By: Marianne Mogon, Pikes Peak Courier
Pikes Peak Historical Society treated 17 children, ages 10 to 12, to a tour of the museum, a
special craft, and lunch in the tepee where Betty Merchant, a retired geologist and docent of
PPHS showed pictures and discussed the various types of dinosaurs.
The tour of the museum included all areas and the highlights, the areas that seemed to garner
the most attention, were the gem, mineral, and fossil displays and the Ute Room. The children
also seemed to be attracted to the two Napoleon coins. A fossilized bone of a dinosaur was
passed around and the children were amazed at how heavy it was. Outside the children were
attracted to a large piece of petrified wood. The tour was led by board member and docent,
Jeff McCammon, who led the children through the museum with “Charlie”, a robotic
Velociraptor.
Merchant, assisted by board member and docent Darice Zimmermann had everybody mold and
cast a toy dinosaur, which the children will paint at the library on Friday. McCammon gifted the
children with fossilized dinosaur bone remnants from his private collection.
Jennie Tesch, Florissant/Divide Libraries Branch Manager, has been organizing the Summer
Reading Camp for years and tries to come up with a theme she feels will pique the interest of
the children and encourage further reading. This year the theme is dinosaurs and Merchant has
been assisting her this summer. Incorporating the museum tour fit in nicely with its display of
fossils and other interesting information and artifacts from the area.
Pikes Peak Historical Society Museum (https://www.pikespeakhsmuseum.org) is open Friday –
Sunday, 12 Noon to 4 p.m. Located at 18033 Teller County Road #1 in Florissant. Private tours
are welcome by appointment by calling 719-748-8259 at least two days in advance. Pikes Peak
Historical Society is a proud participant in Flo-Geo Heritage Day, July 25, a celebration of history
and culture of Florissant and Lake George in cooperation with the state’s 250/150 commission.
For more information visit https://www.flo-geo.com.
