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 Ruth Larson
- Early Grand Junction resident Ruth Larson describes her life as a teacher and principal in Mesa County schools. 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 Ruth Lewellyn (Penniston) Smith and Agnes (Peugh) Wright
- Ruth Smith talks about her pioneering family in Whitewater, Colorado, and about frontier days in Mesa County. Agnes Wright talks about homemaking and other aspects of pioneer life and area history. 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 Ruth Lillian (Johnson) Echternach
- Ruth Echternach talks about her arrival in Palisade, Colorado in 1917 and her graduation from the Palisade School. She discusses the history of early Palisade and its people. She speaks about her marriage to local farmer Marion Echternach, life on a fruit farm, and raising children. 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 Ruth Mary (Kilby) Goss
- Ruth Goss talks about her early days in Fruita and Loma, Colorado, and about life on a farm. She remembers teaching at the Valley View School and Loma School for several years. She speaks about her husband’s job as a ditch rider on the Grand Valley Canal and the Independent Ranchman’s Ditch. She talks about dances that took place at the Loma Community Hall. 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 Ruth Sadie (Kerstetter Learned) Morris
- Ruth Morris talks about her life growing up on a ranch in the Kannah Creek area of Mesa County, Colorado in the 1910’s and 1920’s. She speaks about her grandfather and parents, who came to Grand Junction in the 1890’s, about her grandfather’s saloon, her father’s job as a cook at the Pasttime Café, and the band her parents formed (they were both musicians). She recalls her marriage to Lawrence Learned and their ranch in Kannah Creek. She remembers their careers as the post master of Whitewater (both of them served) and other aspects of the mail service 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.
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- Interview with Sara Kruh
- Sara Kruh talks about growing up near Collbran and in Grand Junction, Colorado, and about her schooling. She also discusses teaching in the Molina School on the Grand Mesa and her teaching career, her role in the origins of the Mesa County Teachers Federal Credit Union, and high button shoes. 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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- Interview with Sara Kruh
- Sara Kruh talks about growing up near Collbran and in Grand Junction, Colorado, and about her schooling. She also discusses teaching in the Molina School on the Grand Mesa and her teaching career, her role in the origins of the Mesa County Teachers Federal Credit Union, and high button shoes. 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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- Interview with Sarah E. (Milliken) Gowen
- Sarah E. Gowen talks about her longtime residence at 14th and Main Streets in Grand Junction, Colorado, and about the history of local businesses, buildings and people. 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.
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- Interview with Sarah Jane (Holt) Livesay
- Sarah Jane Livesay, who was born during the Civil War, talks about growing up in frontier towns in Kansas, about her father’s hickory nut orchards, and encounters with American Indians. She also describes her train journey to Delta, Colorado in 1897, the stage coach ride to Hotchkiss, and their life as pioneers in the North Fork area of Delta County. This recording is made available via signed release 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 recording appears to have been made on a vinyl record in 1946, and transferred to audiocassette in 1980.
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- Interview with Sarah Margueritte "Bobbie" (Alley) Wood
- Sarah Wood talks about coming to Loma, Colorado with her husband and children in 1961. She reminisces about her time working as a programming director for the nursing home at the Lower Valley Hospital, from 1966 to 1973. 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 Sarah Myrtle (Bissell) Monnahan
- Sarah Monnahan describes the instability of her young life, with her father leaving the family when she was two, being left to live with grandparents, great-grandparents and strangers in several different towns and states during her mother’s three marriages, and a house fire that singed her hair and clothes before destroying all of her belongings. She finally found something like a normal life when she was sent to live with her grandmother and uncle on a proved-up homestead near Craig, Colorado. Monnahan talks about life on the ranch, working as a married homemaker and construction crew cook, and her eventual career working as a nurse at the then Memorial General Hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado (now Community Hospital). 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 Stephen Barnwell "Steve" Johnson
- Stephen Johnson talks about his education and background as a horticulturalist, and opening Johnson’s House of Flowers in Montrose, Colorado in 1919. He speaks about moving to Grand Junction, where he opened a florist business of the same name in 1937. He describes his love of practical jokes, shopping with his sons for school clothes on Main Street, and the different businesses there. He talks about his son Bob Johnson, his friendship with Al Look Jr. and Bill Ela, how they trapped two monkeys who had gotten away from their owners, and came to care for the monkeys. He and interview Al Look describe the Lincoln Park Zoo. He recalls a “pet” elk named Solomon in Ouray and a crocodile or alligator that was kept at the Ouray Hot Springs. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.