History Live Durango

History Live! celebrates the humanities in Southwest Colorado with lectures, workshops, and live portrayals of historical figures. The Southwest Colorado Humanities Roundtable is proud to offer a full month of programming each September.

The Southwest Colorado Humanities Roundtable coordinated a month of history, anthropological, and archaeological events in La Plata County September 2023 that included two Chautauqua presentations in Durango by national scholar Brian “Fox” Ellis. The first performance was “Adventures with John James Audubon” on Thursday, September 28, 7-8 p.m. at Fort Lewis College and the second “Charles Darwin and His Revolutionary Idea” on Friday, September 29, 7-8 p.m. at the Powerhouse Museum.

“Birding with Audubon,” on Thursday, September 28, 9-10 a.m. allowed audience members to join Ellis as John James Audubon on a unique bird watching adventure as he regales listeners with his in-depth observations of the species along the trail at Oxbow Park and Preserve in Durango.

For more information about the Southwest Colorado Humanities Roundtable, please visit www.swcohumanities.org/.

Birding with Audubon
Thursday, September 28,  9 – 10 a.m.  

Presented by Southwest Colorado Humanities Roundtable
Location: Oxbow Park and Preserve, 500 Animas View Dr, Durango, CO 81301
Contact Shelley Walchak, 303.941.4012, swalchak@gmail.com

Join John James Audubon (portrayed by Brian “Fox” Ellis) on a unique bird watching adventure as he regales listeners with his in-depth observations of the species along the trail. Long before Stokes and Sibley, Audubon published several pages of field notes for all 435 species of birds that he painted, an “Ornithological Biography,” that totals several thousand pages.

Adventures with John James Audubon
Thursday, September 28,  7 – 8 p.m.  

Presented by Fort Lewis College Lifelong Learning
Location: 130 Noble Hall, Fort Lewis College, Durango
Contact Shelley Walchak, 303.941.4012, swalchak@gmail.com

Storyteller and Chautauquan Brian “Fox” Ellis portrays Audubon in a dynamic performance that engages listeners in scientific inquiry and natural history, art appreciation and ornithology. Come spend an hour in the studio of one of America’s greatest naturalists and wildlife artists. Listen to tales of his adventures in the wilds of America!

Charles Darwin and His Revolutionary Idea
Friday, September 29,  7 – 8 p.m.

Presented by Southwest Colorado Humanities Roundtable
Location: Powerhouse Museum, 1295 Camino Del Rio, Durango, CO 81301
Contact Shelley Walchak, 303.941.4012, swalchak@gmail.com

Imagine an evening with the affable, young Charles Darwin, among friends, telling amazing stories of his adventure sailing around the world on HMS Beagle. Darwin shares humorous tales of his training as a naturalist, his insights into South American geology, his discovery of strange creatures on the Galapagos Archipelago and most importantly, the scientific evidence that led to his revolutionary theory.

More information can be found on the Southwest Colorado Humanities Roundtable website.

Featured Events September 2022