Mesa County Oral History Project
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Format:
Voice Recording
Craig Aupperle talks about the early history of schools and education in Grand Junction and Mesa County. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Public Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Format:
Voice Recording
Hubert R. Gallagher discusses his father’s career on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, early 20th Century life in Grand Junction, and his own career in the Federal Government. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Format:
Voice Recording
Lydia (Sitzman) Parker, a nurse practitioner in Telluride, Colorado, describes her experiences in medicine and those of her husband, Joseph James Parker, a medical doctor in Telluride and Grand Junction. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Format:
Voice Recording
Pearl Porter discusses the history of her father’s optometry practice in Grand Junction, her grade school education, and other aspects of her upbringing in early Twentieth century Mesa County. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Format:
Voice Recording
Neil Straayer describes his immigrant journey from the Netherlands to Grand Junction, Colorado in 1911, and his struggle to learn English upon arrival. He also discusses apple farming and peach farming in Appleton, Fruitvale, and other areas of the Grand Valley. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Format:
Voice Recording
Thomas and Helen Williams, he a Greek immigrant and she the daughter of Greek immigrants, discuss early life in Grand Junction, immigrant life, owning a grocery store, financial hardships due to the Great Depression, and selling ice cream during the summers from a small horse-drawn wagon.
Format:
Voice Recording
Jeanette LeBeau, an early Mesa County resident, talks about climbing Independence Monument with bare feet, Ute Indians who visited her grandparents in pioneer Fruita, summers spent at Leach’s cattle ranch in Pinon Mesa, means of transportation, law enforcement, and prejudice against Catholics in the Grand Valley. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western...
Format:
Compound
Cassie Seals, an African-American resident of Grand Junction who came to the area around 1924, discusses her experiences in Mesa County, her membership in the Handy Chapel congregation, and her family and culture growing up in Thornton, Arkansas. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Format:
Voice Recording
W.L. “Windy” Martin discusses coming to Grand Junction, Colorado in the early 1930’s while working for a tent show named Fred G. Brunk’s Comedians. He talks about his time working for the traveling show, the types of crowds for whom they performed, how to care for a tent show during bad weather, and the different plays they liked to perform. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County...
Format:
Voice Recording
Alfreida Stevenson talks about her father’s career as a contractor who built several homes and a church in the Grand Valley, and about her childhood and early adulthood in Grand Junction, Colorado from 1900 to 1919. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries, the Museums of Western Colorado and the Mesa County Historical Society.
Format:
Compound
Darwin Burford discusses growing up in Whitewater, Colorado in the early Twentieth century, and going to school in Mesa County, Colorado. Darwin talks about the early narrow gauge railroad that serviced Mesa County, about the Barnum and Bailey Circus, daily childhood chores, playing cribbage as a family, and his argument with John Otto. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries,...
Format:
Voice Recording
Craig B. Aupperle discusses cattle ranching in the Grand Valley, the location of the first apple and fruit orchards in Mesa County and Parachute, Colorado, and the Grand Junction Fruit Growers Association. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries, the Museums of Western Colorado and the Mesa County Historical Society.
*This recording suffers from poor sound quality.
Format:
Voice Recording
Howard Hafey talks about his career as a locomotive engineer, including descriptions of steam engines, railroad flags and signs, and a discussion of bridge building. He also talks about his early life going to school in Grand Junction, Colorado and working in a pool hall. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries, the Museums of Western Colorado and the Mesa County Historical Society....
Format:
Compound
Marie Young talks about discrimination that her German American family faced during World Wars I and II. She also talks about her many tasks as a homemaker on a ranch, about helping with the cattle, and doing other ranch work. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries, the Museums of Western Colorado and the Mesa County Historical Society.
Format:
Voice Recording
Carl Gesberg discusses life growing up on Orchard Mesa and the history of that area. He talks about dating, camping and other youthful activities, holidays, curing meats, and the region’s development. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries, the Museums of Western Colorado and the Mesa County Historical Society.
Format:
Voice Recording
Jean Page talks about the engineering career of her father, John Page, including his role as the office engineer on the Hoover Dam project, his design of several other dams in the West, and his appointment as the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation in 1937. She also discusses his life as an engineer and fruit farmer in Mesa County, his civic involvement in the area, and her childhood there. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral...
Format:
Voice Recording
Sisters Ana Mcginley and Mae Plunkett describe in detail their household life and childhood growing up on a homestead in the Hunter District of Mesa County, Colorado, with an account of household furnishings, chores, and leisure activities. They also talk about the growth of Grand Junction and of North Avenue as a main thoroughfare, time spent on the Colorado National Monument, Mesa County Fairs, and the Interurban rail line. The interview was conducted...
Format:
Compound
Robert Evans discusses his many years working for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad as a machinist, and recounts various railroad accidents. He also talks about his time playing baseball on various semipro teams, and on local teams in Grand Junction, Colorado. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries, the Museums of Western Colorado and the Mesa County Historical Society.
Format:
Voice Recording
Alfred Flagg discusses his life in early Mesa County as a barber owning his own beauty shop, how the Great Depression affected local businesses, and the social activities in Grand Junction during the 1920’s and 30’s. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Format:
Voice Recording
Alfred Flagg talks about his education and training as a hair stylist, women’s historic hair styles, and the methods and materials he used as a stylist. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries, the Museums of Western Colorado, and the Mesa County Historical Society.
