Each year, our historic lecture series features the finest humanities scholars, historians and authors in the field of Western American history. The lecture series cultivates a new appreciation for diverse cultures that shaped our current landscape. From Apache wars to The Fort’s own ghost stories, 19th century American Western history comes alive through each lecture.
Dinner lectures at The Fort Restaurant include a special prix fixe menu, featuring The Fort’s famous salad, award winning guacamole, entrée and dessert*. All proceeds from the dinner lectures are donated to Tesoro Cultural Center’s educational and cultural programs.
*Menus are subject to change. Vegetarian options are available. Check website for the most up-to-date menu.
Ghosts of The Fort
Dr. Tom Noel will kick off this year’s lecture series with a dinner lecture and guided tour at The Fort’s historic – and possibly haunted – grounds. Join us for an evening full of delicious food and drink, Colorado history and more.
Dinner Lecture
When: Sunday, October 15 at 6 p.m.
Where: The Fort Restaurant
— First course —
Award-winning Fort guacamole, salsa fresca and chips
— Second course —
The Fort’s famous salad, served with crisp mixed greens, jicama, toasted pepitas and pickled ginger
— Third course —
Buffalo sirloin steak medallion, served with William Bent’s grilled teriyaki quail and Dixon red chile gravy
— Fourth course —
Holly’s historic adobe sundae
Purchase dinner lecture tickets by visiting http://bit.ly/2wlSKnS.
The Apache Wars
Dr. Paul Andrew Hutton is an American cultural historian, award-winning author, documentary writer and natural storyteller. Lecturing from his award-winning book, The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, The Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest War in American History, Hutton will explore the gripping story of the Apache’s long fight against Mexico and the United States.
The Apache – who were historically known for being nomads – were not a single tribe, but instead a group of tribes consisting of the Chiricahu, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Navajo Plains and Western Apache People. Their nomadic tendencies typically resulted in raids against enemy tribes for food to hunt and gather.
The first conflicts between the Apache and United States began during the Mexican-American War in 1849, after sub-nations of the Apache tribe continued their raids, despite a settlement made with the U.S. government. Utilizing joint American and Mexican intelligence, U.S. forces went on search and destroy missions in an attempt to force Apache groups onto reservations.
While Afghanistan is commonly referred to as America’s longest war, the Apache Wars were much longer, lasting the better part of three decades.
Join us for his insightful and vivid lecture, which is guaranteed to immerse you in the rugged landscape of Apacheria.
When: Saturday, October 28 at 4 p.m.
Where: Buck Recreation Center
Lecture is free to the public.
When: Sunday, October 29 at 2 p.m.
Where: Denver Central Library (5th Floor)
Lecture is free to the public.
Dinner Lecture
When: Sunday, October 29 at 6 p.m.
Where: The Fort Restaurant
— First course —
Award-winning Fort guacamole, salsa fresca and chips
— Second course —
The Fort’s famous salad served with crisp mixed greens, jicama, toasted pepitas and pickled ginger
— Third course —
Buffalo prime rib served with mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, Dixon red chile gravy and horseradish sauce
— Fourth course —
Charlotte Green’s homemade blueberry pie a la mode
Purchase dinner lecture tickets by visiting http://bit.ly/2wlSKnS.
The Night the Stars Fell
On the morning of November 27, 1833, thousands of meteors showered North America’s sky, but to the American Indians, it appeared as though the stars were falling from the heavens. The Lakota tribe marked the event by resetting their calendar, and the Cheyenne did so by signing a peace treaty.
Dr. Steve Lee, a research scientist at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, will present a dinner lecture at The Fort to explain this natural phenomenon – now known as the Leonid Meteor Shower – from both a scientific and cultural perspective.
To give guests the ultimate perspective, Denver’s Astronomical Society will set up telescopes in The Fort’s courtyard.
Dinner Lecture
When: Sunday, November 12 at 6 p.m.
Where: The Fort Restaurant
— First course —
Award-winning Fort guacamole, salsa fresca and chips
— Second course —
The Fort’s famous salad, served with crisp mixed greens, jicama, toasted pepitas and pickled ginger
— Third course —
Mountain Meets the Sea, featuring buffalo sirloin and grilled shrimp, served with green chile sauce
— Fourth course —
S’mores
Purchase dinner lecture tickets by visiting http://bit.ly/2wlSKnS.
Stay tuned for a sneak peek of the 2018 installments of our Historic Lecture Series, coming in November!
