Colton>> On May 6, the Colton Area Museum presented the public with “A Taste of Colton”, an annual event designed to showcase the city history as well as some of its current events.
Despite the cold weather, residents of all ages were able to enjoy the event.
The event featured bouncy houses for the children, a score of history related museum activities and beer and diverse food options.
Nueva Musica, “Latin Fusion” also provided an opening performance on center state.
The event wasn’t just about the history of the City of Colton. It was also about remembering the works of Dr. Larry Sheffield, a prominent member of Colton.
Sheffield was a researcher who dedicated his life to the discovery of Colton’s history.
“Dr. Sheffield used to be president of the museum," said Mario Suarez, Colton City's Senior Planner. "He also has written various books on the history of Colton and many other areas. This [event] is in memory of him as well.”
The museum has dedicated a research area in Dr. Sheffield's memory.
While it’s true that “A Taste of Colton” was an event dedicated to the sharing of Colton’s history, the event was also very much about the community, as without them there would be no history.
The events at the museum were designed to help bring recognition to Colton’s history, while letting the community know about some of the many services provided by the museum.
The Colton Area Museum is home to several artifacts, all of whom are from prolific historical figures who at some point lived in Colton. The museum also contains maps detailing what the city used to look like.
The Colton Area museum contains several artifacts from historical figures that once resided in Colton. For example, antiques from the Earp family have been preserved and donated over the years. The museum also showcased a comparison of original landscapes and hometowns to modern day residential areas.
“A Taste of Colton” also served as a platform for representatives of South Colton to share a bit of their history.
A booth titled “Growing Up in South Colton” was set up at the event. The booth offered information on Colton culture during the 189o’s and 1960’s, a time when segregation and racial prejudices against Hispanics were common.
“Growing Up in Colton” organizers are currently working with CSUSB to help provide a detailed image of what life was really life back then.
“If you go through the displays [in the museum] you really see a lot of history of Colton but you really don’t see anything of South Colton,” said Suarez, “So we’ve recognized that and we want to make sure we include them, through the president Mike Murphy. One day we’ll have a nice area for South Colton.”
The 4th Annual Museum Day event was designed to bring light the City of Colton’s rich history. The museum is part of what preserves that history. The museum aims to help make Colton a thriving city.