The Molly Brown House Museum
1340 Pennsylvania Street
Denver, Colorado 80203
303.832.4092
Fax: 303.832.2340

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In 1899, Margaret was appointed president and head of the executive committee for the Catholic bazaar to raise money for the expansion of St. Joseph's Hospital. This was a turning point in her life. Margaret's approach was unique: she included women from all elements of society, from the very wealthy to the poor. This approach became a trademark of Margaret Brown. The committee procured expensive prizes from local merchants and set up food booths with donated candy, chocolate and exotic Japanese cuisine to help raise funds. Although the fair was more successful than anyone anticipated, there were several prizes left over. Margaret proceeded to organize a euchre tournament for mid-June, promptly selling 1,500 tickets. Margaret received a great deal of publicity for her successes, and her reputation as a fundraiser was secure.

Building on her success with the Catholic bazaar, Margaret teamed up with Benjamin Guggenheim to plan Christmas festivities for underprivileged children. The event included a toy fair and Christmas dinner at the exclusive Brown Palace Hotel.

In 1901, the Catholic Church appointed Mrs. Brown general manager of the Catholic Fair. The Fair was intended to raise money for a variety of charitable causes. This was a very prestigious appointment, but required a great deal of commitment and hard work. Margaret had less than two months to prepare. She solicited donations and sold tickets. One of her most unique fundraising booths sold dolls made by famous people. The wives of Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt as well as Mrs. William Jennings Bryan submitted dolls to be sold. Once again, the Fair was an unqualified success.

Margaret in 1900

Education and Travel
Margaret had always had a passion for travel and education. The Browns traveled extensively together, and in the fall of 1899, J.J. and Margaret moved to Killarney, Ireland. J.J.'s health was poor, and he believed a change of environment would do him good. Although they planned to stay for four years, the Browns missed the comforts of home and returned to Denver in August 1900.

In 1901, Margaret took another very important step towards her education…she enrolled as one of the first students at the Carnegie Institute in New York. She spent most of the year studying literature and languages before returning to Denver. She may also have received her first instruction in drama at the Carnegie Institute.

Content from Kristen Iversen's book, Molly Brown, Unraveling the Myth.  Published by Johnson Books in 1999.