February 1933

Two middle school boys, Bill Sisson and Bob Inman, call a group of their friends to meet for the first official Koshare meeting held in Bob's backyard.

May 1933

Buck Burshears graduates from Colorado College.

September 1933  

First official Koshare show is held in the basement of the St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.

Summer 1934

The boys learn dancing and how to make Native regalia with Native American Expert Ralph Hubbard, who wrote the chapter on Native American handicrafts for the first Boy Scout Handbook.

1935

Buck Burshears moves back to La Junta to partner with his father as a railway contractor to the AT & SF Railway.

Summer 1935

The boys spend a second summer learning with Ralph Hubbard.

Summer 1937

Ralph Hubbard escorts nine Koshares to the first National Boy Scout Jamboree in Washington, D.C. The boys worked with Hubbard and Carl Parlasca and helped entertain at the event.

Spring 1939

The Koshares receive their first major piece of publicity with a full-color article in American Magazine

Summer 1939

Koshares visiting Aztec Monument dream to build a kiva and decide to save the money from their performances for the project.

June 15, 1941

The Koshares perform their first major show for the dedication of Red Rocks Theatre in Denver, CO.

World War II
(1941 - 1945)

Koshare performed a majority of their shows for the U.S.O. throughout the state of Colorado.

To help with the war efforts, performances for the public were conducted with the admission of War Bonds.

Koshares team up with famed boxer Jack Dempsey and famed wrestler Everett Marshall in an event titled Champions Champion a Good Cause; an effort to help collect aluminum for the war.

Buck Burshears writes his most famous poem titled a "Scoutmaster's Prayer," when he discovered one of the Koshares was missing in action. The boy was later liberated from a German prison camp and returned home at the end of war.

The Koshare News begins as a means to keep everyone updated on the Koshares and a large portion of the news is dedicated to keeping all updated on Koshares serving their country.

Three Koshares give the ultimate sacrifice to their country in the line of combat. Those casualties of war were Dean Kendall, Dean Strain and Chester Ralston.

Summer 1946

Koshares perform in the rededication of Red Rocks Theatre in Denver, CO.

Koshares are hailed as rainmakers for drought stricken Kansas farmers. The associated press declared this a million dollar rain and pleaded for a memorial to be built in the Koshares honor.

August 1946

Koshares are written about in This Week Magazine, which is distributed in major newspapers throughout the country.  From this feature, Buck receives three marriage proposals from women who read the feature.

May 1947

Koshares are featured on the cover of Boy's Life Magazine.

October 1948

Construction begins for the Koshare Kiva.

Spring 1949

Koshares perform at the Governor's Convention for state governors throughout the United States.

May 11, 1949

Buck Burshears marries Jane White in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Summer 1949

Koshares perform at Madison Square Garden and a half of million New Yorkers watched the Koshares as they danced down 5th Avenue in a Lions' convention parade. 

November 11, 1949

The grand opening celebration is held for the Koshare Kiva.

Koshares decide to use the donations received from the grand opening and the proceeds from the pop machine to purchase their first piece of artwork for their museum. The work was done by famed Native American Artist and Koshare friend, Woody Crumbo.

Spring 1950

Buck, in collaboration with Ben Hunt, publishes the book American Indian Beadwork, Designs and Methods.  The book continues to be published to this day. 

Winter 1950

Koshares perform their first Winter Ceremonials, which became a winter tradition in the community and continues to be a favorite event performed each December.

Fall 1952

Koshares perform at a luncheon at the Cherry Hills Country Club, in Denver for General Dwight Eisenhower's bid for Presidency.

1952

The short film 100 Unusual Boys is released and more than six million people watched this film about the Koshares.  The film was ranked fifth among the ten best short subjects of that year. 

January 1953

Time Magazine runs the article titled Return of the Gods which tells the story of the Shalako dance being returned by the Koshares to Zuni Pueblo. 

Summer 1953

Construction begins for additions to Koshare Kiva.

Koshares perform in Cleveland Stadium where the Cleveland Indians play ball.

Summer 1955

Koshares dance and spend five days aboard the U.S.S. Princeton on their first sea-going trip.

September 1955

A Koshare performance scheduled for President Eisenhower while he vacationed in Denver was canceled due to the President's heart attack. 

Summer 1956

President Eisenhower leaves a cabinet meeting to visit with the Koshares in the Oval Office.

Summer 1957

One Koshare attends the International Jubilee in England and presents a complete Native American costume to Prince Charles of England. 

Winter 1957

A letter to Santa Claus at Christmas time helps the Koshares raise $3,200 to purchase the La Nove Foster Basket Collection.

Summer 1958

President Eisenhower meets the Koshares in the Rose Garden at the White House.

Val Gendron's book, Behind the Zuni Mask, is complete.  The book is based on the Koshares and was selected as a Juvenile Guild book.

April 1959

Koshares are filmed by award winning director Arthur Cohen for their part in the movie High Colorado.

Summer 1960

Koshares perform for approximately 100,000 Scouts at the Scout Jamboree in Colorado Springs.

January 1961

A story in Readers Digest tells the story of the Koshares to millions of people around the world.

March 1961

Senator John Carroll tells Congress of the Koshares - making them part of Congressional Record.

Thanksgiving 1962

Koshares perform half-time program for the Denver Bronco v. New York Jets.

June 1963

Dwight Eisenhower stops briefly in La Junta to visit the Koshare Kiva.

1964

The Colorado Legislature passes a resolution designating the Koshare Indian Kiva Museum as a State Repository for archaeology and Indian Arts.

Koshares entertain at the World Figure Skating Championships. Pictures from the event are distributed in publications throughout the world.

June 1965

Tribal Chairman Earl Old-Person adopts Buck and Jane Burshears into the Blackfoot Tribe as honorary members.

Winter 1965

Koshares furnish Zuni religious leaders with prayer plumes for Shalako Ceremony.

May 1966

Koshares secure sixteen Imhof paintings from Joseph Imhof's wife.  

Summer 1968

Koshares play a role in the filming of the documentary "The Indians of Colorado." 

October 1968

World Famous Native American artist, Woody Crumbo, moves to La Junta to find his inspiration to paint once again.

February 1969

Koshares entertain the International Olympic Committee in Colorado's bid for the 1976 Olympic Games.

Fall 1971

Koshares perform the pre-game and half-time program for a Denver Bronco v. St. Louis Cardinals.

Summer 1974

A street in Elgin, Illinois, is named The Koshare Trail in honor of the Koshares. 

June 1976

Koshares entertain millions on the Good Morning Show in Boston. 

Winter 1976

The El Pomar Foundation of Colorado Springs awards the Koshares with $50,000 for the expansion of their building.

Summer 1976

Author Jack Kelly publishes the book Koshare.

Koshares take part in the dedication ceremonies for the National Park Bent's Old Fort. 

1977

A picture of the Koshares is included in the 1977 Science Annual World Book. 

December 1978

Koshares graduate their 500th Eagle Scout

Summer 1979

A new addition for the museum begins.

May 1981

Buck is honored with a Doctorate of Humane Letters degree from the University of Colorado.

Winter 1982

An Associated Press News Features Story about the Koshares is printed world-wide with a potential readership of more than one billion people. 

April 1984

Koshares are featured on the cover of Boy's Life Magazine.

May 1984

Buck receives the Presidential Citation for Volunteer Work from Ronald Reagan at a luncheon at the White House. 

November 1986

PBS airs Koshare a documentary featuring the Koshares' history

August 1986

Koshares entertain at the grand opening for the International Cycling Competition, an event televised world-wide and seen by 200 million people.

August 27, 1987

Buck Burshears passes away after several weeks as a patient at Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center in La Junta.

Spring 1988

A $400,000 building endowment is willed to the Koshares on behalf of Jean Naylor Lindsley. In addition, Lindsley bequeathed an extensive collection of artifacts and art.

Spring 1993

Koshares perform in the Camai Dance Festival in Alaska. 

Summer 1993

Koshares perform their final Snake Dance.

Winter 1993

A Koshare affinity Visa credit card is one of the first in the country between a rural bank and a community-based organization.

Summer 1994

United States Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell becomes a director on the Koshare Board.

November 1994

Koshares are honored as Colorado's most outstanding non-profit organization at the Sixth Annual El Pomar Awards for Excellence.  The group was awarded $25,000 for the award.

September 1995

Koshares perform for General Norman Schwarzkopf.

Winter 1995

Koshares test a program that invites two girls to dance in performances. This would be the foundation of the girl's program in the future.

May 1996

Koshares help celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Winter 1996

A group of six Koshares help co-discover an ancient equinox petroglyph.  The boys' contribution was later written about in the book Astroarcheology. 

Spring 1998

Koshares appear in a documentary filmed for the British Broadcasting Corporation.

May 1998

Koshares are featured on the cover of Boy's Life Magazine. 

Summer 1998

Koshares attend and perform at the International Fire and Rescue Convention in Dallas, Texas.

Koshares perform the opening ceremonies for the Miss Colorado Pageant.

May 1999

A group of five Koshares are invited to help Cheyenne Chief Charles Little Coyote, descendent of Chief Black Kettle, search for the site of the Sand Creek Massacre. 

Summer 1999

Koshares attend and perform at the International Fire and Rescue Convention in Kansas City, Kansas.

Koshares participate in a photo shoot with the Miss Colorado contestants.

Summer 2000

Koshares stage the first Native at Heart Youth Powwow. The event brings Native Americans and non-natives together in celebration. The Koshares give a college scholarship to one Native American.

Winter 2002

A million dollar construction project brings the Koshare Indian Museum up to building code. 

May 2003

Koshares return sacred artifacts to Klinket Indians of Alaska. For a show of appreciation, each Koshare Chief is presented with an Eagle Feather in this sacred ceremony.

Winter 2003

Koshares perform an entire performance with a group that would become the first major girl's program within the organization.

Summer 2004

A PBS program titled Colorado Postcards features the Koshares as one destination to see. 

September 2006

Koshares perform for the Japanese-American Grassroots Summit.  The Koshares also hosts the largest of the Japanese groups for a three day home-stay in La Junta.

Summer 2007

Koshares travel to Japan in their first performance over international waters. In a period of three weeks the Koshares staged performances in Nanao, Shonai, Yamagata and Tokyo.

Koshares hire architects for a master plan process to plan for the final phase of construction to the Koshare Indian Museum.

September 2007

Artist Ernesto Zepeda gives over $300,000 worth of his artwork to the Koshares.

February 2008

Seventy-five years to the month after the first official Koshare meeting, a group of Koshares perform at the Colorado's Governor's Mansion. The First Lady of Colorado is in attendance at the performance and cheers the efforts of the Koshares.