403: What Do Artifacts Explain About the History of the West?
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Guest
Paul Knowles has not followed a conventional path. Originally from Texas, he worked in Downtown Dallas as a financial advisor for the world’s largest private wealth manager. He then served as marketing director for a highly successful Colorado regional bank and later for one of the nation’s top real estate offices. However, it was after stepping away for a year and a half that Paul stumbled onto his true calling, and for the past ten years, he has been the Assistant Director of the Museum of Northwest Colorado, located in Craig, Colorado.
Summary
In this episode, I visit with Paul to explore Western history through various artifacts. From a massive dinosaur footprint recovered from a coal mine to a 1,700-year-old “burden basket” woven by the Indigenous people living in the area at the time, to the Winchester rifle, the first reliable repeating rifle, the museum reveals a layered history stretching from prehistoric swamps to the era of outlaw drama.
Paul challenges Hollywood’s myth of the violent, gun-slinging West, reframing firearms as tools of survival rather than symbols of chaos. Through objects like annotated copies of Charles Kelly’s The Outlaw Trail, prison-made spurs crafted by inmate John Cox, early Colorado brand books, and a letter referencing Butch Cassidy, we’ll encounter a West both harsher and more nuanced than legend suggests.
At center stage in the museum stands “Western Reflections,” the world’s largest watercolor, symbolizing remoteness, resilience, and the central importance of water to the region.
The painting measures 16’ x 10’, making it the largest watercolor in the world. The artist is Israel Holloway.
Ultimately, our conversation highlights the grit, interdependence, and adaptability required to survive in the historic West.
A key takeaway
Artifacts tell truer stories than myths; when we examine physical evidence, Hollywood’s caricature of the West gives way to a more human, complex reality.
Video Tour of the Museum
This video highlights the museum’s extensive collection of Western artifacts.
References / Links
https://museumnwco.org/
Show Credits
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