Review by Jeff Francis

In 2000, nature-photographer John Fielder published the timely “Colorado 1870 – 2000.” For years afterward, the lavishly bound tome was displayed on the mantels and coffee tables of countless Colorado homes. How often the books were actually opened and looked at, though, is anyone’s guess.

While reading William Wei’s “Becoming Colorado: The Centennial State in 100 Objects,” the thought kept occurring to me: despite its humble paperback binding, THIS book should be the new fixture of Colorado living rooms—if for no other reason than “Becoming Colorado” will be opened and looked at.

“This book is … intended to be a popular history rather than a scholarly monograph,” Wei, a University of Colorado, Boulder professor, writes in the introduction. Good move, that. Based on the well-known “A History of the World in 100 Objects,” “Becoming Colorado” has a full-color photo of each item, and a one- to two-page description. This format makes for a book that can be read in any order, and with no time commitment, i.e., basically the ideal coffee-table book.

The History Colorado Center in Denver also has a companion exhibit titled Zoom In: The Centennial State in 100 objects.

It’s also a conversation starter. Take Object #79, a fragment from United Airlines Flight 629, which blew up in 1955 after a man packed his mother’s luggage with dynamite in an attempt to kill her for insurance money. All 44 people aboard died in what was the worst case of mass murder the country had ever seen. While reading this passage, a recent visitor to my home said she knew Longmont farmers on whose land the exploded plane rained down.

There are also surprises that might lead to further reading. “Becoming Colorado” includes many objects from the Indigenous Peoples of the area, and the timeframe of American history commonly called Old West. I was struck by Object #26, Colt and Remington revolvers from the mid-1800s used by the Espinosa brothers, Mexicans who had settled in the Colorado territory. After escalating violence between the family and the American government, the brothers carried out a campaign of terror against random white victims. The bloody saga ended with a bounty hunter claiming his reward by bringing in the brothers’ severed heads.

Of course, not all of “Becoming Colorado” is death and violence (although history has a way of emphasizing such topics). Consider Object #58, the opera cloak of ‘The Unsinkable’ Molly Brown, the famous Titanic survivor played by Kathy Bates in the movie. Or #86, the acoustic Yamaha of Mr. Rocky Mountain High himself, John Denver.

“Becoming Colorado” also shows the major events of the country—and the world—through the lens of the state. For example, multiple objects relate to World War II, such as artwork from a Japanese internment camp, a sign from a German POW camp, and a uniform from the storied “ski soldiers,” troops who trained in the Colorado mountains for winter warfare they later executed in Italy.

Expectedly, most eyes will drift to the more recent entries. Wei explains the 1970s connection between the Denver Broncos and the popular soda Orange Crush. He also documents the state’s immutable connection to beer, from the Coors empire to the ever-thriving microbrew scene—shown by taps from Wynkoop Brewing Company. And yes, even marijuana is invoked with Object #99, a water pipe (to anyone offended or embarrassed by Colorado’s association with marijuana, keep in mind that Object #97 is Crocs).

Wei brings an infectious enthusiasm to his subjects (err, objects), and his knowledge is vast. He seems equally adept writing about the 1960s Denver Chicano movement as the 1970s Bronco’s defense formation. “Becoming Colorado” is a manifestation of that enthusiasm. From what I could see online, not many people seem to know about it. That’s a shame, because “Becoming Colorado” is exactly the kind of book that would have a larger audience if more people knew it existed.