November 13, 1949

 

Two thousand three hundred and eighty nine people visited the Koshare Kiva on Sunday, November 13, 1949, at the formal dedication. Visitors registered from Wyoming, New Mexico, Kansas and Utah, as well as from many points in Colorado.

About fifty Koshares acted as hosts. Paintings by Woody Crumbo were on exhibition during the opening. "After the show we were counting the money donated by the visitors," Buck said. "I suggested we pay some of our bills but one of the kids said wouldn't it be nice if we could buy one of Mr. Crumbo's paintings for the museum. So right then and there we decided to earmark money from our donations and proceeds from the pop machine for an art collection." That day the Koshares purchased the Eagle Dancer as the first painting acquired for the museum.

Visitors were asked to vote on the pictures they liked best that day. The most popular painting was the Healing Ceremony followed by Madonna of the Rainbow.