Saddle up! A local legend Broncho Charlie rides again.
The Chapman Museum has procured over 200 objects made by Charles Mortimer Miller (1850–1955), AKA Broncho Charlie, that consist largely of folk art, wood carvings, covered wagons toys, stagecoach models, photographs and related ephemera.
An Adirondack regional landmark, the Chapman Museum brings the history of the Glens Falls-Queensbury community to life through exhibitions, engaging activities and educational programming for adults, children and families to enjoy.
“We are thrilled for the opportunity to acquire this special collection,” says Nicole Herwig, the museum’s executive director. “It is my hope that this Broncho Charlie Collection will evoke pride, interest and excitement in our community by sharing the story of an incredible life lived by one of Glens Falls’ own.”
People are also reading…
Original owner Rebecca Masland acquired the collection from a Massachusetts antiques dealer around 1969, later lending the items to the Chapman for an exhibition in 1998. They’ve been kept in a Massachusetts storage unit for the past few decades.
“There is always something new to see at the Chapman,” says Herwig. “We offer three major exhibitions and four rotating exhibits throughout the year in our Carriage House and Stoddard Galleries.”
The exhibition, “Broncho Charlie, Unbridled,” is set to open June 3 and will run through Sept. 10, 2023, exploring Miller’s exciting life and journey told through the newly acquired objects. Chapman Museum will offer free admission to kick off the June 3 opening, along with crafts, refreshments and tours of the exhibition. At just 11 years old, Miller claimed to be the last — and the youngest — Pony Express rider prior to the end of the service in 1861. The show will chronicle the fascinating adventures of Broncho Charlie from his early years as a juvenile delinquent through his travels with Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show and professional stints as a horse trainer for President Theodore Roosevelt, an Army dispatch rider and a range war fighter.
“Legend has it he rode with Jesse James and General Custer, and even performed at Queen Victoria’s Jubilee in 1887,” Herwig adds.
Miller met and married Carrie Potter of Glens Falls in 1889 and finally settled down. It was here that Broncho Charlie made his home, worked and raised a son and a daughter. After his death in 1955 at the age of 105, Miller was buried in Glens Falls Cemetery.
To help offset the costs associated with purchasing and preserving this important collection, the Chapman is inviting members of the public to “adopt” individual pieces as a gift for the museum. Donors of the adopted items will be recognized for their gift by having their name on the display label every time their adopted item is on view. All adopted items will be retained by the museum.
“Exhibition and program sponsorship opportunities are also available for the summer show,” Herwig says. “This is a perfect way for local businesses to show their support for this community asset, and they’ll be included in all promotional graphics, exhibition signage and on our website.”
For more information about permanent and rotating exhibitions, collections, programs and events at the Chapman Museum, or to view Broncho Charlie collection items up for adoption, visit chapmanmuseum.org.