growth of Mexican markets in the region; and an examination of the ancestral homelands of the Jicarilla Apache. The high school History Day documentary competition winners will be presenting their award-winning films from High School History Day.
Films
Ancestral Homelands of the Jicarilla Apache by Kate Perdoni
This video presentation highlights the deep-rooted cultural and spiritual ties of the Jicarilla Apache to their ancestral homelands in southern Colorado.
Kate Perdoni is a documentary filmmaker and historian based in the San Luis Valley. Her work focuses on Indigenous histories and storytelling in Colorado and northern New Mexico.
Homie Cooked Meals: Mexican Markets and Meals that Bring Us Together by Eilex Rodriguez
This cooking film explores how Mexican dishes made with local market ingredients preserve cultural identity and community across borders.
Eilex Rodriguez is a union organizer and historian with an MA in History. Their work focuses on Mexican history, Native American ethnohistory, film, and urban studies, and they are active in organizing efforts across El Paso County.
A Hike into History: The Ruins of Greenwood Park by Eric Swab
This film follows hikers uncovering the hidden history of Greenwood Park through its layered ownership, architecture, and evolving land use.
Eric Swab is a volunteer historian and published author who has researched numerous sites along the Pikes Peak massif. He has written books on Fred Barr, the Manitou Incline, and the Pikes Peak Highway and Summit.
Selling the War: Jim Bates and the Image of the American Tank by John Jarrell
This film analyzes how Jim Bates's WWII footage of American tanks helped shape a triumphant U.S. military narrative and influenced postwar filmmaking.
History Symposium
Presentations
When: Sat., June 14 from 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Where: East Library
The Pikes Peak Regional History Symposium returns with an exciting lineup of presentations exploring history beyond the written word. This year features many first-time presenters alongside returning scholars, each uncovering the past through nontraditional sources such as geography, oral histories, photography, stained glass, and other non-textual formats.
Presentations will take a closer look at a Charles J. Connick stained glass memorial window that reveals new insights into McAllister family history; an exploration of human presence in the Jimmy Camp area through its geography; and preserving the African American Youth Leadership Conference’s legacy through oral histories. Other topics include economic equality in human remains disposition and the funeral industry in Colorado Springs; rare 1955 photographs capturing the life of Fannie Mae Duncan; and a visual juxtaposition of past and present in the Pikes Peak region.
Join us as historians, researchers, and community members bring history to life through these unique perspectives, proving that the past is preserved in more ways than words.
Presentations:
Understanding the Historical Significance of Human Presence in the Jimmy Camp Area Through its Geography presented by Coben Scott
This presentation explores how geography made Jimmy Camp and Corral Bluffs key sites of sustained human activity over thousands of years.
Coben Scott is a fifth-generation Coloradan and history writer. At 21, he shares his passion for Colorado history through local newspaper articles and online posts and plans to pursue a teaching career in the future.
A Legacy in Light: McAllister Family History Preserved in a Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Memorial Window presented by Amy Miller
This presentation traces how a rare book led to the rediscovery of a memorial stained glass window that revealed a poignant family story and regional connections.
Amy Miller is the Visitor Services Manager at McAllister House Museum and holds an MA in Public History. A U.S. Air Force veteran with a background in special education and accessibility, she has lived in Colorado Springs for over 20 years.
Voices of Impact: Preserving the Legacy of the African American Youth Leadership Conference Through Oral Histories presented by Dr. Ron Wynn
This presentation introduces an oral history project preserving the legacy of the African American Youth Leadership Conference (AAYLC) through interviews with founders, students, and organizers.
Dr. Ron Wynn is a longtime educator and co-founder of the AAYLC. He served as superintendent in Falcon School District 49 and remains active in education and equity efforts throughout Colorado Springs.
Economic Equality in Human Remains Disposition and the Business of Death within Colorado Springs – Focusing on Evergreen Cemetery presented by Laura Risheill
This presentation explores how burial practices at Evergreen Cemetery reflect enduring racial and economic inequalities in death care.
Laura Risheill is completing her MA in History at UCCS. She specializes in Public History and American Cemetery Studies and is passionate about making historical research relevant to daily life.
A Moment in Time: 1955 Photographs of Fannie Mae Duncan Shot by Lew Tilley presented by Steve Antonuccio
This presentation showcases a rare photographic series capturing Fannie Mae Duncan in her prime and explores its historical and artistic value.
Steve Antonuccio spent 20 years at Pikes Peak Library District producing over 100 documentaries. He was a friend of both Lew Tilley and Fannie Mae Duncan and continues to present history programs across Colorado Springs.
Pikes Pic: A Visual Juxtaposition of the Pikes Peak Region, Past and Present presented by Zane Bamesberger
This project compares archival and contemporary photographs to visually trace regional change and reflect on memory, growth, and place.
Zane Bamesberger holds a degree in Anthropology from Colorado State University. A native of the region, he lives in Colorado Springs with his wife and service dog and spends his time visiting historical sites throughout Colorado.
John Jarrell is the Program Coordinator for Regional History & Genealogy at Pikes Peak Library District. He holds a master’s degree in American History and is involved with several civic organizations in Colorado Springs.
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