Donor Spotlight: Clock Tower Society - CSPM
Dr. Maccracken showing Sam Eppley, Christine Eppley, and Barb Winter a fern plant fossil.

Donor Spotlight: Clock Tower Society

Diane Barber Stine, Development Director

The Clock Tower Society is a special group of individuals and families who are passionate about the history and culture of the Pikes Peak Region. They support the CSPM’s ambitious goals to ignite curiosity and inspire discovery by donating sustaining gifts of $1,000 or more to the institution.  A benefit of this group is the opportunity to go behind the scenes and explore our community’s history throughout the year. 

Behind-the-Scenes Events

Clock Tower Society were invited for a preview of the new Making Memories Downtown History Stroll. Members explored downtown Colorado Springs with CSPM Program Coordinator, Meg Yevara.
Members celebrated National BBQ Day with Chef Brother Luck and James Beard Foundation Award Winner Adrian Miller at Four by Brother Luck. Members enjoyed a five-course curated meal inspired by the history of BBQ.
Charles Ochs, one of the owners of the historic former Denver & Rio Grande Train Depot, gave a unique tour of the building and shared about this exciting revitalization project.

Corral Bluffs Hiking Tour

In September, the Clock Tower Society went on a hiking tour at Corral Bluffs Open Space east of Colorado Springs. The tour was led by Denver Museum Nature and Science (DMNS) Team Dr. Tyler Lyson and Dr. Gussie Maccracken. These scientists are leading research based on extraordinary fossil discoveries in the open space. The CSPM collaborates with DMNS and shares this story in COS@150. 

Corral Bluffs

In 2016 an egg-shaped concretion like this one led to a scientific breakthrough. As Denver Museum of Nature and Science’s Dr. Tyler Lyson stated, “The course of life on Earth changed radically on a single day 66 million years ago. Blasting our planet, an asteroid triggered the extinction of three of every four kinds of living organisms. While it was a really bad time for life on Earth, some things survived, including some of our earliest, earliest ancestors.” The key to unlocking the discovery involved a team of scientists, and their realization, “a real light bulb moment,” that fossils in these concretions tell the story about how life survived after the asteroid. They “…tell us about our journey as a species – how we got to be here.”
Learn More in the COS@150 Exhibit

Although the day was chilly and foggy, our group was eager to go out in the field. The DMNS Team provided a unique, interactive experience for the group. Clock Tower Society members learned about this partnership between the paleontologists and the City of Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department. The group hiked to a location to search for plant fossils. Members found several interesting specimens during the visit.  Some of the group hiked further with Dr. Tyler Lyson to look for vertebrate fossils. 

Rise of the Mammals

Watch the NOVA PBS episode "Rise of the Mammals" to learn more about how these amazing fossils reveal how mammals took over after an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs.
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Special behind-the-scenes experiences like this for the group to further connect with our community’s history. It is one of the many benefits of the Clock Tower Society. Interested in learning more? Visit our website to learn more and join today at www.cspm.org/support/clock-tower-society. 

Join the Clock Tower Society!

Starting at $1,000 (or $84 a month), you can join this special group and receive initiations to these special experiences.
Join Today