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 Charles Edward Burg
Charles Burg tells stories from his father about his interactions with the Ute during a US Army deployment near Montrose, Colorado. He talks about settlers and ranchers of the De Beque area, including Dave Knight, a Cherokee from Oklahoma who utilized native plants in a traditional way. He describes a “garter” brand on a horse, horse breaking techniques for wild horses, the origins of the wild horse population in the Bookcliffs, stray cattle gone wild (including the locally famous Old Red and Old Spot), rescuing horses in deep snow during the Winter of 1919, the time he tried to rope a bear, a story from Teddy Roosevelt’s hunting party, area spots like Monument Rock Spring and Soda Spring, brawls and fights, De Beque’s oil shale boom and spurious products made from oil shale, and moonshiners. 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 Charles H. Buttolph
Charles H. Buttolph discusses the early fruit growing industry in Mesa County, and the challenges it faced. 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 Charles V. Lundy
Chuck Lundy and interviewer Al Look talk about a Fremont Indian excavation in No Thoroughfare Canyon, about the archaeologist Hannah Marie Wormington and her work at the Turner-Look Site in Utah, and about Native American fossil finds on Glade Park, Colorado. They also speak about Colorado National Monument founder John Otto, about dinosaur fossils discovered by “Dinosaur Jim,” the paleontologist James Jensen, and about dinosaur bones found by Ed Jones of Delta, Colorado. 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 Chester K. "Chet" Enstrom
Chet Enstrom, producer of the locally famed Enstrom’s Toffee, talks about his life in the candy and ice cream business, his career in the Colorado State Senate, his volunteerism, and his impressions of Grand Junction, Colorado, his longtime home. 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 Craig B. Aupperle
Craig B. Aupperle discusses the history of outlaws, robberies and lawmen on the Western Slope and in the Western United States. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of the Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado. *Please note that the first half of this audio file suffers from poor quality related to issues with the original recording.
First Interview with David Combs: Social Justice Series
David Combs talks about growing up in a diverse neighborhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He discusses school segregation, and the difficulties he and other African-Americans faced in securing a good education at the high school level. He speaks about attending the University of South Dakota on a football scholarship, his experience as a Black person in a place with few other African-Americans, and stereotypes about Black athletes that he encountered from professors and townspeople. He discusses helping bring about positive changes for African-American and Latino students on the Colorado Mesa University campus. He talks about working and living in Rock Springs, Wyoming and Grand Junction, Colorado, and discrimination he has faced in both locations due to his skin color. 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 David Sundal
Local historian David Sundal talks about the history of Grand Junction, Colorado’s First Church of the Nazarene and about his father Olaf Sundal, a clergyman who presided over the church for many years, beginning in 1930. He talks about the role of local churches in providing food relief to local people and to Dust Bowl migrants during the Great Depression. He also speaks about the row of churches on White Avenue and about the history of churches 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.
First Interview with Dorothy (Armstrong) Littler
Dorothy Littler discusses her father's career as the water manager for the Eastern Slope, her work as a school teacher in Ault, Montrose, and Grand Junction, Colorado, and her husband's jobs as an attorney and District Judge. 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 Dorothy (Raber) Beard
Dorothy Beard discusses the Fruita Drug Store, and homesteading on land that became the Colorado National Monument and McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area. 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 1932 University of Colorado yearbook
First Interview with Dorothy (Welles) Green
Dorothy Green talks about growing up as the child of a Congregational minister and a kindergarten teacher in Wisconsin, about her own teaching career, and about life as the wife of a Congregational minister. She also talks about working as a substitute teacher and tutor for Mesa County Valley School District 51, and about her husband’s career as a principal and teacher for Mesa County schools. 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 Dorsey "Sonny" G. Son
Dorsey G. Son discusses his career as a surveyor for the Colorado State Highway Commission operating in Southwestern Colorado. 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 Dr. Everett H. Munro
Dr. Everett Munro of Grand Junction discusses his time as a cowboy, U.S. Deputy Stock detective, and medical assistant on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of the Mesa County Public Library and the Museum of Western Colorado.

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