Amache Ochinee Prowers, a prominent member of the Southern Cheyenne Tribe, served as a vital mediator between cultures on the southeastern plains of Colorado during the 1860s and 70s. She married American trader John Wesley Prowers at age 15, becoming an equal partner in their cattle-ranching and mercantile business in Boggsville, Colorado along the Santa Fe Trail. She raised her ten children in both Native American and Anglo cultures. Amache’s father, a Cheyenne chief, was murdered in the Sand Creek Massacre, an event that inspired Prowers to bridge cultural divides present among Native, Anglo, and Mexican communities on the plains. She became an important leader in the Cheyenne tribe and her tactical mediation skills helped her preserve native land ownership. Prowers’ legacy as a cultural mediator and her resilience in the face of ethnic genocide played a significant role in shaping the American West during a transformative time.
Editha Todd Leonard
Editha Todd Leonard helped make Fort Collins what it is today! Editha founded the Fort Collins Symphony and was a passionate musician, performer, teacher, and trailblazer who loved her community. She served as the concertmaster of the Fort Collins Symphony for 14 years. Her legacy lives on through the groups she participated in (including the Fort Collins League of Women Voters, and the Colorado Federation of Women’s Clubs, among others) and in our thriving musical community. The Fort Collins History Connection and Fort Collins Museum of Discovery’s collection is home to many of her photographs, her oral history, her diaries, her yearbooks, and details of her time spent living in Japan.
Alicia Valladolid-Cuarón
Alicia Valladolid-Cuarón is a pioneering trailblazer in education and leadership in Colorado. One of the first Latinas to earn a Ph.D. in the state, she spearheaded bilingual Head Start programs and held various firsts for Latinas in leadership roles, including Executive Director for the Colorado Economic Development Agency. As a motivational speaker, she has spent her life focused on empowerment, particularly for Latinas. She is the founder of Adelante Mujer and Circle of Latina Leadership, both of which focus on the education and training of Colorado Latinas. In her fifties, she joined the Sisters of St. Francis where she founded the Familia Franciscan AIDS Ministry and Centro Bienestar. Her organizations provide essential services to over 10,000 individuals per year including job training, GED certifications, English classes, leadership programs, and more. Alicia continues to dedicate her life to serving her community and helping immigrants make Colorado their home.
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Mary Elitch Long, the founder of Denver’s renowned Elitch Gardens was once the only woman in the world running an amusement park. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Mary stood out as a trailblazer in a time when business was dominated by men. After marrying John Elitch Jr. at age 16, the couple moved to Denver where they opened a restaurant called Elitch’s and purchased a five-acre apple orchard. The orchard was intended to supply their restaurant with fresh produce but thanks to Mary’s passion for gardens and the arts, it was transformed into Denver’s first zoo. Elitch’s welcomed thousands of visitors from across the world with high-quality entertainment at low costs. Despite the unexpected death of her husband, financial troubles, and administrative challenges, Mary continued to provide joy to families and visitors at Elitch’s for over 20 years.
Amache Ochinee Prowers
Amache Ochinee Prowers, a prominent member of the Southern Cheyenne Tribe, served as a vital mediator between cultures on the southeastern plains of Colorado during the 1860s and 70s. She married American trader John Wesley Prowers at age 15, becoming an equal partner in their cattle-ranching and mercantile business in Boggsville, Colorado along the Santa Fe Trail. She raised her ten children in both Native American and Anglo cultures. Amache’s father, a Cheyenne chief, was murdered in the Sand Creek Massacre, an event that inspired Prowers to bridge cultural divides present among Native, Anglo, and Mexican communities on the plains. She became an important leader in the Cheyenne tribe and her tactical mediation skills helped her preserve native land ownership. Prowers’ legacy as a cultural mediator and her resilience in the face of ethnic genocide played a significant role in shaping the American West during a transformative time.
Editha Todd Leonard
Editha Todd Leonard helped make Fort Collins what it is today! Editha founded the Fort Collins Symphony and was a passionate musician, performer, teacher, and trailblazer who loved her community. She served as the concertmaster of the Fort Collins Symphony for 14 years. Her legacy lives on through the groups she participated in (including the Fort Collins League of Women Voters, and the Colorado Federation of Women’s Clubs, among others) and in our thriving musical community. The Fort Collins History Connection and Fort Collins Museum of Discovery’s collection is home to many of her photographs, her oral history, her diaries, her yearbooks, and details of her time spent living in Japan.
Alicia Valladolid-Cuarón
Alicia Valladolid-Cuarón is a pioneering trailblazer in education and leadership in Colorado. One of the first Latinas to earn a Ph.D. in the state, she spearheaded bilingual Head Start programs and held various firsts for Latinas in leadership roles, including Executive Director for the Colorado Economic Development Agency. As a motivational speaker, she has spent her life focused on empowerment, particularly for Latinas. She is the founder of Adelante Mujer and Circle of Latina Leadership, both of which focus on the education and training of Colorado Latinas. In her fifties, she joined the Sisters of St. Francis where she founded the Familia Franciscan AIDS Ministry and Centro Bienestar. Her organizations provide essential services to over 10,000 individuals per year including job training, GED certifications, English classes, leadership programs, and more. Alicia continues to dedicate her life to serving her community and helping immigrants make Colorado their home.
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Madam C.J. Walker (born Sarah Breedlove) was the first self-made millionaire in the United States. Born in Louisiana to formerly enslaved parents, Mrs. Walker faced many challenges early in life including being orphaned at 14 and widowed by her first husband before she turned 21 years old. Following the loss of her first husband, she worked tirelessly as a cook and laundress in St. Louis to support herself. With high levels of stress in her life, her hair began to fall out which led her to experiment with hair-growing products. She later established her own beauty product business after marrying Charles Joseph Walker and moving to Denver. Madame Walker started selling her products in Denver’s historic Five Points and Whittier neighborhoods and later sold her products nationwide. She was also an advocate for the black community her entire life. Today, you can visit Madam C.J. Walker Park in the Whittier neighborhood in Denver, where signs detail her inspiring life story.
Mary Elitch Long
Mary Elitch Long, the founder of Denver’s renowned Elitch Gardens was once the only woman in the world running an amusement park. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Mary stood out as a trailblazer in a time when business was dominated by men. After marrying John Elitch Jr. at age 16, the couple moved to Denver where they opened a restaurant called Elitch’s and purchased a five-acre apple orchard. The orchard was intended to supply their restaurant with fresh produce but thanks to Mary’s passion for gardens and the arts, it was transformed into Denver’s first zoo. Elitch’s welcomed thousands of visitors from across the world with high-quality entertainment at low costs. Despite the unexpected death of her husband, financial troubles, and administrative challenges, Mary continued to provide joy to families and visitors at Elitch’s for over 20 years.
Amache Ochinee Prowers
Amache Ochinee Prowers, a prominent member of the Southern Cheyenne Tribe, served as a vital mediator between cultures on the southeastern plains of Colorado during the 1860s and 70s. She married American trader John Wesley Prowers at age 15, becoming an equal partner in their cattle-ranching and mercantile business in Boggsville, Colorado along the Santa Fe Trail. She raised her ten children in both Native American and Anglo cultures. Amache’s father, a Cheyenne chief, was murdered in the Sand Creek Massacre, an event that inspired Prowers to bridge cultural divides present among Native, Anglo, and Mexican communities on the plains. She became an important leader in the Cheyenne tribe and her tactical mediation skills helped her preserve native land ownership. Prowers’ legacy as a cultural mediator and her resilience in the face of ethnic genocide played a significant role in shaping the American West during a transformative time.
Editha Todd Leonard
Editha Todd Leonard helped make Fort Collins what it is today! Editha founded the Fort Collins Symphony and was a passionate musician, performer, teacher, and trailblazer who loved her community. She served as the concertmaster of the Fort Collins Symphony for 14 years. Her legacy lives on through the groups she participated in (including the Fort Collins League of Women Voters, and the Colorado Federation of Women’s Clubs, among others) and in our thriving musical community. The Fort Collins History Connection and Fort Collins Museum of Discovery’s collection is home to many of her photographs, her oral history, her diaries, her yearbooks, and details of her time spent living in Japan.
Alicia Valladolid-Cuarón
Alicia Valladolid-Cuarón is a pioneering trailblazer in education and leadership in Colorado. One of the first Latinas to earn a Ph.D. in the state, she spearheaded bilingual Head Start programs and held various firsts for Latinas in leadership roles, including Executive Director for the Colorado Economic Development Agency. As a motivational speaker, she has spent her life focused on empowerment, particularly for Latinas. She is the founder of Adelante Mujer and Circle of Latina Leadership, both of which focus on the education and training of Colorado Latinas. In her fifties, she joined the Sisters of St. Francis where she founded the Familia Franciscan AIDS Ministry and Centro Bienestar. Her organizations provide essential services to over 10,000 individuals per year including job training, GED certifications, English classes, leadership programs, and more. Alicia continues to dedicate her life to serving her community and helping immigrants make Colorado their home.
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Meet one of the founding figures of Fort Collins is Elizabeth “Auntie” Stone. Born in 1801, Stone’s early years were spent as a pioneer. Eventually, she moved to Fort Collins in 1860 to run an officer’s mess hall with her second husband, Judge Stone. Her husband, Judge Stone, passed away 6 years after the couple arrived in Fort Collins and Auntie Stone assumed ownership of the mess hall and made it into a public hotel becoming the first woman to own land in Fort Collins. Stone was integral to the formation of the Fort Collins we know today and was responsible for starting the first mill and brick kiln for the up-and-coming city. She voted for the first time at the age of 93 and stated, “I have waited a lifetime for this privilege.” She would pass away just a year later at the age of 94. You can visit Auntie Stone’s Cabin in Library Park where it sits today.
Madam C.J. Walker
Madam C.J. Walker (born Sarah Breedlove) was the first self-made millionaire in the United States. Born in Louisiana to formerly enslaved parents, Mrs. Walker faced many challenges early in life including being orphaned at 14 and widowed by her first husband before she turned 21 years old. Following the loss of her first husband, she worked tirelessly as a cook and laundress in St. Louis to support herself. With high levels of stress in her life, her hair began to fall out which led her to experiment with hair-growing products. She later established her own beauty product business after marrying Charles Joseph Walker and moving to Denver. Madame Walker started selling her products in Denver’s historic Five Points and Whittier neighborhoods and later sold her products nationwide. She was also an advocate for the black community her entire life. Today, you can visit Madam C.J. Walker Park in the Whittier neighborhood in Denver, where signs detail her inspiring life story.
Mary Elitch Long
Mary Elitch Long, the founder of Denver’s renowned Elitch Gardens was once the only woman in the world running an amusement park. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Mary stood out as a trailblazer in a time when business was dominated by men. After marrying John Elitch Jr. at age 16, the couple moved to Denver where they opened a restaurant called Elitch’s and purchased a five-acre apple orchard. The orchard was intended to supply their restaurant with fresh produce but thanks to Mary’s passion for gardens and the arts, it was transformed into Denver’s first zoo. Elitch’s welcomed thousands of visitors from across the world with high-quality entertainment at low costs. Despite the unexpected death of her husband, financial troubles, and administrative challenges, Mary continued to provide joy to families and visitors at Elitch’s for over 20 years.
Amache Ochinee Prowers
Amache Ochinee Prowers, a prominent member of the Southern Cheyenne Tribe, served as a vital mediator between cultures on the southeastern plains of Colorado during the 1860s and 70s. She married American trader John Wesley Prowers at age 15, becoming an equal partner in their cattle-ranching and mercantile business in Boggsville, Colorado along the Santa Fe Trail. She raised her ten children in both Native American and Anglo cultures. Amache’s father, a Cheyenne chief, was murdered in the Sand Creek Massacre, an event that inspired Prowers to bridge cultural divides present among Native, Anglo, and Mexican communities on the plains. She became an important leader in the Cheyenne tribe and her tactical mediation skills helped her preserve native land ownership. Prowers’ legacy as a cultural mediator and her resilience in the face of ethnic genocide played a significant role in shaping the American West during a transformative time.
Editha Todd Leonard
Editha Todd Leonard helped make Fort Collins what it is today! Editha founded the Fort Collins Symphony and was a passionate musician, performer, teacher, and trailblazer who loved her community. She served as the concertmaster of the Fort Collins Symphony for 14 years. Her legacy lives on through the groups she participated in (including the Fort Collins League of Women Voters, and the Colorado Federation of Women’s Clubs, among others) and in our thriving musical community. The Fort Collins History Connection and Fort Collins Museum of Discovery’s collection is home to many of her photographs, her oral history, her diaries, her yearbooks, and details of her time spent living in Japan.
Alicia Valladolid-Cuarón
Alicia Valladolid-Cuarón is a pioneering trailblazer in education and leadership in Colorado. One of the first Latinas to earn a Ph.D. in the state, she spearheaded bilingual Head Start programs and held various firsts for Latinas in leadership roles, including Executive Director for the Colorado Economic Development Agency. As a motivational speaker, she has spent her life focused on empowerment, particularly for Latinas. She is the founder of Adelante Mujer and Circle of Latina Leadership, both of which focus on the education and training of Colorado Latinas. In her fifties, she joined the Sisters of St. Francis where she founded the Familia Franciscan AIDS Ministry and Centro Bienestar. Her organizations provide essential services to over 10,000 individuals per year including job training, GED certifications, English classes, leadership programs, and more. Alicia continues to dedicate her life to serving her community and helping immigrants make Colorado their home.
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Incredible Women from Colorado's History
By Annaclaire Crumpton
Dr. Sumiko Tanaka
Dr. Sumiko Tanaka immigrated to Colorado from Japan and went on to dedicate her life to destigmatizing mental health in the Asian American community. Over her 50-year career as a therapist and social worker, she energized the work of the Asian Pacific Development Center and co-founded of the Asian Chamber of Commerce. After she retired, she also developed a program to teach children with developmental disabilities how to ski and helped establish the Tokyo University of Social Welfare. She continues to be a fierce advocate for her community today. She was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 Asian American Heros Awards in Denver.
Lena Archuleta
For over three decades, Lena Archuleta dedicated herself to serving the Colorado Hispanic community as a teacher, a school librarian, and a community volunteer. The first female Hispanic principal in Denver Public Schools, Archuleta also supervised bilingual education programs and made history as the first woman to lead the Latin American Education Foundation. She was also the president of the Colorado Library Association. Today, her legacy continues to make a difference in the lives of children. Lena Archuleta Elementary School in Denver was named in her honor.
Elizabeth “Auntie” Stone
Meet one of the founding figures of Fort Collins is Elizabeth “Auntie” Stone. Born in 1801, Stone’s early years were spent as a pioneer. Eventually, she moved to Fort Collins in 1860 to run an officer’s mess hall with her second husband, Judge Stone. Her husband, Judge Stone, passed away 6 years after the couple arrived in Fort Collins and Auntie Stone assumed ownership of the mess hall and made it into a public hotel becoming the first woman to own land in Fort Collins. Stone was integral to the formation of the Fort Collins we know today and was responsible for starting the first mill and brick kiln for the up-and-coming city. She voted for the first time at the age of 93 and stated, “I have waited a lifetime for this privilege.” She would pass away just a year later at the age of 94. You can visit Auntie Stone’s Cabin in Library Park where it sits today.
Madam C.J. Walker
Madam C.J. Walker (born Sarah Breedlove) was the first self-made millionaire in the United States. Born in Louisiana to formerly enslaved parents, Mrs. Walker faced many challenges early in life including being orphaned at 14 and widowed by her first husband before she turned 21 years old. Following the loss of her first husband, she worked tirelessly as a cook and laundress in St. Louis to support herself. With high levels of stress in her life, her hair began to fall out which led her to experiment with hair-growing products. She later established her own beauty product business after marrying Charles Joseph Walker and moving to Denver. Madame Walker started selling her products in Denver’s historic Five Points and Whittier neighborhoods and later sold her products nationwide. She was also an advocate for the black community her entire life. Today, you can visit Madam C.J. Walker Park in the Whittier neighborhood in Denver, where signs detail her inspiring life story.
Mary Elitch Long
Mary Elitch Long, the founder of Denver’s renowned Elitch Gardens was once the only woman in the world running an amusement park. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Mary stood out as a trailblazer in a time when business was dominated by men. After marrying John Elitch Jr. at age 16, the couple moved to Denver where they opened a restaurant called Elitch’s and purchased a five-acre apple orchard. The orchard was intended to supply their restaurant with fresh produce but thanks to Mary’s passion for gardens and the arts, it was transformed into Denver’s first zoo. Elitch’s welcomed thousands of visitors from across the world with high-quality entertainment at low costs. Despite the unexpected death of her husband, financial troubles, and administrative challenges, Mary continued to provide joy to families and visitors at Elitch’s for over 20 years.
Amache Ochinee Prowers
Amache Ochinee Prowers, a prominent member of the Southern Cheyenne Tribe, served as a vital mediator between cultures on the southeastern plains of Colorado during the 1860s and 70s. She married American trader John Wesley Prowers at age 15, becoming an equal partner in their cattle-ranching and mercantile business in Boggsville, Colorado along the Santa Fe Trail. She raised her ten children in both Native American and Anglo cultures. Amache’s father, a Cheyenne chief, was murdered in the Sand Creek Massacre, an event that inspired Prowers to bridge cultural divides present among Native, Anglo, and Mexican communities on the plains. She became an important leader in the Cheyenne tribe and her tactical mediation skills helped her preserve native land ownership. Prowers’ legacy as a cultural mediator and her resilience in the face of ethnic genocide played a significant role in shaping the American West during a transformative time.
Editha Todd Leonard
Editha Todd Leonard helped make Fort Collins what it is today! Editha founded the Fort Collins Symphony and was a passionate musician, performer, teacher, and trailblazer who loved her community. She served as the concertmaster of the Fort Collins Symphony for 14 years. Her legacy lives on through the groups she participated in (including the Fort Collins League of Women Voters, and the Colorado Federation of Women’s Clubs, among others) and in our thriving musical community. The Fort Collins History Connection and Fort Collins Museum of Discovery’s collection is home to many of her photographs, her oral history, her diaries, her yearbooks, and details of her time spent living in Japan.
Alicia Valladolid-Cuarón
Alicia Valladolid-Cuarón is a pioneering trailblazer in education and leadership in Colorado. One of the first Latinas to earn a Ph.D. in the state, she spearheaded bilingual Head Start programs and held various firsts for Latinas in leadership roles, including Executive Director for the Colorado Economic Development Agency. As a motivational speaker, she has spent her life focused on empowerment, particularly for Latinas. She is the founder of Adelante Mujer and Circle of Latina Leadership, both of which focus on the education and training of Colorado Latinas. In her fifties, she joined the Sisters of St. Francis where she founded the Familia Franciscan AIDS Ministry and Centro Bienestar. Her organizations provide essential services to over 10,000 individuals per year including job training, GED certifications, English classes, leadership programs, and more. Alicia continues to dedicate her life to serving her community and helping immigrants make Colorado their home.