Colorado State University Students Celebrate Dearfield Day, Host 5K Race and Historic Walk

The Black American West Museum’s fifth annual Dearfield Day celebration on Sept. 22 includes a new 5K Ghost Town Run and historic walk coordinated by Colorado State University’s Office for Undergraduate Research and Artistry.

The 5K Ghost Town Run and historic walk begin at 9:30 a.m. and include a free pancake breakfast. Colorado State Boettcher Scholars, Anschutz scholars and CSU honors students will volunteer at the celebration as part of their involvement in the Dearfield Dream project, a collaborative research project that involves students from Colorado State University, University of Northern Colorado, Texas A&M and University of Wisconsin at Whitewater. To register for the 5K, visit www.active.com. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Black American West Museum restoration fund that was created to restore the town’s buildings.

"This event is just one part in an ongoing collaboration among CSU’s Office for Undergraduate Research and Artistry, UNC, and the Black American West Museum to get students involved in the interdisciplinary Dearfield Research Project," said Mark Brown, director of CSU’s Office for Undergraduate Research and Artistry, or OURA.

The traditional Dearfield Day Celebration, as hosted by the Black American West Museum in Denver, begins at 11 a.m. with walking tours guided by UNC professors. Games and food will be available throughout the event.

Dearfield is an African American agricultural colony on Colorado’s Eastern Plains and was founded by Oliver Toussaint Jackson in 1910. Dearfield’s remaining buildings are owned by the Black American West Museum. To learn more about Dearfield, visit blackamericanwestmuseum.org/dearfield.

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