The John Tomay Friends of the Library held its annual Appreciation Soup Luncheon the week of Feb. 17. A steady stream of adults and children stopped by between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. It was a great turnout, with a final count of 110 adults and 35 children. Soup and chili with fresh rolls and homemade bread made quite an array of steaming deliciousness. There was split-pea and ham, carrot ginger, elk chili, vegetarian chili, white beans and ham, even mulligatawny (a curry-based soup). Paul Boat actually made homemade noodles for the chicken noodle soup. If you’ve never had homemade noodles, there is a world of difference. Guess which one tastes better? Good food, good company and perhaps a trip downstairs to the sales room to find that perfect used book or video.
• The Georgetown Book Club at the John Tomay Library, reviewed “One Thousand White Women” by Jim Fergus. This book won the Mountain and Plains Booksellers Association Fiction of the Year award. Rayda Oakley led the lively discussion, and some felt disappointed that it wasn’t more of a historical novel. Based loosely on one fact from the 1875 treaty meeting between Ulysses S. Grant and Little Wolf, chief of the Cheyenne Nation, Little Wolf suggested 1,000 horses to trade for 1,000 white women who would marry the natives and produce children. After two years, the women and their children would return to the white world, integrating the two cultures. It was an outrage to those in attendance, and of course it never happened. Even with various opinions of the reading members, most felt it was an interesting story. Books on the plains Indians with photos of dress and documentation were passed around to make the evening’s visual documentation of people, clothes, and all things Cheyenne.
• The Community Choir started rehearsals under the direction of choir conductor Norma Hafenstein. Rehearsals are at the First Presbyterian Church, 9 a.m. Saturday mornings. Singing harmony is just uplifting and magical for those who are rehearsing and for those who attend the concerts. Drop by a rehearsal and give it a try.
• At the last Devil’s Gate History Club gathering that meets every third Friday during the winter, Christine Bradley, county archivist, talked about the friendship between two powerful men in Georgetown’s history, “James Grafton Rogers and Marcellus S. Merrill — Two Brilliant Men, Two Good Friends.”
In the audience were many family members of Marcellus Merrill, including his daughter Connie Primus. Several in the audience knew these men. Mary Lou Rutherford actually had tea with James Rogers’ wife, Cora. Marcellus S. Merrill was a recognized authority on automotive technology and invented a machine that could balance wheels on an automobile. James Grafton Rogers had a lengthy political portfolio serving as assistant secretary of state under President Herbert Hoover. One of Rogers’ many accomplishments was negotiating the treaty with Canada to develop the St. Lawrence Seaway. He served two terms as Mayor of Georgetown in the 50s. Curiously, some of the same town problems then are the current problems today. Among Rogers’ many civic duties were founder and first president of the Colorado Mountain Club, and president for many organizations such as the City, University and Cactus clubs of Denver. Colorado Historical Society, and the American Alpine Club. He loved Western history and was a prolific writer. Rex Rideout brought up that he also wrote songs. When asked if he could sing one, Rideout broke out into a beautiful a cappella version of “Oh, Dolores,” and soon was joined in quiet harmony by members in the audience — Gary Jorgensen, Claudia Cupp, Sara Whalen and Christine Bradley. It was a mesmerizing moment and a great way to end the talk.
• There are a surprising number of business properties with “For Sale” signs going up around town — the Buckskin Trading building and business, the Horstmann House B&B. Also the building complex that houses Ed’s Café and adjoining art gallery.
Dawn Janov has lived in Georgetown for 23 years. She is a retired corporate marketing and communication manager and more recently retired from her Alpine Hideaway B&B. Janov is a published author, columnist and freelance feature writer. Janov has traveled the world for business and pleasure. She says that she loves to write to make people feel, to cry, to laugh or just think.