Unique Chinese Pink Hanging popular Tassel Lamp

A Unique Chinese Pink Hanging Tassel Lamp measuring 32” long acquired from the Humphrey House Museum in Evergreen, Colorado.

Lee Humphrey was born at his grandfather's farm house in Jericho Center, Vermont in 1883. His ancestors came to New England from England in 1680. His newspaper career began early as he was editor-in-chief of his school newspaper at Edmonds High Schools. He moved to Colorado in 1911 with his first wife Blanche. She died of tuberculosis in 1914.

Lee was head of the copy desk at the Rocky Mountain News for 25 years and the Denver Post for 10 years. He was a newspaperman and according to the Rocky Mountain News, “never too hurried to be right and never too busy to be courteous and kind.” He even helped Mary Chase, author of Harvey, when she was a young reporter.

He too was known as the mountain area's first year round Denver commuter. An honor indeed as Evergreen did not become known as a commuter community until the 1950s. He drove a Model T, that he named Mary Ann, for two and a half hours daily to reach the copy desk in Denver. popular At the time of his death in 1946, the Rocky Mountain News estimated that he had driven over a half a million miles - just to get back to the home and family he loved.

Mr. Humphrey's wife, Hazel Lou, had a zest for life and a life long interest in civic affairs. She considered herself a red, white and blue pro-choice environmentalist Republican. She was active in the League of Women Voters and belonged to the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Society of Colonial Dames and was instrumental in organizing JCHS. In fact, in 1984 Hazel Lou was inducted into the prestigious Jefferson County Hall of Fame for her work in preservation. She was a vegetarian, an accomplished horsewoman and tended to a menagerie of animals at the Kinnikinnik Ranch including a nationally recognized herd of Toggenberg goats. Hazel Lou trained her horse Cheyenne to do 17 tricks. Cheyenne was with Hazel Lou for 27 years. Prior to Cheyenne, there had been family horses named Angel, Lady and Jean. After Buffalo Bill's death in 1917, Lee purchased Buffalo Bill's horse Whitey. The horse was spooked at the ranch and so was kept in Denver.

Hazel Lou was proud of her family heritage and it was her wish to dedicate the property as a park and museum in memory of her family. She left the property and family home to the Museum in her will. She had received National Register designation for the property in 1974 and had set up the non profit corporation, by laws and all. She was an amazing lady fondly remembered by many long time residents of Evergreen.