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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Interview with Eva (Wood) Leslie
Eva Wood Leslie discusses her family’s farm life on Pinon Mesa, Colorado, sheep farming, chores done around the home, and school teaching in Mesa County. 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.
Interview with Evelyn "Evie" (Jewell Craddock) Smith
Evie Smith describes growing up on a pineapple plantation on the Island of Oahu in Hawaii that was run by her father. She talks about the different ethnic groups inhabiting camps on the plantation, including Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese workers. She speaks about the US military’s war games that preceded the attack on Pearl Harbor in the week prior to December 7, 1941. She describes the bombing of Hawaii by Japanese forces and the deaths of civilians at the hands of Japanese pilots. She discusses the mistrust of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor, and the fear and confusion felt by the Japanese who lived in Hawaii. She remembers being upset to find out that Japanese Americans on the mainland were placed in internment camps. She speaks about damage done to airfields and airplanes by the attack. She talks about brown outs and other aspects of life on Hawaii after Pearl Harbor. Interviewer David Sundal talks about Japanese families in the Grand Valley during World War II, including the Mitsushima family. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Interview with Evelyn (Howard) Kyle
Evelyn Kyle, the first coordinator of the Mesa County Oral History Project, discusses her role in expanding the program shortly after its inception in 1976, and describes colorful personalities that she met through the project. She also talks about her life in the performing arts, establishing and acting in community theaters around Western Colorado, about her experiences during the Dust Bowl and World War II, and about her marriage to Jim Kyle and his career. Anne Saunders, former Curator of Collections at the Museums of Western Colorado and the founder of the Mesa County Oral History Project, also contributes to the discussion. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Interview with Evelyn Lee Beatty
Evelyn Lee Beatty describes her career as one of the first public health nurses in Colorado, including her education, and her employment with Mesa County School District 51 and the Mesa County Health Department. 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.
Interview with Florence (Bryant) Walker
Florence Walker describes in vivid detail the environment of Glade Park while living and teaching there during the 1916-1917 school year. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Interview with Florence (Eaden) Shambeau
Florence Shambeau describes her life as an orphan in Washington State after her father’s second wife rejected her. She also talks about her skill as a seamstress, her work as a homemaker caring for family and boarders, and her life living around the American West. 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.
Interview with Florence Giles
Florence Giles discusses the early Twentieth century history of Fruita and Loma, Colorado. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Interview with Floyd Rush Thomas and Marjorie Estellene "Sissy" (Morrow) Thomas
Marjorie Thomas describes her childhood on a homestead in the New Liberty area of Mesa County, Colorado. She talks about the difficulty of getting across the Big Salt Wash near Fruita when it flooded. She discusses Sunday school and religious services that existed in the community for twenty-one years, until the lack of leadership caused people to drive to Loma for church. She speaks about the history of the New Liberty School and about social clubs in New Liberty. She remembers hard times, during the Spanish Flu epidemic and the Depression, when some of her siblings died. She talks about getting electrical and telephone service in New Liberty in the 1930’s. She discusses the history of farm coops in the Lower Valley and farming in New Liberty. In the second interview, they speak more about the history of the New Liberty School and Floyd’s involvement with the school board. They remember fishing and other recreational trips. They speak about the history of Mack and the Uintah Railway. They recall the introduction of radio and television in New Liberty. They speak about farming practices and issues in the area. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Interview with Forrest "Frosty" Tilton
Frosty Tilton describes his career as a banker in Palisade and Grand Junction, Colorado. He talks about bank closures and runs on banks during the Great Depression, the economic impact of the peach industry, and the history of local fruit grower cooperatives. 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. *Photo courtesy of the Palisade Historical Society
Interview with Frances Felicia (Guerrie) Mendicelli
Frances Felicia Mendicelli describes her immigration to the United States from Italy, settling in Grand Junction, Colorado, her early education in both Italy and Mesa County, and learning English. She also talks about Christmas, food and tradition in her Italian American family, and about her father’s job as a railroad section foreman and life in a railroad family. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Interview with Frances Grace (Southway) Idler
Frances Idler remembers coming to Loma, Colorado in 1938 as part of a Federal resettlement program during the Dust Bowl. She talks about the school and religious life of her family and the town. She recalls moving into a house owned by the Holly Sugar Company with her second husband and their subsequent move to Fruita, where they began taking in foster children. She speaks about some of the many foster children that she and her husband cared for over the years. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Interview with Frank C. Hennes
Frank Hennes talks about working as an engineer for the Sunnyside Coal Mine in Carbon County, Utah, and about the social life of mine employees, including dances, the dating scene and boxing and wrestling matches. He also discusses dinosaur tracks found on the roof of a coal mine, the geology of the surrounding area, and fossil trees and plants he found in the upper part of the coal seam. 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.

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