Charlotte Collie collection

Collection

Identifier: COU:367

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Charlotte Collie Collection contains an assortment of personal documents including the correspondence of the Collie/Bard family including letters to and from Charlotte’s brother Ned Collie, and grandfather, Dr. Richard Bard. The correspondences of friends, including a lengthy correspondence with Retta Scott Smith, make up another large part of the personal correspondence. Copies of Charlotte Collie’s personal diaries, and notes from the Chicago Art Institute and the University of Colorado are also included in these personal documents.

Included in this collection are documents related to Colorado history. These documents are mostly in the form of clippings, magazines and other publications that discuss a range of historical events concerning the University of Colorado and Boulder. The historical documents in this collection vary greatly and range from a collection of stamps from American Electrical Week in 1916 to documentation of the assassinations of Presidents John F. Kennedy and J. A. Garfield.

Another part of this collection consists of drawings and sketches done by Charlotte Collie including drawings done at the Chicago Art Institute as well as drawings of musicians in the Texas - Colorado Chautauqua Orchestra. Information, books and works of art pertaining to other artists are also included. These documents include art publications as well as clippings, and copies of works of other great artists.

The collection also holds documentation of the Collie family’s various trips in the western United States, Cuba and Mexico, as well as photographs of members of the Collie, Bard, and Neikirk families along with photos of other friends and artists. This collection’s oversized items are in a folder located in close proximity to the boxes.

In conclusion, this collection contains a wide array of memorabilia including a scrapbook, copies of magazines, diplomas, a Collie family photo album, and a box with lace and pearls. A copy of The Girl Graduate, Her Own Book, a gift of Mrs. Nolin to Charlotte Collie upon her graduation from CU is also included. The Boulder County Historical Society also owns a collection of material form Charlotte Collie. The material is currently housed in the Carnegie Branch of the Boulder Public Library.

Dates

1875 - 1906

Biographical Note

Charlotte Collie was born on June 2, 1884, in the Boulder County community of Sugar Loaf (later called Delphi and then Wallstreet). Charlotte’s grandfather, Dr. Richard Bard, and her uncle, Edward Bard came to Colorado in 1859 and helped establish the town of Valley City, now Empire. Dr. Bard and his son returned to Ohio the next year. In 1866, Dr. Bard moved his family to Boulder, where he died in 1880. Charlotte’s mother, Mary Bard Collie, was a teacher and her attitude towards education influenced Charlotte. Mary Bard was in a party that crossed Buchanan Pass in 1875; the collection includes a copy of her diary from that trip.

Charlotte’s father, Joseph Collie, was born in Scotland and was “in mining” in Sugar Loaf. After his death in 1886, Charlotte’s mother set up a boarding house of miners. In the later 1890’s, the Collie family moved to Boulder where Charlotte continued the education she had started in Delphi. One of her early teachers was Retta Scott and the collection includes letters from Retta Scott Smith to Charlotte.

After the Chautauqua opened in Boulder in 1898, Charlotte pursued her interest in art by taking lessons there. The collection includes sketches she made of the Chicago Orchestra when they performed at the Chautauqua. In June 1902, Charlotte graduated from the State Preparatory School in Boulder. The following fall, she entered the University of Colorado where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Charlotte graduated form the University as a member of the class of 1906.

For a year after her graduation from CU, Charlotte taught high school in Montrose. She then attended the Chicago Art Institute during the winter session of 1907-1908. The collection includes sketches and drawings from her student days at the Institute. Charlotte was not “prepared to starve” by trying to “survive from art” so she went back to teaching in Colorado. She taught for ten years (1908-1918) in Idaho Springs and from there went to Denver where she taught primary school art and social studies until her retirement. Charlotte never married; nor did her brother Ned. Charlotte Collie died in Denver on December 25, 1980.

The Boulder County Historical Society also owns a collection of material form Charlotte Collie. The material is currently housed in the Carnegie Branch of the Boulder Public Library.

Extent

6 linear feet (4 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This is a collection of memorabilia of Charlotte Collie and her family, including photos, diplomas, newspaper clippings, and articles. The granddaughter of Dr. Richard Bard of Boulder, Charlotte Collie was born in 1884 in the community of Sugar Loaf, later named Delphi and Wallstreet, Boulder County. An artist and teacher, Charlotte Collie graduated from the University of Colorado in 1906.