The Black American West Museum
The historic Dr. Justina L. Ford House
Located in the Five Points Historic District ~ Denver
Photo taken by HauntedColorado.net- April 12, 2008
Photo of Dr. Ford from: www.durangoherald.com/arts_entertainment/images/ae060919_2c.jpg
Hauntings of the museum:
Although Justina died in this home in 1952 at the age of 81; it is strongly believed that her spirit still resides here.
There are many ghost stories of the museum. La Wanna Larson, the Executive Director of the museum, has many true ghost
stories to tell.
One that is quite fascinating occurred during a recent scavenger hunt at the museum. La Wanna's 6-year old daughter,
Elizabeth, was upstairs trying to find items for her scavenger list. La Wanna heard her daughter talking to someone.
"Will you help me find this?" La Wanna heard her daughter say.
When La Wanna came upstairs and found her daughter, there was no one else upstairs. Her daughter was alone.
Her daughter told her that she was talking to the nice lady, pronouncing her name "Tustina."
Evidently, Justina had actually taken Elizabeth by the hand and helped her on her scavenger hunt.
While my boyfriend, my friend Donna and I were visiting the museum in April, Donna was up on the top floor by herself.
She was looking at some of the cowboy exhibits when she distinctly heard a noise as if someone was in the next room.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow passing by in that room. And that was before Donna knew anything
about the museum being haunted!
Take a tour of the museum yourself and see if you spot the spirit of Justina!
La Wanna and her husband are so wonderful and gracious. Possibly two of the nicest people that I have ever met. They will
show you around the museum, and answer any questions that you may have. You can not only learn about the fascinating
history of African Americans, their great contributions, and the West; but you can also hear true ghost stories of the museum!
In the future, La Wanna is throwing around the idea of possibly hosting historic ghost tours of Five Points!
About Justina:
From Knoxville, a small town a few miles east of Galesburg, Illinois Justina Laurena Ford nee Warren grew up in
Galesburg. Her interest in the practice of medicine was apparently cultivated at a young age. She graduated from Herring
Medical College in Chicago in 1899. She first practiced in Normal, Alabama, but soon moved to Denver, Colorado.
Throughout her career, Dr. Ford faced the obstacles of being both African American and a woman in a profession that much
of society felt belonged to white males. She was the first Black woman physician licensed to practice medicine in Colorado.
As a doctor breaking down barriers for Blacks and women, Ford also worked as a humanitarian: her expertise in
gynecology, obstetrics, and pediatrics was often provided to low-income and indigent people of all races. She delivered over
7000 babies during her distinguished practice of more than 50 years; she became affectionately known as the “Lady Doctor.”
Ford received numerous awards; her legacy lives through the Black America West Museum and Heritage Center, the Dr.
Justina Ford Medical Society, and the Ford-Warren Library.
The Colorado Medical Society, which denied Ford membership until 1950, passed a resolution in 1989 honoring her
posthumously “as an outstanding figure in the development and furtherance of health care in Colorado.” Justina Laurena
Carter Ford died in 1952.
Reference: Black Women in America An Historical Encyclopedia - Volumes 1 and 2, edited by Darlene Clark Hine
Copyright 1993, Carlson Publishing Inc., Brooklyn, New York - ISBN 0-926019-61-9
www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/1506/Justina_Ford_doctor_and_humanitarian
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(b. Illinois 1871-d. 1952; b. Fairmount Cemetery)
Justina Laurena Warren was born in 1871 in Knoxville, a small town a few miles east of Galesburg, Illinois. She grew up in
Galesburg. Her interest in the practice of medicine was inspired by her mother, who was a nurse.
She graduated from Hering Medical College in Chicago in 1899. She first practiced in Normal, Alabama, but soon moved to
Denver, Colorado. Throughout her career, Dr. Ford faced the obstacles of being both African American and a woman in a
profession that much of society felt belonged to white males. "The Lady Doctor" persevered and served a needy segment of
society — the disadvantaged and underprivileged of all races. Dr. Ford estimated that she had delivered more than 7,000
babies.
Eventually, Dr. Ford was allowed to practice at Denver General Hospital and admitted to the Denver and the Colorado
Medical Societies. However, by 1950, she was still the only physician in Colorado to be both African American and female.
Her husband, Rev. John L. Ford, was a minister at Denver's Zion Baptist Church.
Denver’s Ford-Warren Branch Library was named in her honor. Ford's former Denver home is now the Black American
West Museum and Heritage Center, located at 3901 California Street at the end of RTD's downtown light rail line.
www.denvergov.org/aboutdenver/history_char_justinaford.asp
About the museum:
Howdy! Welcome to the Black American West Museum! Founded in 1971 by Paul W. Stewart, the Museum is dedicated to
collecting, preserving and disseminating the contributions of Blacks in the Old West.
While famous for telling the story of Black cowboys, we are broader than this with interests in the stories of all those early
Blacks who came west and performed as miners, soldiers, homesteaders, ranchers, blacksmiths, schoolteachers, lawmen,
and every other profession needed to build up the West. In fact, the Museum itself is in the home of Dr. Justina Ford,
Colorado's first Black woman doctor!
Our Museum is broken into many diverse exhibits such as our homestead exhibit. This exhibit is primarily dedicated to the
town of Dearfield, Colorado. Dearfield was a Black pioneer town founded by O.T. Jackson in 1910 just east of Greeley,
Colorado. It was a bustling town of approximately 500 residents founded on the principles of Booker T. Washington. It was
successful until the 1930s when depression, drought and dust storms forced most of the residents back to the cities. In the
early 1940s, the town dwindled to about a dozen full time residents and finally ended shortly thereafter. The town is now a
ghost town and the Museum owns approximately 23 of the city lots.
In the Cowboy exhibit, there are many items and photographs from famous and not-so-famous Black cowboys. See saddles,
spurs, hats, chaps, boots and other cowboy necessities from many of these cowboys. Learn how each of these daily tools of
the Black cowboy were used and valued. Did you know that 1 in 3 cowboys were Black?
In the military exhibits, you will see the story of the Buffalo Soldiers. These were the Black military units, both cavalry and
infantry, and their stories which were very important to settling of West and beyond. Also, learn about the Tuskegee airmen
and their heroics during World War II in their support of our winning war effort. In addition to many photographs and timelines,
we have uniforms, saddles, weapons and additional tools of the soldier of the West.
When you have finished with the exhibits of the Museum, visit our hall of education and catch an old Western movie starring
Herbert Jeffries, a singing Black cowboy from the 1930s. Or perhaps, you would like to learn more about Dearfield, Colorado?
We have the answer in a short (30 minute) video which is both entertaining and educational. We also have many other
documentaries on the Black West.
Finally, come on back upstairs to our bookstore and browse the many titles that we have on hand about the Old West and
the many Blacks that helped build it. If we are not too busy, our docents can talk with you at length about any questions you
might have, sign you up for a membership, or just listen to anything that might be on your mind. You see we still believe in
Western hospitality!
www.blackamericanwestmuseum.com/AboutUs.html
Black American West Museum
3091 California Street, Denver
(303) 292-2566
www.blackamericanwestmuseum.com
Executive Director: La Wanna Larson: lawannalarson@aol.com
Membership:
Join the museum and help preserve Justina's legacy!
You'll benefit from membership in the Black American West Museum! As a member, you'll enjoy:
Free admission to the musuem!
Invitations to Member's previews and other special events!
10% discount at the Museum Gift Shop!
Reduced fees for Museum programs!
Membership fees are 100% tax-deductible!
Types of Memberships:
Individual $30.00
Family $50.00
Friend $75.00
Supporter $100.00
Pioneer $500.00
Patron $1,000.00 (call for additional benefits)
Corporate $5,000.00 (call for additional benefits)
You can also charge your membership online!
If you would rather mail or phone in your membership!
Please mail your check to BAWM, 3091 California Street, Denver, Colorado 80205. And include type of membership, your
name, address, date, and phone.
If you would like to charge your membership, please call us at 303-292-2566.
Back to Home Page
The historic Dr. Justina L. Ford House
Located in the Five Points Historic District ~ Denver
Photo taken by HauntedColorado.net- April 12, 2008
Photo of Dr. Ford from: www.durangoherald.com/arts_entertainment/images/ae060919_2c.jpg
Hauntings of the museum:
Although Justina died in this home in 1952 at the age of 81; it is strongly believed that her spirit still resides here.
There are many ghost stories of the museum. La Wanna Larson, the Executive Director of the museum, has many true ghost
stories to tell.
One that is quite fascinating occurred during a recent scavenger hunt at the museum. La Wanna's 6-year old daughter,
Elizabeth, was upstairs trying to find items for her scavenger list. La Wanna heard her daughter talking to someone.
"Will you help me find this?" La Wanna heard her daughter say.
When La Wanna came upstairs and found her daughter, there was no one else upstairs. Her daughter was alone.
Her daughter told her that she was talking to the nice lady, pronouncing her name "Tustina."
Evidently, Justina had actually taken Elizabeth by the hand and helped her on her scavenger hunt.
While my boyfriend, my friend Donna and I were visiting the museum in April, Donna was up on the top floor by herself.
She was looking at some of the cowboy exhibits when she distinctly heard a noise as if someone was in the next room.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow passing by in that room. And that was before Donna knew anything
about the museum being haunted!
Take a tour of the museum yourself and see if you spot the spirit of Justina!
La Wanna and her husband are so wonderful and gracious. Possibly two of the nicest people that I have ever met. They will
show you around the museum, and answer any questions that you may have. You can not only learn about the fascinating
history of African Americans, their great contributions, and the West; but you can also hear true ghost stories of the museum!
In the future, La Wanna is throwing around the idea of possibly hosting historic ghost tours of Five Points!
About Justina:
From Knoxville, a small town a few miles east of Galesburg, Illinois Justina Laurena Ford nee Warren grew up in
Galesburg. Her interest in the practice of medicine was apparently cultivated at a young age. She graduated from Herring
Medical College in Chicago in 1899. She first practiced in Normal, Alabama, but soon moved to Denver, Colorado.
Throughout her career, Dr. Ford faced the obstacles of being both African American and a woman in a profession that much
of society felt belonged to white males. She was the first Black woman physician licensed to practice medicine in Colorado.
As a doctor breaking down barriers for Blacks and women, Ford also worked as a humanitarian: her expertise in
gynecology, obstetrics, and pediatrics was often provided to low-income and indigent people of all races. She delivered over
7000 babies during her distinguished practice of more than 50 years; she became affectionately known as the “Lady Doctor.”
Ford received numerous awards; her legacy lives through the Black America West Museum and Heritage Center, the Dr.
Justina Ford Medical Society, and the Ford-Warren Library.
The Colorado Medical Society, which denied Ford membership until 1950, passed a resolution in 1989 honoring her
posthumously “as an outstanding figure in the development and furtherance of health care in Colorado.” Justina Laurena
Carter Ford died in 1952.
Reference: Black Women in America An Historical Encyclopedia - Volumes 1 and 2, edited by Darlene Clark Hine
Copyright 1993, Carlson Publishing Inc., Brooklyn, New York - ISBN 0-926019-61-9
www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/1506/Justina_Ford_doctor_and_humanitarian
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(b. Illinois 1871-d. 1952; b. Fairmount Cemetery)
Justina Laurena Warren was born in 1871 in Knoxville, a small town a few miles east of Galesburg, Illinois. She grew up in
Galesburg. Her interest in the practice of medicine was inspired by her mother, who was a nurse.
She graduated from Hering Medical College in Chicago in 1899. She first practiced in Normal, Alabama, but soon moved to
Denver, Colorado. Throughout her career, Dr. Ford faced the obstacles of being both African American and a woman in a
profession that much of society felt belonged to white males. "The Lady Doctor" persevered and served a needy segment of
society — the disadvantaged and underprivileged of all races. Dr. Ford estimated that she had delivered more than 7,000
babies.
Eventually, Dr. Ford was allowed to practice at Denver General Hospital and admitted to the Denver and the Colorado
Medical Societies. However, by 1950, she was still the only physician in Colorado to be both African American and female.
Her husband, Rev. John L. Ford, was a minister at Denver's Zion Baptist Church.
Denver’s Ford-Warren Branch Library was named in her honor. Ford's former Denver home is now the Black American
West Museum and Heritage Center, located at 3901 California Street at the end of RTD's downtown light rail line.
www.denvergov.org/aboutdenver/history_char_justinaford.asp
About the museum:
Howdy! Welcome to the Black American West Museum! Founded in 1971 by Paul W. Stewart, the Museum is dedicated to
collecting, preserving and disseminating the contributions of Blacks in the Old West.
While famous for telling the story of Black cowboys, we are broader than this with interests in the stories of all those early
Blacks who came west and performed as miners, soldiers, homesteaders, ranchers, blacksmiths, schoolteachers, lawmen,
and every other profession needed to build up the West. In fact, the Museum itself is in the home of Dr. Justina Ford,
Colorado's first Black woman doctor!
Our Museum is broken into many diverse exhibits such as our homestead exhibit. This exhibit is primarily dedicated to the
town of Dearfield, Colorado. Dearfield was a Black pioneer town founded by O.T. Jackson in 1910 just east of Greeley,
Colorado. It was a bustling town of approximately 500 residents founded on the principles of Booker T. Washington. It was
successful until the 1930s when depression, drought and dust storms forced most of the residents back to the cities. In the
early 1940s, the town dwindled to about a dozen full time residents and finally ended shortly thereafter. The town is now a
ghost town and the Museum owns approximately 23 of the city lots.
In the Cowboy exhibit, there are many items and photographs from famous and not-so-famous Black cowboys. See saddles,
spurs, hats, chaps, boots and other cowboy necessities from many of these cowboys. Learn how each of these daily tools of
the Black cowboy were used and valued. Did you know that 1 in 3 cowboys were Black?
In the military exhibits, you will see the story of the Buffalo Soldiers. These were the Black military units, both cavalry and
infantry, and their stories which were very important to settling of West and beyond. Also, learn about the Tuskegee airmen
and their heroics during World War II in their support of our winning war effort. In addition to many photographs and timelines,
we have uniforms, saddles, weapons and additional tools of the soldier of the West.
When you have finished with the exhibits of the Museum, visit our hall of education and catch an old Western movie starring
Herbert Jeffries, a singing Black cowboy from the 1930s. Or perhaps, you would like to learn more about Dearfield, Colorado?
We have the answer in a short (30 minute) video which is both entertaining and educational. We also have many other
documentaries on the Black West.
Finally, come on back upstairs to our bookstore and browse the many titles that we have on hand about the Old West and
the many Blacks that helped build it. If we are not too busy, our docents can talk with you at length about any questions you
might have, sign you up for a membership, or just listen to anything that might be on your mind. You see we still believe in
Western hospitality!
www.blackamericanwestmuseum.com/AboutUs.html
Black American West Museum
3091 California Street, Denver
(303) 292-2566
www.blackamericanwestmuseum.com
Executive Director: La Wanna Larson: lawannalarson@aol.com
Membership:
Join the museum and help preserve Justina's legacy!
You'll benefit from membership in the Black American West Museum! As a member, you'll enjoy:
Free admission to the musuem!
Invitations to Member's previews and other special events!
10% discount at the Museum Gift Shop!
Reduced fees for Museum programs!
Membership fees are 100% tax-deductible!
Types of Memberships:
Individual $30.00
Family $50.00
Friend $75.00
Supporter $100.00
Pioneer $500.00
Patron $1,000.00 (call for additional benefits)
Corporate $5,000.00 (call for additional benefits)
You can also charge your membership online!
If you would rather mail or phone in your membership!
Please mail your check to BAWM, 3091 California Street, Denver, Colorado 80205. And include type of membership, your
name, address, date, and phone.
If you would like to charge your membership, please call us at 303-292-2566.
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