(The "Centennial Doll Collection" title was generally interpreted to be Colorado's centennial year (1976) whereas the project was begun in 1959 for the "Rush to the Rockies" Centennial Year celebration by the state of Colorado in 1959.)
In 1959 Colorado celebrated the "Rush to the Rockies Centennial Year" and CFRW voted to participate (the action time is not available). At the February 5 meeting of the executive committee President Betty Higby announced the appointment of Edith Mattoon as the "Centennial Chairman." Included in Mrs. Mattoon's suggestions for observance of the centennial year was "a plan of dressing dolls to depict the wives of the governors of Colorado. The plan was adopted, and various clubs " . . .asked for the privilege of dressing certain dolls." These clubs were of the geographic areas of the governors' homes. Mrs. Mattoon was authorized to purchase 35 dolls to be dressed in the costumes of the period in which their husbands served as governor, beginning with Territorial Governor William Gilpin (1861-1862). After extensive correspondence and many personal interviews the actual dressing of the "First Ladies of Colorado" began. All were dressed in authentic materials with several being dressed with original fabrics of the First Ladies' inaugural ball gowns.
June 18, 1959, in conjunction with the NFRW nine-state area meeting and the YR National Convention, CFRW members from throughout the state gathered in the state capitol rotunda where Immediate Past President Higby presented the dolls to the State of Colorado. In the absence of Governor McNichols who was enroute from Russia, Lt. Gov. Knous accepted the collection, which was valued at $1,000.00 (having cost $875.00). An undated and unsigned memorandum, in connection with the presentation, stated that "A booklet . . . is being prepared by a committee of Colorado women headed by Mrs. W. L. Daney, Pueblo. When completed the booklet will be placed in the state capitol with the collection of dolls . . . The booklet will include a brief biography of each wife and a description of her gown in the collection. It will also list the descendants of the governors living in Colorado. . ." (There is no further information about the completion of the booklet.)
In August the dolls were displayed in the Denver Dry Goods Company windows in accordance with an agreement with the central committee when the project was started and it was said that "the publicity received . . . was worth the effort."
Mrs. Mattoon continued as chairman of the "dolls committee" until she "left the state", the exact time not stated in the available records. At the May 11, 1961, meeting of the executive committee, upon recommendation of CFRW Fourth Vice President Janet Pirkey, the perpetuation and safekeeping of the (Rush to the Rockies) Centennial Doll Collection." Mrs. Pirkey was named chairman with Past Presidents Higby and Jones as members of the committee. The collection was then updated to include First Lady Ann Love and a duplicate doll was made for 11 year old Beckie Love.
Mrs. Pirkey continued as chairman until, in an undated letter, President Owings (1966-1967) asked Mrs. Mattoon to take the "chairmanship of the doll committee" and in an also undated response Mrs. Mattoon accepted, saying, " . . . it is so nice to be back . . . after being away for over five years . . ."
At the executive committee meeting in connection with the 39th annual state convention October 5-6, 1967, the purchase of glass cases was approved and Mrs. Mattoon "was authorized to investigate the cost of refurbishing the dolls and to report to the executive committee." The "bare bones" minutes contain little information until the March 1, 1969 Board of Directors meeting when then First Vice President Frances Fairbanks "called attention to the dolls . . . She and Mrs. Mattoon have been working on them . . ." At the January 3, 1970 meeting of the Board of Directors, "Penny Shoemaker reported for Mrs. Mattoon. The dolls and case have been cleaned and will be taken care of in June. Mrs. Mattoon suggested that leaflets be given to visitors as this is one of the most popular exhibits at the Capitol."
During the ensuing years the minutes reflect only that Mrs.Mattoon's reports were read by various ladies, until the September 29, 1977 Board meeting minutes state the Board's approval of the Executive Committee's recommendation "that the Federation look into the cost of having the doll collection individually sealed in glass or plastic." According to the November 1978 Tusk Talk, Mrs. Mattoon died November 11; however her name appeared in the 1979 roster as chairman of the "doll committee."
At the request of President Lane, First District Director Peebles assumed the responsibility for the doll collection, and at the January 27, 1978 Executive Committee meeting she "reporting on the doll collection, recommended a picture of the dolls be included on a brochure that will be sold at the capitol."
February Tusk Talk carried (without by-line) Mrs. Peebles' report to the Board January 28, 1978, in which she announced "help is on the way! The Capitol Gift Shop has given us an identical display case (referring to the one case then displaying the 38* dolls) and after some improved lighting and rearranging our (first) ladies will be displayed in two cases. In front of the display cases will be the history of the dolls, identifying each doll, and giving dates and lenghts of terms and explaining that Colorado used to have two-year gubernatorial terms instead of our present four-year terms. We are considering having picture postcards made and put on sale at the capitol."
*Historian's note: A composite photo shows the 38 dolls ending with Mrs. John Vanderhoof (he became governor when Gov. Love resigned to head the newly created Department of Energy in Washington, D.C.). 35 dolls were dressed, Colorado had had 43 governors: seven had served more than one term; and one, Wm. H. Adams (1929-1931) had no wife -- hence the 35 dolls. However, the list included Gov. Ralph Carr (1939-1943) a widower, whose daughter Cynthia served as his hostess.
Furthermore, in some casual reading this historian found a statement about Territorial Governor Gilpin "a bachelor" and subsequent reserach, verified by the Boulder Municipal Library's Reference Division, the Colorado Historical Society and the State Archives Department, proved that indeed Gov. Gilpin was unmarried (1861-1862) until some 13 years later when he married Julia Pratte Dickerson whom he had courted before he became governor and who had married (and divorced). Capt. John Dickerson.
The extemely valuable historical materials are contained in the archives files.
(This summary of information was undated and unsigned)
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