Curt Poulton

Curt A. Poulton, Senior Instructor at University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, died on November 22, 2004, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Born in St. Louis in 1931, Poulton served four years in the Air Force, and worked for 3M in Minnesota as a Product Design Engineer for much of his life. After leaving the position of Chief Engineer at a Colorado Springs firm in 1977, he set out to change his life by moving into academic geography. Curt received a BA in geography from CU-Colorado Springs, his MA from CU-Boulder, and then his PhD from the University of Minnesota in 1989 at the age of fifty-eight. He was employed as a Senior Instructor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs from 1990 until his death. An historical geographer by training, Curt’s specialty was in Western water policies and law, with a particular emphasis on the Pikes Peak region. Fluent in German, his latest work was a translation of My Farm on the Mississippi by Heinrich Hauser (University of Missouri Press).

On his tombstone, he had the title “Geographer” inscribed, along with the words: “I regret that the only thing I found myself helpless to teach was curiosity—Oh, that, and the proper use of the apostrophe.” He was a member of the AAG since 1981.

The Curt Poulton Memorial Scholarship has been established in his name through the CU Foundation. Remembrances and thoughts may be sent to Eve Gruntfest at ecg@uccs.edu.

Curt Poulton (Necrology). 2005. AAG Newsletter 40(11): 17.