The Molly Brown House Museum has
been open to the public since 1970, when a group of concerned citizens saved it
from the threat of demolition. This dedicated group became the local non-profit
Historic Denver, Inc. After lovingly
restoring the home to its Victorian opulence, Historic Denver, Inc. has
continued to own and operate the museum for more than four decades.
For the past six years, I have had the opportunity and privilege to
volunteer for the Molly Brown House Museum.
I am passionate about Margaret’s “Molly’s” legacy, experiences, and the
strength and courage she exercised all of her life to make change and
difference in a time when women were to be
seen and not heard. I have also had
the honor to portray her character for the museum. I know these are big shoes to fill, but I try
to deliver the message as accurately as possible of her convictions, passions
and what she did to help others as she felt this was her duty in life.
Two names that are now virtually
synonymous in history are that of Margaret “Molly” Brown and the Titanic. The fateful sinking of this
famous luxury liner propelled Margaret Brown to international fame. As the
100th Anniversary of the April 14, 1912 sinking is approaching, the Molly Brown
House Museum will be hosting many Titanic-related
events to commemorate the tragedy. These events will coincide with national and
international Titanic happenings.
One major international event will be the Titanic
Memorial Cruise that will retrace the course of that fatal voyage leaving from
Southampton, England. The cruise will
stop to pay respect for those who perished with a memorial service at the exact
moment 100 years later that tragic night of April 14, 1912. I myself will be personally participating in
this experience. I have found this
catastrophic event to be both fascinating and mysterious. It still amazes me that this terrible tragedy
has still impacted and touched so many lives even today, as it had changed
Margaret Brown’s life forever.
Even 100 years later the RMS Titanic still
touches a deep chord in most people. It is an intensely powerful human drama of
excessive wealth, pride, foolishness, reliance on technology and ultimately, an
awful tragedy as over 1,500 souls drowned or slowly froze to death that
dreadful night. Much of the mystique of the Titanic is tied up in the
appalling loss of life on its maiden voyage of what was generally, and falsely
believed to be an "unsinkable" ship.
Since the tragedy, no one has ever called any ship "unsinkable” and
no vessel has ever been put to sea without more than enough lifeboats for every
soul aboard. Yet it is well known that
even that is “no guarantee” of safety.
This experience will become more of a reality when I
will have the opportunity to portray Margaret Brown with other fellow female Titanic passengers at the Meet the Women of the Titanic at the
Molly Brown House Museum on March 21, 2012.
Costumed interpreters will each be sharing their fateful experiences
aboard the Titanic from that fateful
night. Look for my blogs in the weeks to come when the fascination begins. I will be providing you with my experiences
as I “Chase Molly” on my journey. I hope
you too will continue your fascination of the Titanic and gain even more appreciation of the role that Margaret
Brown played in her time, a woman of adventure and generosity to all of those
survivors for the rest of her life. I know I will.
