Quiet Voices
Quiet Voices is a contemporary depiction of lesser-known stories, particularly the influential women of the Canyons & Plains region. These steadfast heroes of history held families together, influenced the establishment of communities and fostered hope for the future.
According to artist Lori Holdread: “While their quiet courage did not bring about fame or fortune, their stories still inspire the lives of all those who came after them.” These strong women fueled early commerce, welcomed travelers along the Santa Fe Trail and instilled in their children a vision of what was possible. Among them were Amache Prowers, a pillar of Boggsville who lost her father in the Sand Creek Massacre, Cathay Williams who disguised herself as a male and became a buffalo soldier, and Royal Red St. Vrain-Bransford, daughter of Chief Red Cloud, who waited for a husband who never came home.
Additional defining historical events of the Canyons & Plains region in the early 1900s are represented, such as the Ludlow Massacre of 1914. Coal miners and their families were evicted from company housing during a labor strike and moved into the Ludlow Tent Colony. That colony was later attacked by the Colorado National Guard and private security agents, resulting in the deaths of 19, including 11 children.
These stories reflect the people who, through adversity, persevered and helped define the colorful history of the region.