Donated to History Colorado by Elaine Mabel Hodges Harvey, daughter of Joseph Gilluly Hodges and Marilyn Hodges Wilmerding (daughter of William V. Hodges Jr.).
The crown belonged to Mabel E. Gilluly who was crowned "Queen of the Slaves of the Silver Serpent," a secret fraternal organization, on September 26, 1899 as part of the Festival of Mountain and Plain. The Festival of Mountain Plain was an annual celebration of pioneer days in the Old West held in early fall in Denver was established in 1895 as a carnival similar to New Orleans' Mardi Gras. The festival was created to boost the city's morale and vitality following the silver panic. After declining attendance, the event folded in 1902 when organizers were unable to obtain financial support. The event featured a parade and rodeo. It was a regional celebration and drew pioneers from throughout the West, many of whom had participated in the events. The event included four great parades: first, a pageant of western history; second, a masked parade; and, on the third day "a military and social parade, ending with a fake battle at City Park, and in the evening the parade of the Claves of the Silver Serpent.
The Gilluly and Hodges family was deeply involved with Denver's history and growth of business and enterprise. (For more information, please see attached files)