Steamboat History Museum Launches 2026 Brown Bag Storytelling Series

The smell of stale coffee and old paper hangs in the air at the Steamboat Springs History Museum. It’s a quiet Tuesday, but come Friday noon, the room fills. Locals drag chairs into the main hall. They bring sandwiches. They settle in for an hour of oral history.

This is the Brown Bag Storytelling Series. It’s back for 2026.

The museum — formerly the Tread of Pioneers Museum, because names change but the building stays — hosts the event every Friday from July 3 through August 28. 12:00 to 1:00 PM. 800 Oak Street.

Make no mistake: this isn’t just nostalgia. It’s data collection. The museum records every session. They digitize the audio. They upload it to YouTube. They build a digital archive for future generations. You’re not just listening to stories. You’re helping build the record.

The lineup starts strong. July 3 brings artist Chula Beauregard. She discusses her current exhibition, "Legacy: A Year with the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust." It’s about land. It’s about who owns it and who used to own it.

Then the timeline jumps back. July 10 features H. “Sonny” Shelton. He’s an archaeologist and faunal analysis specialist with the Dominquez Archaeological Research Group. His talk: "Where the Buffalo Roam." The Western Colorado Bison Project. This isn’t just about animals. It’s about what the land looked like before the town existed.

Mid-July, the focus shifts to people. Local authors Mayling Simpson and Paul Hebert share excerpts from "Drawn to the Mountain: Mid-Century Migrants to Steamboat Springs." They’re talking about the 1960s and ’70s. The influx. The changes. The people who came here when the town was still finding its footing.

July 24 turns to the ranchers. Jerry Schalnus joins friend Matt Tredway. They talk range life in the Yampa Valley. Real memories. Not the polished version you get from a brochure.

The series also digs into community institutions. July 31 covers the local P.E.O. Chapter. Founded in 1869. They’ve supported women through education and service for over a century. The talk highlights notable local women from the chapter’s past. It shows how today’s members are continuing that legacy.

August brings the bike industry. Kent Eriksen, a mountain bike pioneer, reflects on his decades here. He talks about recent changes. He talks about his role in the biking industry. This town didn’t just grow bikes. It helped define them.

August 14 is a milestone. "Foundations of Steamboat: Celebrating 25 Years." Curator Katie Adams leads the charge. She’s joined by descendants of pioneering families. They explore the early settlers. The enduring legacy. The families that built the infrastructure.

The penultimate session, August 21, features Tom Sharp. He’s been here 54 years. He shares stories of friends, events, and trends. He’s seen the town transform from a quiet ski town to a bustling destination. He was here for the shift.

The final event, August 28, looks back at education. Cheri Daschle discusses "Tales from the Old Junior High." She remembers the historic school building. The dedicated educators. Life in Steamboat during the 1950s and ’60s.

Read that again. The museum is archiving all of this. Digitally. For free. You can watch it on YouTube. You can listen later. The oral history isn’t just for the people in the room. It’s for anyone who wants to know what this place actually was.

The short version: The Brown Bag series is a vital record. It captures the voices of locals before they’re gone. It preserves the details that official histories often miss. It’s free. It’s local. It’s happening right now.

Don’t miss it. Go to steamboathistory.org for the full schedule. Bring a chair. Bring a sandwich. Listen.