Katrina Wolf Murat facts for kids
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Katrina Wolf Murat (born August 20, 1824 – died March 13, 1910) was an important American pioneer. She was born in Germany. Katrina was the first European woman to live in Denver, Colorado. She also made the very first United States flag in Colorado.
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Early Life and Journeys
Katrina Wolf was born in Heidelsheim, Baden, Germany, on August 20, 1824. Her father was a German winemaker or innkeeper.
There are different stories about how Katrina came to the United States. One story says she married a wealthy German man and came to America in 1848. After he passed away, she married "Count" Henry Murat. Another story says she first married Mr. Stolsenberger. After he died, she met Henri, a dentist, in San Francisco in 1854. They got married and traveled to Europe.
Some accounts say Henri claimed his uncle was Joachim Murat, a famous French general. Henri and Katrina married and sailed to the U.S. in 1848.
Adventures as Countess Murat
Soon after their marriage, Katrina and Henri, known as Count and Countess Murat, went on a honeymoon in Europe. While there, they bought a red merino petticoat. This piece of clothing would later become very important!
The Murats joined the Pike's Peak Gold Rush, a time when many people moved west to find gold. They settled in Colorado around 1848. They traveled to many mining camps in California, Montana, and Nevada. People often moved quickly from one camp to another when they heard rumors of gold. They usually traveled in "prairie schooners," which were covered wagons pulled by oxen.
The Murats also visited Europe again for two years. They traveled from Colorado to New Orleans, then by ship to New York City and Le Havre, France. In 1858, they returned to Colorado. The next year, they owned the Eldorado Hotel in Auraria, Denver for three months. After that, they moved to the Denver side of Cherry Creek. There, they ran a bakery, a barbershop, and a laundry. Henri also worked as a barber, dentist, and gambler.
Making the First Colorado Flag
Katrina Murat was asked to make the first American flag for Colorado. She used her skills to create this important symbol. The flag was raised on a 50-foot flagpole at the Eldorado Hotel on May 1, 1859. Sadly, it was stolen just four days later.
After this, the Murats traveled to California on horseback. They returned to Denver with a lot of money, more than $50,000, in a stagecoach. They bought a saloon called Criterion Hall. In 1863, they left Colorado again for Virginia City, Nevada, where they opened the Continental Restaurant. They made other trips to Europe and California. Later in life, they settled in Palmer Lake, Colorado. Their money started to run out after 1876, and Katrina divorced Henri in 1881.
Later Life and Legacy
After her divorce, Katrina Murat became a washerwoman. She also took in summer boarders to earn money. With her own earnings, she built a small, white cottage in Palmer Lake's Glen Park. This was her last home. For her last nineteen years, she received $10 a month from the Pioneer Ladies Aid Society. By 1900, she had developed rheumatism, which causes joint pain, and erysipelas, a skin infection. The town of Palmer Lake provided her with free water.
Katrina Murat was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She passed away on March 13, 1910. She was buried near Henri in Riverside Cemetery. To remember her contributions, a large stone made of silver plume granite was placed on her grave. It reads: "In memory of the maker of the first United States Flag in Colorado, Katrina Wolf Murat 1824–1910, Erected by Denver Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution."
The First United States Flag in Colorado
In the winter of 1858–1859, Katrina Murat made the first U.S. flag in Colorado. She was helped by Wapolah, a Sioux woman. Katrina bought blue and white muslin fabric. But she didn't have any red material. So, she cut up her red merino petticoat, the one she had brought from France!
Wapolah helped sew the stripes together. Katrina carefully arranged the stars. Wapolah understood some of the flag's meaning, but not all of it. She thought it was more for the President than for the country. She would often say, "for the great Father at Washington." Later, Wapolah returned to her own people, the Dakotahs, and was not seen again.
A tall pole was brought from the foothills. The flag was raised using a rope and pulley. Many people watched the ceremony. Three loud cheers ended the event.
Katrina Murat was nicknamed the "Betsy Ross of Colorado." When she was old, someone asked her how she made the flag without a pattern. She answered, "How could anyone who has seen that flag and loves liberty and freedom forget what it is like? I knew there must be a star for every State and I counted the States at that time. When you love America, you love the American flag."
