University of DenverPremieres February 27th at 7pm

Founded in 1864 by Colorado Territorial Governor John Evans, the University of Denver is the oldest institute of higher

education in Colorado. From Rufus “Potato” Clark and Henry August Buchtel to Woodstock West and the 2012 Presidential Debate on campus, Colorado Experience highlights the many colorful characters and milestones that have contributed to the university’s 150 year legacy.

U.S. Air Force AcademyPremieres April 3 at 7pm

Uncover the secrets of the United States Air Force Academy with a look at the significant events, landmarks

and accomplishments over the last 60 years. Established in 1954, the Jewel of the Rockies was charged with producing “lieutenants for our Air Force and Leaders for our Nation.” Discover the unique architecture of the campus; celebrate the athleticism and academic dedication of its students; and relive the Academy’s struggles and successes during this Colorado Experience retrospective.

The Manassa MaulerPremieres October 2 at 7pm

Before he was the World Heavyweight Champion and a cultural icon of 1920s, William Harrison Dempsey

spent his youth as a miner, cowboy, and farmhand in the Rocky Mountain Region. A native of Manassa, Colorado, Dempsey was born to poor Mormon parents who travelled throughout Colorado and Utah looking for work wherever they could find it. Robust and powerful, Dempsey demonstrated a talent for fighting, and, embarked on a career as a professional boxer as “Jack” Dempsey. Colorado Experience spotlights the early roots of one of the state’s most renowned native sons, Jack Dempsey, the Manassa Mauler.

The DustbowlPremieres October 9 at 7pm

The Dust Bowl was a dark and dreary time for many Coloradans. Between 1862 and 1934, the federal government

granted 1.6 million homesteads to Americans under the Homesteading Act of 1862. This Colorado Experience episode follows one Colorado family who moved west, hoping to reap the benefits of the farming boom. Their luck changes as they find themselves in the middle of one of the largest environmental disasters to hit the plains.

Colorado’s Cold WarPremieres October 16 at 7pm

In 1951, the early days of the Cold War, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission announced the construction of a new facility

in Arvada. The Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant manufactured the plutonium “trigger” used in every nuclear weapon created in the United States. For the next several decades, Rocky Flats was a major stimulus to the local economy, but also a source of increasing controversy. Reports of radioactive contamination affecting the local environment and the truth about what was really going on at Rocky Flats began to trickle out. Colorado’s Cold War explores the legacy of Rocky Flats, and the local impact of a global conflict.

Pope John Paul IIPremieres October 23 at 7pm

750,000 participants from 72 countries convened in Denver in the summer of 1993 for the World Youth Day Conference and a visit

from the Pope. Organizers feared the gang activity of the notorious “Summer of Violence” would scare away visitors, and yet for those 5 and half days, all violence ceased. This episode of Colorado Experiences examines the largest gathering in Colorado history. Archival photographs, footage and modern-day interviews track the historic visit of Pope John Paul II, the Catholic Church’s revered leader.

Season 2

Living West: WaterPremieres October 30 at 7pm

What happened to the Ancient Puebloans of Mesa Verde and Crow Canyon? After settling in Southwest Colorado for

over 700 years, they suddenly abandoned their cliff dwellings, leaving behind a variety of archeological treasures. Historians and archaeologists discuss the possibility that this drastic move might have been due to a devastating drought in the Southwest region. Discover the similarities in conditions and what the disappearance of water might mean for our state today.

NORADPremieres November 13 at 7pm

The Peterson Air Force Base, located south of Colorado Springs, has served as the command center for The North

American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) since the late 1950s. Colorado Experiences goes inside this top-secret headquarters for a view few have ever had. Discover the secrets of NORAD and all that they do to protect the United States and Canada.

The Smaldones: Family of CrimePremieres November 20 at 7pm

Colorado Experience examines one of the lesser-known chapters in American organized

crime: the story of the Smaldones, an Italian-American crime family that operated out of Denver. Brothers Clyde, Eugene, and Clarence took control of Denver’s underworld in 1933, after then-crime boss Joe Roma’s body was found riddled with bullets in his home. They specialized in bootlegging and bookmaking, operating a gambling ring out of the upstairs of their family owned restaurant, Gaetano’s. To some, they were saints who took care of their community and provided food for poor families; to others, they were ruthless criminals.

Sand Creek MassacrePremieres November 27 at 7pm

What would lead approximately 675 volunteer soldiers to attack a peaceful settlement of Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians

in southeastern Colorado Territory? On November 29, 1864, Colonel John Chivington led a group to do just that, resulting in the deaths of over one hundred men, women and children. This episode revisits the horrific events and uncovers the history 150 years later.

1968Premieres December 18 at 7pm

1968 was a pivotal year in American history: the Vietnam War hit its peak, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated

and riots shook the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. At home in Colorado, it marked the birth of the Chicano Movement. These pivotal times brought political activist Corky Gonzalez to the forefront as an early pioneer of equal rights for Mexican Americans. Colorado Experience relives the rise of a movement.

Jewish PioneersPremieres January 8 at 7pm

Without the innovative thinking of Otto Mears, Southwest Colorado may still be a vast maze of dirt roads and windy

passes. Mears, the “Pathfinder of the San Juans,” was one of many Jewish Coloradans who left a mark on the state. From the philanthropists behind National Jewish Hospital for Consumptives, to the father of Denver theater, this episode discovers the significant achievements and history-making advancements by Colorado’s Jewish population.

Hydro PowerPremieres January 15 at 7pm

Colorado Experience takes a refreshing look at the power so easily taken for granted. Looking back to 1891, this

episode shows how a lack of timber fuel threatened mining operations in Telluride. Cue L.L. Nunn. This Colorado pioneer financed Ames Hydroelectric Generating Plant, the first in the world to generate alternating current electric power for industrial application. Thanks to this historic milestone, Telluride’s Gold King Mine remained open and hydroelectric plants soon popped up across the United States and the world.