Ivinson Mansion Hosts A Night of History
On a snowy evening in Laramie, the historic Ivinson Mansion stepped back in time to bring the Roaring 20s back to life. Jazz music filled the room, the bar and kitchen buzzed with movement to serve guests, attendees dressed in 1920s attire, and the low lights recreated the feeling of a Prohibition-era speakeasy.
The event, organized by museum staff, transformed the mansion into a lively historical experience designed to connect the community with local and world history. With jazz music, classic cocktails, card games, and even dance performances, the night offered both entertainment and education while raising funds for the museum that preserves Laramie’s past.
Museum staff member Konnie Cronk explained that the event grew from a simple idea shared among four staff members.
“There were four of us, myself, Lucas, Vince, and Michelle,” Cronk said. “We were wondering how we could talk about absinthe and make it some sort of event. So this speakeasy was born from that.”
Planning the event took only a couple of months, but the idea quickly gained attention once it was officially announced. Staff worked together to plan creative and time-accurate food, drinks, and activities that would truly reflect the wildly fun spirit of the 1920s.
The night featured a performance by the local jazz band named Briny, whose music helped create the atmosphere of a classic speakeasy. Guests could also enjoy themed snacks and drinks inspired by the 1920s, including the event’s centerpiece: absinthe. Local establishment Front Street Tavern provided the drinks for the evening.
Historian and event organizer Lucas Fralick said the idea came naturally from the staff’s research interests.
“Being historians, we study a lot about absinthe in that era, especially the late 1890s Victorian period,” Fralick said. “So it made sense to do an event around it.”
Absinthe, often called the “green fairy,” has a long and unusual history. According to Fralick, the drink originated in France in the 1840s and was first used for medicinal purposes because of its high alcohol content. Made with wormwood, the drink has a strong black licorice flavor. In the mid-1800s, some people mixed the drink with hallucinogens such as mushrooms or cocaine, which contributed to its mysterious reputation, which would be one of the many reasons for it’s ban in several countries.
“People would drink something that already had a high alcohol content and mix in hallucinogens,” Fralick said. “That’s where the ‘green fairy’ idea came from.”
Because of these associations, absinthe was banned in both Europe and the United States by the early 20th century, and it remained illegal in the U.S. until 2007. The version served at the event was completely legal, though it was still strong. Traditionally, it is diluted with sugar water before drinking.
The event also featured other forms of entertainment. Guests could play card games that date back to the 1920s, with instructions placed on tables so anyone could learn. Two dancers from the Laramie Dance Center performed during the evening, adding another historical element to the night’s atmosphere.
Beyond entertainment, the event had an important purpose, Cronk said it was designed to help the museum continue its work preserving Laramie’s history.
“The museum showcases, preserves, and stores our local history,” Cronk said. “Events like this allow us to maintain the building and continue changing exhibits so we can tell local stories.”
The fundraiser also aimed to bring in a new, younger audience. According to Cronk, many museums face a challenge as their audiences grow older.
“Our original demographic is starting to pass away,” she said. “We really want to attract a younger audience and get more people interested in local history.”
The setting itself added another layer of historical significance, as the The Ivinson Mansion has been a landmark in Laramie for more than a century. Jane and Edward Ivinson, who were English immigrants, arrived in Laramie in 1868 during the construction of the railroad. Edward began as a small business owner and later entered banking. In 1892, the couple built the mansion, the same year Edward ran for governor of Wyoming.
Jane passed on in the home in 1915. After Edward’s death in 1921, the house was donated to the Episcopal Church. The church originally planned to use it as a retirement home for women, but doctors determined that the stairs would make it difficult for elderly residents. Instead, the building became a girls’ school that served ranch families in the region. Students lived in the mansion for most of the year and attended preparatory classes at the nearby university.
The school operated until 1958, nearly 40 years longer than the Ivinson’s residency in the home themselves. When a local bus system was established, the school was no longer needed, thus the mansion then sat mostly vacant for about a decade.
In 1972, the building nearly disappeared forever when Safeway had originally planned to purchase the property and turn it into a parking lot. Members of the Laramie Women’s Club organized a community fundraising effort to save the historic house and succeeded with their efforts.
“It was a whole community fundraiser to save the house,” Cronk said.
After raising the money to purchase the property, volunteers began a decades-long restoration project. From 1972 to 2005, the mansion underwent extensive repairs, including new wiring, restored wallpaper, and structural fixes. Today, the mansion operates as a museum dedicated to preserving local history, and events like the speakeasy help keep that mission alive.
Fralick believes events like this also fill an important role in the community. “Laramie has a lot of young people and young professionals,” he said. “I think there’s a need for events like this. It fills a gap.”
For many guests, the night was not just about history but about connecting the community. Attendees dressed in era-accurate clothing, danced to jazz, and shared drinks in a setting that blended education with fun. Events like the speakeasy show that history does not have to stay behind museum glass. Sometimes it can come alive through music, stories, and a carefully mixed drink.
