The Florence Pioneer Museum and Research Center recently received two grants that will be used towards fulfilling the required amount needed for the Historic Restoration of the 1894 Braden-Griffith Block's yellow sandstone. The two grantors are Newmont GoldCorp from Cripple Creek/Victor and the El Pomar Foundation each gifting the Museum $5,000.
The Braden-Griffith Block is a three-level all sandstone structure, quarried from just south of Florence. When built in 1894, it was deemed a “superstructure” in the Oil Refiner Newspaper on Feb. 17, 1894. The necessary needed maintenance for the 1894 structure had never been addressed it the 127 years of standing proudly at the corner of East Front Street and South Pikes Peak Ave. In 2015, the Pioneer Board began the project of historically restoring both the Braden-Griffith Block and its connecting buildings, one being a 1904 structure with a varied history to match the Braden-Griffith's.
The Board recognizes and thanks the many donations received from patrons as all but $50,000 was received from grants. The projects included insulation, windows, roofs, ceilings, electric and that very much needed necessity of heat! All this coming together for a year-around Museum displaying our local history.
Since January, the two grants, fundraising or donations received now totals $13,950 of the needed $19,631 to complete the pointing project of the historic restoration of the yellow sandstone. The next fundraising opportunity will be participating on Pioneer Day, Sept. 18 and the Museum will be open from 11 a.m. until whenever with free admission. Staff want people to see how they've grown and expanded since 2015 and what it offers. The theme for this year's Pioneer Day is “The Way They Played” and displays are set up with vintage toys, baseball and in the Braden-Griffith Room, visitors will see the games of chance offered in 1894 when Syl Braden first opened and operated at Braden's Pleasure Palace. Don't get excited… He only offered libations and games of chance-NO WOMEN! Billiard tables were found in the basement and the five rooms upstairs were rented by the night or week to the multitude of these single men populating the city that worked the mines, railroads, smelters, refineries or ranches.
In the Museum, visitors will find a selection of vintage toys that is offered for purchase from a private collector. This collector is donating the proceeds from your purchase to the Museum's Building Project. Also, Sept. 18 will be the “Ye Old Lemonade” Stand… to whet the whistle while enjoying the activities of Pioneer Day.
The Museum is open from 1-4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.