• December 9th, 2024
  • Monday, 01:41:40 PM

Longmont Museum Launches Historic Virtual Tours


Photo/Foto: Longmont Museum Members of the newly formed El Comité meet with City officials in the basement of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in August 1980 after two Latino men were shot and killed by police during a traffic stop.

In celebration of Longmont’s 150th anniversary, the Longmont Museum has released two new virtual tours that explore the vital contributions both women and members of the Latino community have made throughout the history of the City. These new tours add to the Museum’s existing virtual offerings, including a virtual tour launched last year that explores the landmarks of historic downtown Longmont.

 

Photo/Foto: Longmont Museum In the 1950s, Ben Rodríguez hosted a popular Longmont radio show in Spanish on station KLMO. Rodríguez was elected to Longmont’s City Council in 1969, becoming Longmont’s first Latino council member.

“For years, the Longmont Museum’s historic walking tours have sold out quickly,” said Curator of History Erik Mason. “We developed these virtual tours to provide deeper access for our community, whether people can join us in person or from the web.”

 

The Latino History Virtual Tour begins in the early 1900s, when Longmont’s economic growth relied largely upon agriculture and the hard work of many Spanish-speaking men, women and children. The tour explores Longmont’s Latino neighborhoods and heritage—from schools and dances to restaurants and celebrations—and honors some of the many sacrifices, challenges and successes experienced by this remarkable community. This Latino History tour was created with the help of Layra Nicli, who narrated in both Spanish and English, Linda Arroyo-Holmstrom, Esther Blazón, Marjorie K. McIntosh, and Ron Quintana.

 

The Women of Longmont Virtual Tour features the lives of influential women who helped make Longmont the vibrant, community-focused town it is today. It tells their stories: how they ran thriving businesses, published books, formed civic and professional groups, collected funds for social welfare causes, and raised families.

 

“As we commemorate Longmont’s sesquicentennial, we are committed to sharing the history of the diverse people who helped shaped our community,” said Museum Director Kim Manajek. “These tours will help contextualize the Longmont landmarks people pass every day.”

Photo/Foto: Longmont Museum In 1937, Genevieve Johnson started a sit-down strike on the lawn of her in-laws’ house in an effort to procure $6.70/week in alimony from her estranged husband Ralph.

All three Virtual Historic Longmont Tours are available by visiting tourlongmont.oncell.com. These virtual tours offer audio and text in both Spanish and English, as well as photographs that bring Longmont’s rich history to life. They are free to use, don’t require any downloads, and can be accessed anywhere from a smartphone or computer.

 

Learn more at longmontmuseum.org or visit us at 400 Quail Road, Longmont CO 80501.

 

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