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Elbert Miracle talks about working with the Civilian Conservation Corps crews who built Rim Rock Drive on the Colorado National Monument, and about the accident that killed nine local men, including his brother-in-law. He also talks about working on the Federal crews that built the Land’s End Observatory on the Grand Mesa. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums...

To mark the centennial celebration of the town of Grand Junction, Colorado in 1981, the Mesa County Oral History Project wrote and recorded several radio plays about local history. Beginning on September 26, 1981, local radio stations KSTR, KREX-AM, KREX-FM, and KMSA broadcast the plays. Authors of the plays used interviews recorded by the Mesa County Oral History Project as inspiration. This archival recording contains the play Women in Mesa County:...

Warren Kiefer talks about his career as a fireman and engineer on the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, and working the line between Grand Junction, Colorado and Salt Lake City. He gives specifics about the technical aspects of the fireman position on a steam locomotive. He speaks about the relationship between the fireman and the engineer, and tells stories about comical and contentious interactions between different workers. He explains the purpose...

In a Mesa County Historical Society panel discussion about Plateau Valley history, Emma McCreanor reads a paper about the history of the valley and of the Ute people. Eleanor Harris reads a paper about the history of the Plateau Valley Hospital. Helen Young speaks about early post offices in the area. Randy Fosburgh sings a selection of music. This recording is made available via signed release by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration...

Ruth and Charlie Benson talk about running a hunting camp near Parachute, Colorado for several years and tell stories about foolish hunters. They remember songs they sang and games they played as children. Charlie talks about irrigation and building fences. Charlie speaks about his youth on a dairy farm in Parachute and on a nearby homestead. He recalls helping to build the Granlee Trail in the 1960’s. Ruth recalls the Granlee School, where she...

Alex Bauer talks extensively about this history of his family, part of the German community of Morganthau in Russia. He recounts their immigration to the United States in the years before the Russian Revolution. He remembers his dad’s career as a machinist for Missouri Pacific Railroad and then the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. He also recounts his own career as a machinist. He speaks about his parrallel career as the shop steward International...

Roy Schumann speaks about the history of his German ancestors in Russia, about the immigration of his parents from Russia to Colorado, and their marriage and move to the Western Slope. He describes the life of German people living in Russia in the early Twentieth century. He talks about the food and traditions of his family and other German Americans. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County...

To mark the centennial celebration of the town of Grand Junction, Colorado in 1981, the Mesa County Oral History Project wrote and recorded several radio plays about local history. Beginning on September 26, 1981, local radio stations KSTR, KREX-AM, KREX-FM, and KMSA broadcast the plays. Authors of the plays used interviews recorded by the Mesa County Oral History Project as inspiration. This archival recording contains the play Annual Ute Visitation. This...

Ruth Smith and Isabella Cunningham, former reporters for The Daily Sentinel, recall their careers at the newspaper during the 1920’s through 1940’s. Cunningham talks about covering railroad news and events, including the institution of a sixteen-hour-day law for workers. They remember two young children that were killed when playing with dynamite in Fruitvale. They describe the annual Christmas party for needy children that was put on each year...

Helen and Marion Bowman discuss Marion Bowman’s father, George Bowman, founder of the Palisades National Bank, United Fruit Growers Association, and the inventor of the Fruit Gathering Bag (Bowman picking sack). They also discuss the history of fruit growing in Palisade, 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...