Mesa County Oral History Project

The Mesa County Oral History Project began as a joint project of the Museums of Western Colorado and Mesa County Libraries (MCL) in 1975. The Oral History Project collected tape-recorded interviews with pioneers of Mesa County and surrounding areas, and interviews with the children of pioneers. The Central Library housed the duplicate audio cassettes and provided patron access to the histories. The Museum stored the master tapes and kept files and transcripts related to the oral history collection. The Mesa County Historical Society also contributed significantly to the Oral History Project by collaborating with the library and museum to select interviewees, and by providing interviewers and other volunteers. Mesa County Libraries no longer partner with the Museum in housing duplicate copies of tapes. But the library now works with the Museum to digitize interviews from the Mesa County Oral History Project and to provide online access to the interviews through Pika, the library catalog. The Museum continues to house the original audio cassettes, interview transcripts, and other source material for the project. The Library and the Museums of Western Colorado still record oral histories with residents who have important knowledge of the area’s history. Please note that some interviews contain language that listeners or readers may consider offensive. Mesa County Libraries does not condone such language, but has included interviews in their entirety in the interest of preserving history.

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First Interview with Morgan Goss
Morgan Goss discusses his time as a cowboy in Mesa County during the early 1900’s. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
First Interview with Oscar Winfield Jaynes Jr.
Oscar Jaynes discusses childhood memories of Clifton, Colorado, including life on his family’s homestead, a time he climbed inside a giant tire and rolled down a desert hill, and a boxing match at school with future Colorado Supreme Court justice Jim Groves. He then relates tales of traveling the country on freight cars trying to find work during the Great Depression. Oscar also talks a great deal about the fruit business, specifically the peach industry in Palisade and labor shortages. 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. *The original audiocassette recording suffers from poor sound quality in places. While digitization tools have allowed us to remedy this to an extent, Mr. Jaynes voice remains barely audible at times.
First Interview with Penelope Chase "Penny" (Brown) Eberhart
Penelope Eberhart talks about her father Harry Brown’s introduction to oil shale while on a family vacation in Denver in the 1920’s, his subsequent move to the De Beque area on the Western Slope, and his early business venture in oil shale with the Index Oil Shale Company. She speaks about the mining and milling process for shale, and about a biproduct of the milling process marketed as plant fertilizer called Index Soil Vitalizer. She talks about the development of a system to bring water from Mt. Pekoe. She describes the appearance of oil shale in nature. She reads letters from US Representative Wayne Aspinall and from the US Chamber of Commerce that talk about the importance of oil shale as a resource. She speaks about businesses who invested in oil shale development, such as Paraho, Tosco, and Paradise, and her hopes for future development of the resource. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
First Interview with Richard B. "Dick" Williams
Richard Williams talks about his family’s arrival in Grand Junction, Colorado in 1908. He speaks about his father’s purchase of the Independent Abstract Company and about his own involvement with several abstract and title companies in town. He discusses the formation of the Grand Junction Lions Club, the Grand Junction Lions Club Carnival, and the club’s fundraising for Grand Junction Junior College and other local causes. He speaks about his father’s involvement with the Grand Junction YMCA and his investment in COPECO. He talks about the history of early churches in town. He discusses men in the community who played on the local baseball team in the early Twentieth century, and describes sneaking out to watch the games as a young boy. He remembers having a milk cow in the backyard of their home at 12th Street and Gunnison Avenue and selling milk to neighbors. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
First Interview with Rufus Hirons
Rufus Hirons describes his memories of Grand Junction, Colorado in the early Twentieth century, and talks about his work in the ranching and livestock industries. 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. *Photograph from 1923 Grand Junction High School yearbook.
First Interview with Shannon Robinson: Social Justice Series
Shannon Robinson talks about attending grade school in Gunnison, Colorado, where she was largely shunned or bullied by white students as the first African-American student to attend her elementary school. She speaks about living in Aurora, Colorado, where she made friends with other Black children, but also experienced bullying from children of all ethnic backgrounds because of her mixed race. She discusses getting to know other members of her African American family, including her father. She recalls dropping out of school at fourteen and beginning work, discovering the hardcore punk scene, riding Vespas with SHARPs (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice), squatting in the attic of an old Victorian, and her involvement in the nascent rave scene. She tells the story of her mom’s pioneering Western Slope family, her mother’s interracial relationship with the man who ultimately became Miss Robinson’s father, prejudice they faced in Grand Junction, and her mom’s subsequent involvement in the Rainbow Coalition. The interview was conducted on behalf of the Social Justice Archive in the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries, the Museums of Western Colorado, and Black Citizens and Friends.
First Interview with Sterling Smith
Sterling Smith, executive officer of the C.D. Smith Drug Company, talks about the childhood and life of his father, C.D. Smith, who founded the company. He describes his father’s success and the growth of his business into one of the first drugstore chains in Colorado. He discusses diversification of the business as it became involved with wholesale candy sales, chemical manufacture, and real estate. He talks about activities of C.D. Smith and the company that helped shape Mesa County. He reads letters and articles about C.D. Smith and about C.D. Smith’s father, Burrell Smith. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado. *Photograph from the 1934 Grand Junction High School yearbook.
First Interview with Thatcher Leslie Shaw
Thatcher Shaw discusses his time spent as a US Army lawyer processing claims by German civilians for damages caused by American soldiers during the allied occupation of Germany after World War ll, and his later work as a judge under US civilian control. He also recounts his memory of the Yalta Conference, and talks about the Nuremberg Trials, which he attended on numerous occasions. This recording is made available via signed release by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
First Interview with Velma E. (Borschell) Budin
Velma Budin discusses the history of her family in early Twentieth century Fruitvale, Colorado. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado. *Photograph from the 1925 Colorado Agricultural College yearbook.
First Interview with Vesta (Price) Fitzpatrick
Vesta Fitzpatrick talks about growing up in Buena Vista, New Castle, and De Beque, Colorado. She remembers the family’s homestead and life in De Beque, and her role as a homemaker from an early age due to her mother’s illness. She speaks about country school life. She details the dances that took place, including costume, masquerade, and “hard time” dances. She recalls living in Uravan during World War II, where her grandchildren played in uranium mill tailings and in mill tailings ponds. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
First Interview with Virgil Francis Hickman and Edithe M. (Eakin) Hickman
Virgil Hickman and his wife discuss their lives growing up around Mesa County. Virgil’s grandfather began as a miner in Palisade and Cameo, Colorado, and his family turned to fruit farming. Hickman describes planting the first fruit orchard on East Orchard Mesa, the labor involved with peach growing, and the development of the area. He touches on the businesses, social scene, and Christmas celebrations in Palisade during the early 1900s. 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.
First Interview with Walter Everett "Walt" Dalby
Walter Dalby, founder of local accounting firm Dalby, Wendland and Company and flight enthusiast, talks about the history of the Grand Junction Regional Airport and about the companies and people involved in the local air travel industry, including: Clyde Davis, Walter Walker, and Eddie Drapela. He also talks about balloon rallies and airshows held in 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. *Photo courtesy of the accounting firm Dalby, Wendland and Company.

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