Denver Archives

Congress has restored funding of appropriated activities, and the National Archives has begun to restore normal operations. We are working to open to the public as soon as possible. Please check our website for updates.

We’re sorry, but we will not be able to post updates to our social media channels during the government shutdown. All National Archives events– virtual or in person– are canceled until further notice. We will be unable to reply to messages or emails until the government reopens.

Congress has restored funding of appropriated activities, and the National Archives has begun to restore normal operations. We are working to open to the public as soon as possible. Please check archives.gov for updates.

We’re sorry, but we will not be able to post updates to our social media channels during the government shutdown. All National Archives events–virtual or in person–are canceled until further notice. We will be unable to reply to messages or emails until the government reopens.

#OTD 236 years ago the U.S. Post Office Act of 1789 was signed into law, creating the @USPS! In this 1975 @usbr photograph we see “Skook” whom the Ledger, Montana postmaster rode the five miles from his ranch to work

#OTD President Roosevelt established the first National Monument, Wyoming’s Devils Tower! Seen here topographically and photographically, these records come from a 1909 @forestservice report on the monument’s boundaries

A. H. Mendris, Irrigation Engineer from Ceylon Island (now Sri Lanka) participates in the time-honored tradition of #autumn apple picking at an orchard near Long Lake Dam in eastern Washington, 1948. Photo found in our photographs series here; catalog.archives.gov/id/2525008

We're sweating it out for #NationalDanceDay by way of our Youth Conservation Corps photos from RG 115! This 1978 YCC cohort was hosted at @AngeloState. Featured photos are from a group sock hop and “Happy Days" celebration.

Today’s post has a hook! Denver-made Eagle Claw fishing hooks are celebrating their 100th birthday and we have some in our holdings! Due to a line shortage during WWII, the company wrote the Office of Price Administration an adjustment to charge more for silkworm gut.

On #UncleSamDay we share the Uncle Sam Chemical Company’s “wonder” products featuring the iconic figure from our @usbr holdings. An interesting use for the image of Sam Wilson, the man behind the goatee & the inspiration for the United States government’s nickname.

#NationalTeddyBearDay?! How about a stuffy of our FAVORITE bear? We like one of these stuffed Smokey Bear dolls we found in a 1964 @forestservice file!

Raise a mug to #NationalBeerLoversDay! Mountains and beer seem to go together, as @CoorsBanquet showed with this 1952 float they had during the @usbr's Bonny Dam Dedication Parade in Burlington, Colorado!

For #NationalGolfMonth we head down to the @AFAcademy back in 1973 when a second golf course was being planned on campus! Today known as the silver course to the original blue course, the construction records can today be found in our holdings!

For #NationalHoneybeeDay we have this BEE-autiful letterhead found in our Office of Price Administration holdings, sent into the agency by the Hansen Bee Honey Company of Lewiston Idaho!

Today marks National Navajo Code Talker Day! Here is the service record booklet cover for one such Marine - John Werito, his Navajo tribal affiliation lettered across the page. Learn more about his life and times in our recent YouTube talk! youtube.com/watch?v=eTHBZc…

#OTD 83 years ago the first Disney film to premiere abroad was shown in London - Bambi, “A Great Love Story” The film was advertised on a film distributor’s letterhead sent to the Shiprock Boarding school about a film loan, and today found in our Northern Navajo Agency holdings.

Sometimes the federal records we hold show us a side of workers not often captured - case in point, Dr. Virgil Milo Pinkley's recipes! Learn more in this Text Message blog entry about the records and how we actually made of his recipes last winter! text-message.blogs.archives.gov/2025/06/10/doc…

Why did the hot dog vendor quit his job? Because he just didn't relish it! He also got sued for breach of contract, fraud, and a host of other grievances as seen in this civil case found in our RG 21, Colorado US District Court holdings! #NationalHotDogMonth

#OTD the Korean Armistice Agreement brought an end to the US involvement in the bloody conflict. Tens of thousands of Americans gave their lives, including PFC Phillip Lewis (Pueblo of Laguna), seen here smiling in a pic from his Albuquerque Indian School file.

In one case it was an educational angle. Others provide history lessons. And yet in others – pure fantastical entertainment. In this blog we explore examples of plays put on by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, fragments of which can be found in our holdings! text-message.blogs.archives.gov/2025/06/05/pir…