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 Harry Knight and Nettie (Stolze) Knight
- Harry and Nettie Knight discuss cowboys, ranching, and the history of their pioneering families in 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.
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- Interview with Harry Peck
- Harry Peck was the grandson of Routt County pioneers Harry B. Peck and Emma Hall. Harry and his father, Ray Peck, both worked for the United States Forest Service in the Grand Mesa National Forest, and he describes their experiences there. He also talks about helping John Otto with trail-breaking on the Grand Mesa. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado. *Currently, only Tape One of Harry Peck's interview has been digitized.
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- Interview with Harvey D. Smith
- Harvey Smith talks about his enlistment in the U.S. Navy during World War I and goes into detail about several aspects of the war, including the use of zeppelins by Germany. He also touches briefly on his Mesa County, Colorado childhood, and the introduction of quails to the area. 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.
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- Interview with Hazel W. (Durham) Murphy
- Hazel Murphy talks about the D.B. Store in Loma, Colorado, a general store that employed her husband and was owned by her brother. She also speaks about the history of Loma institutions, such as the Loma Presbyterian Church, Methodist Church, the Loma Community House, and the canning factory. She discusses a government resettlement program that brought in refugees from the Dust Bowl. She touches on the citizens and businesses of Loma. She discusses her degree in education and teaching at the Loma School. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
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- Interview with Helen Gladys (Rambo) Hyde
- Helen Hyde talks about her family history and the vital role that music played in her family while growing up in Kannah Creek and Paonia, Colorado. She tells stories and plays songs on the piano about mines, people and places in the San Juan Mountains, such as the Tomboy Mine and the Camp Bird Mine. She plays cowboy songs, such as Streets of Laredo. She recalls putting on plays and musical programs with other youth while living with the Toothaker family in Delta. She recounts her turbulent marriages. Songs sung and/or played on piano by Hyde during the interview include: Mary Ann, Ship’s Carpenter, Streets of Laredo, Johnny Jordan, Kate and Her Horn, Fair Charlotte, Shava-da-Roo, Banks of the Sunny San Juan, The Telluride Girl, Obadiah Binks, and The Shadow of the Pines. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado. *Note: The transcripts for this interview have been machine-created and do contain inaccuracies. In time, each transcript will be audited by a human being to ensure greater accuracy.
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- Interview with Helen J. (Reed) Penny
- Helen Penny discusses her work in aid of World War I soldiers with Mesa County’s branch of the American Red Cross, the military service of her two brothers during the Great War, and her membership in the American Legion Auxiliary. 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.
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- Interview with Helen W. (Ross) Wilson
- Helen Wilson talks about the life of her father, Robert “Bob” Ross, co-founder of the Ross Business College, important educator in Fruitvale, Colorado, and an early settler of that area. 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 1936 Grand Junction High School yearbook.
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- Interview with Helen and Clarence Swanson
- Helen and Clarence Swanson discuss the history of their families in early Fruita, and Fruita buildings and organizations. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
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- Interview with Henry Spomer
- Mesa County, Colorado resident Henry Spomer describes growing up in a German settlement in Russia, including home life, farm practices, schooling, and the Lutheran Church. He talks about moving to Nebraska in his teenage years to escape looming military placement during the Russian Revolution, and eventually moving to Mesa County, where he worked as a beet farmer, railroad employee, and janitor for the Lowell School. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
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- Interview with Herbert "Herb" Johnston
- Herb Johnston discusses sheep and cattle ranching in the Cisco, Utah area in the early Twentieth century. He also gives an in-depth portrait of African-American cowboy Charlie Glass, whom Mr. Johnston counted as a friend. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado
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- Interview with Hilda Ann (Walther) Cary
- Hilda Cary remembers moving with her husband Joseph Cary to Loma in 1951 and their life in the dairy farm business. She talks about the Presbyterian and Methodist churches of Loma. She speaks about teaching at the Loma School. She recalls other aspects of farm life and fishing trips to the Grand Mesa. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
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- Interview with Homer James "Jim" Colman
- Jim Colman talks about his childhood in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Grand Junction, and Salt Lake City. He describes taking officer’s training courses through correspondence school before receiving a commission as a reserve infantry lieutenant in 1937. He speaks about becoming a communications officer and headquarters company commander with the 57th Infantry in the Philippines in 1941. He describes the horses and mules used by officers in his unit, and having to slaughter and eat the horses after running out of food during a prolonged battle with Japanese forces in Bataan. He discusses the Japanese invasion of the Philippines and the Japanese campaign to control Southeast Asia. He compares American and Japanese munitions and airplanes. He talks about the Battle of Bataan and the surrender of US and Philippine forces. In detail, he describes living as a prisoner of war in prison camps at Camp O’Donnell, Davao, and Cabanatuan, the many men who died from starvation and disease, and being rescued by the 6th Army Rangers, Alamo Scouts, and Filipino guerrillas. He describes the Bataan Death March of which he was a part. He speaks about unmarked Japanese ships that transported prisoners of war. He discusses reunions and meetings he attended of the Alamo Scouts and the Ex-Prisoners of War of America. 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 1933 West High School yearbook, Salt Lake City