The Pikes Peak Historical Society invites you to see Liz Duckworth as Poker Alice at their August 18th Chautauqua at the Lake George Charter School. Liz Morton Duckworth’s new book, Poker Alice Tubbs: The Straight Story, was recently released by Filter Press. Liz performs as Poker Alice in a costume reflecting the Victorian era in which Poker Alice made her living as a professional gambler—a woman in a man’s world. Alice often dressed in a fancy suit with stylish jewelry and button shoes as she lived and worked in the roughest mining towns of the 1880’s and 1890’s. Renowned for smoking big, black cigars, she determined she would never cheat, but was able to win on her own terms. As a self-proclaimed religious woman, she also was known to never play cards on a Sunday!
Poker Alice Tubbs was a true adventurer who traveled to boomtowns throughout the wild west in the late 1800’s, and she left a legacy. Her stories of adventure, risk, and reward bring a fresh look at mining towns like Creede, Buena Vista, Leadville, and Central City, Colorado, Silver City, New Mexico, and Sturgis and Deadwood in South Dakota. A lot of tales that “ain’t entirely true” have been spread over the years, but Alice’s real story is even better than the myths frequently encountered.
Come and learn more about this fascinating woman on Sunday, August 18 at 2:00 pm. Liz will have copies of her book available for purchase and refreshments will be served. The Lake George Charter School is located 4 minutes west of Florissant, on the south side of Highway 24 (2/10 mile west of the Ferrell Propane lot). This program is presented as a public service and admission is free. No reservation is required. For more information, call 719-748-8259 or 719-748-3861.