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“Girl Daredevil Floats to Earth” read the headline of the Denver Post on May 16, 1927. Plucky Lou Ella Purkaple, a 19-year-old telephone plug operator, made the news by being the first Colorado woman parachute jumper, diving 3,000 feet above a crowd of 60,000 spectators. As she plummeted to the ground, a buckle on her parachute broke. The quick-thinking Purkaple grabbed the loose rope, righted the parachute, and glided to earth, careful not to alight on a cactus patch. Upon landing, she quipped “Where’s my powder puff?” Up to the time of her maiden voyage, she said the most startling thing she had done was dance the “Black Bottom.” After her thrilling stunt, Lou Ella went back to working the plugs in the Gallup exchange of the Mountain States Telephone Company.![]()
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I learned about “Plucky Purkey” when a patron contacted History Colorado’s Research Center looking for photographs of her great-grandmother, the very same Lou Ella Purkaple (her name also listed as Louella Perkable). Given the sensational nature of Lou Ella’s feat of derring-do, it was well covered in the Rocky Mountain News. In the collection at History Colorado, we have copies of the photos printed in the newspaper, including one taken by a photographer from another plane as she parachuted over East 52nd Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. Connecting this remarkable young woman with her great-granddaughter nearly 100 years later is a highlight of my work as an Archives Collections Specialist at History Colorado. Maybe you’ve got a daredevil in your family? Check out the History Colorado Online Collection or contact us at COSearch@state.co.us. May we all be so plucky!
Established in 1914 in Steamboat Springs by Charlotte Perry and Portia Mansfield, the Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp is the oldest continuously operating performing arts school and camp in the country. Founded with the goal of creating a dance facility that incorporates the natural surroundings into their teachings and performances, it’s frequently credited as the birthplace of modern dance and a creative haven for influential dance and theater pioneers. It boasts famous alumni such as Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Biel, and Corey Hawkins (from the film BlacKkKlansman). The camp’s reputation is as strong as ever—just this month, the Research Center has already fielded four inquiries requesting access to items in History Colorado’s Perry-Mansfield Collection, including an international request from Finland.![]()
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perry-mansfield.org
Discover Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Explore our rich history, vibrant programs, and unique arts education opportunities for students of all ages.