COLORADO SOCIETY OF THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION RECORDS

Organized on July 4, 1896, the Colorado Society of the Sons of the American Revolution became the 33rd member of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Seeds of the national organization were planted in San Francisco, California, in 1875 with the first state society. After several other states established their own societies, the National Society formed in 1889. The Colorado Society held its first meeting in the store of Kelly and Westling, booksellers and stationers, at 727 16th Street, Denver.

By the end of its inaugural year, the Colorado Society had 47 members, and Joseph F. Tuttle as its president. At the end of its first decade, the Society boasted 195 "registered compatriots." In August 1906, Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Colorado Department of State.

In June 1907, the Colorado Society hosted the National Congress of the Sons of the American Revolution. This was the first time the national organization had held its annual congress in the West. Twenty-two states were represented by 96 delegates and three general officers.

In 1908, the Colorado Society numbered 234 members. That same year Colorado Springs applied to form a separate chapter with 25 members. Chapters were eventually created in Greeley (1908), Denver (1909), Ft. Collins (1911), Mesa County (1915), Grand Junction (1916), Pueblo (1916) and Longmont (1917). Many Society meetings were open to the public and attendance sometimes exceeded 500. The Colorado Society's membership peaked in 1921 with 344 members. Six years later, it had declined to 244 members. In 1956, members numbered 137 growing to 235 in 1984, with 1,414 cumulative members since the Society began. The roster of members had declined to 227 in 1996.