1955 A.A. Tri-State Conference — 8th Annual Program — Colorado Springs, Colorado
Offered here is an original program from the Eighth Annual Tri-State Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous, held May 20–22, 1955, at the historic Antlers Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Hosted by the Pikes Peak Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, the three-day gathering brought together A.A. members and their families for meetings, speakers, fellowship, business sessions, a family group luncheon, and a public closing meeting.
The front of the program features a period photograph of the Antlers Hotel with Pikes Peak and the Front Range rising behind it, creating an especially attractive piece of early Colorado A.A. ephemera.
The Eighth Annual Tri-State Conference
The conference opened Friday, May 20, with registration and informal “Get Acquainted” sessions, followed by afternoon and evening speaker meetings.
The weekend program provides a fascinating snapshot of A.A. fellowship during the mid-1950s. Presentations included such period titles as:
“I’m a Drunk”
“What AA Has to Offer the Old-Timer”
“The Spiritual Side of AA”
“Reminiscences of a Rum Pot”
“They Called Me Wino — and Lots of Other Things, Too”
“What Alcohol Means to an Irishman”
“AA As I Understand It”
“AA — Help Without Conditions”
Speakers traveled from communities throughout the region and beyond, including Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma and California.
Family Group & Women’s Meetings
Saturday’s schedule included two separate noon gatherings:
Alcoholic Ladies Luncheon and Meeting
and
Family Group Luncheon and Meeting
The Family Group gathering was chaired by Clara Wilson of Denver.
These events provide an interesting record of the expanding role of family-oriented recovery activities alongside A.A. during the 1950s.
A.A. in 1955
The date gives this program additional historical context.
The conference took place in May 1955, just over a month before Alcoholics Anonymous held its landmark 20th Anniversary International Convention in St. Louis, where A.A.‘s co-founders and early leadership marked the Fellowship’s first two decades and Bill W. formally turned stewardship of the Fellowship over to its General Service Conference.
This Colorado Springs gathering therefore survives from an important transitional year in the development of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Inside the Conference
The program contains practical details that give a particularly personal glimpse into an A.A. conference of the period.
Registration was $4.00 for “alcoholics and non-alcoholics alike.”
Conference headquarters were located in Room 451 of the Antlers Hotel, while attendees were promised:
“The pot is always full at the entrance to the General Palmer Room. Grab a few doughnuts and a steaming cup of coffee anytime you like.”
Literature displays were provided through the Utah State Board on Alcoholism and the Kansas State Commission on Alcoholism.
Saturday evening concluded with a “Grand Ball and Hoedown,” while Sunday’s activities moved to the Colorado Springs City Auditorium for coffee and a meeting open to the public.
Item Details
Event: Eighth Annual Tri-State Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous
Dates: May 20–22, 1955
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Venue: Antlers Hotel
Host: Pikes Peak Group of Alcoholics Anonymous
Format: Stapled conference program
Contents: Complete three-day schedule, speaker meetings, Family Group activities, conference information and Serenity Prayer
Cover: Period image of the Antlers Hotel and surrounding mountains
Condition
The program remains complete and in Good vintage condition.
There is general age toning, handling wear, scattered light soiling and several horizontal creases from previous folding and storage. The covers show edge and corner wear, and the original stapled binding shows wear around the staples. Interior pages exhibit some creasing, small marks and localized wear, but remain complete and readily legible.
The photographic front cover remains attractive and presents well.
Please review all photographs carefully for the most complete representation of condition.
Historical Significance
Regional conference programs such as this preserve a side of A.A. history that is often absent from formally published literature—the actual meetings, speakers, social activities and fellowship experienced by members at the local and regional level.
This example is particularly appealing for its 1955 date, Colorado Springs setting, attractive Antlers Hotel cover, extensive three-day program, and documentation of both A.A. and Family Group activities.
An interesting piece for collections focused on early Alcoholics Anonymous, Colorado A.A. history, regional A.A. conferences, family recovery history, or A.A. ephemera.
