Your Museum Trail of Southern Colorado
  • Home
  • Museums
    • Conejos County Museum
    • Creede Historical Society Museum
    • Creede Underground Mining Museum
    • Crestone Historical Museum
    • Francisco Fort Museum
    • Friends of 169
    • Fort Garland Museum
    • Hazard House Museum
    • Hinsdale County Museum
    • Homelake Veterans' History Museum
    • Huerfano Heritage Center
    • Jack Dempsey Museum
    • Luther Bean Museum
    • Monte Vista Historical Society Museum >
      • Monte Vista Oral Histories
      • Monte Vista Historical Walking and Driving Tour
    • Museum of Friends
    • Old Spanish Trail - La Vereda de Norte Chapter
    • Rio Grande County Museum
    • Ryan Geology Museum
    • Saguache County Museum
    • Sangre de Cristo Heritage Center >
      • Dia de Los Muertos
      • Morada
      • Sacred Circle Tour
      • Mariachi San Luis
      • Francisco de Coronado
      • San Luis Flour Mill Grinding Stone
    • San Luis Valley Museum
    • Sanford Museum
    • Transportation of the West Museum
    • Orient Land Trust and Museum
  • Heritage
    • ColoradoStargazing
    • Six Journeys
    • Introducing the Valley
    • Natural Wonders
    • In the Steps of Pioneers
    • Ring of Gold
    • Life in a High Desert Valley
    • The Creative Spirit
    • Los Caminos Antiguos Scenic Byway
    • Ute Tribe
  • Research
    • Genealogy
    • Cemetery
  • Calendar
  • Things To Do
    • Itineraries >
      • Murals of Conejos County
      • 3 Scenic Byways: Short Walks-Long Views
      • 3 Scenic Byways: Best in Class
      • 3 Scenic Byways: Leaf Peeping in Southern Colorado
    • Photography/Photographers
    • Videos
  • News
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

WWI Homefront in Rio Grande County

9/13/2018

0 Comments

 
​Mikayla Baird will be presenting “WWI Homefront in Rio Grande County” on September 22, 2018 at the Rio Grande County Museum.  The topic will go over the county’s experience and participation in the Great War.

The citizens of Rio Grande County enthusiastically engaged themselves in aiding the war effort.  Unlike previous wars, every citizen - man, woman, and child - had a role to play during this war.  Many Red Cross chapters were organized throughout the county and members worked tirelessly to raise money and collect or make supplies for soldiers overseas. During each Liberty Loan Drive, the citizens of Rio Grande County eagerly participated, and each drive surpassed the goals set.  In one instance, Monte Vista set a world record of funds raised for the Red Cross for a town of its size, and was praised in newspapers throughout the country.

Children also played their part.  School credit was offered for students that raised gardens.  “Pig Clubs” were organized and quite popular. Each member would raise their own pig to add to the meat supply.  Many kids also joined sewing, canning, or “chicken clubs.”  The students of Monte Vista even organized their own fundraiser in April of 1918.  Headed by the high school band, they paraded through town collecting donations from the residents, earning around $160, which they used to buy Liberty Bonds.
​
Conservation of food was front and center of the Homefront war effort across the nation, and Rio Grande County was no exception.  However, unlike many other counties across the nation, Rio Grande County not only conservedfood, but also producedfood.  Rio Grande County was already largely agricultural but a concerted effort was made during the war, to produce much, much more.  With less manpower available, the citizens of the county worked together towards this goal.  Specialists were brought in to help maximize crop yields and minimize losses from disease, pests, and spoilage.  Every acre possible was utilized.  A.F. Middaugh of Del Norte, for example, donated his vacant lot near Spruce Street for the Boy Scouts to garden.
​
Although the fighting was thousands of miles away, the lives of every citizen in Rio Grande County were impacted during the First World War.  Mikayla Baird will discuss many of these experiences during this unique time in the county’s history.  The presentation will be at 1:30 pm on September 22ndat the Rio Grande County Museum, 580 Oak St., Del Norte, Co. 81132.  A “Homefront” exhibit will be opened on September 11, and will remain until the end of the year.  For more information visit us on Facebook or call us at 719-657-2847.  The museum is open Tuesday – Friday 10 am to 4 pm and Saturday 10 am to 3pm.
Picture
Ralf Off of RGC
Picture
Unknown Soldier of RGC
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    October 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    September 2013
    April 2012
    September 2011
    August 2007

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Enter your email address.
Submit
Jack Dempsey Museum
Home  |  Museums  |  Research  |  Calendar  |  Support
Exhibits  |  Videos  |  News  |  About Us  |  Contact Us

Copyright 2020, Museums of the San Luis Valley and Southern Colorado, All Rights Reserved