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 Wilbur E. Downey and Mildred M. (Smith) Downey
Wilbur Downey talks about his family settling in Loma, Colorado, where his father bought a pool hall in 1919. He describes the agricultural character of Loma at that time. He and Mildred speak about running the Loma Store, a general store, and about other businesses in Loma. They talk about the settlement of Loma by people escaping the Dust Bowl in the 1930’s. They discuss Loma’s train depot, passenger train service to Loma, freight trains that carried livestock, and the poor condition of dirt roads that made transportation by foot or automobile difficult. Wilbur describes early mail service, helping to haul the mail in the 1920’s, and driving the school bus. Wilbur and Mildred talk about the automotive garage owned by Mildred’s father, Ben Smith. 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 Will Minor and Lee Warner
Longtime Fruita residents and photographers Will Minor and Lee Warner discuss their experiences in the Colorado National Monument and the surrounding areas of Western Colorado and Eastern Utah. They also talk about meeting John Otto, and about Minor’s discovery of the rare Papilio Indra Minori butterfly on the Monument. 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 Will Silzell
Will Silzell discusses ranching in Western Colorado in the early Twentieth century, and the pioneer history of his family in Whitewater. 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 William "Bill" Nelson
Daily Sentinel writer William “Bill” Nelson talks about the history of the Grand Valley irrigation system during the early days of Mesa County. Nelson describes how water projects were developed, how water is doled out to people in the area, and specific water rights. He also discusses his family life, community activism, his father’s failing businesses during the Great Depression, and experiencing surgery on his retina. 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 William "Bill" Wallace Cunningham
Bill Wallace talks about his family's pioneer ranching history in Cisco, Utah, about taking cattle by train to Kansas City, and about different ranches and people of Grand County, Utah. He also discusses petrified turtles that were discovered in the building of I-70, and Native American artifacts and sites such as the Owl Rock near the old Turner Ranch. 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 William "Bill" Whatley Jr.
William Whatley Jr. speaks about the excavation of ancestral Native American sites in the Four Corners region and the broader Southwest. He discusses trends in archaeological methodology and thought, and archaeological discoveries that were predominant at the time of his interview in 1981 (Whatley later became the archaeologist for the Pueblo of Jemez). 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 William "Gilbert" Baylis: Walter Walker Series
Gilbert Baylis explains his relationship with former United States Senate appointee Walter Walker’s son, Preston, who was a close friend of his growing up. Baylis describes Preston Walker as a very popular fellow and a friendly rival to him. Baylis also discusses his own education in politics, and Walter and Preston’s family life and social activities. 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. *The above photo of Walter Walker is a public domain image from the U.S. Senate Historical Office.
Interview with William "Will" Watts and Edith Jane (Caddy) Watts
Will Watts talks about coming to Colorado in a covered wagon in the 1890’s, growing up in Delta and Telluride, and running away from home at the age of thirteen to work various labor jobs in the Olathe area. Edith Watts speaks about growing up on a homestead north of Olathe, encounters with Ute Indians, her schooling at the Number 8 School on Ash Mesa, and her work caring for children, sewing, and tailoring. She and Will remember life in Telluride, including some wilder aspects of the town during its gold mining heyday, such as gambling, bawdy traveling shows, theft, and murder. Will recalls working as a gold miner and the many immigrants and others who worked in the mines. 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 William Bowie "Bill" May
William May talks about his upbringing on a ranch in Steamboat Springs and his life as a rancher, hunting guide, and outfitter. He plays guitar and sings songs that his father and others handed down to him, and songs that he made up. He tells stories from his life, and stories that his father and others related to him. Songs that he sings during the interview include: Mickey Mouse, Little Duck, Cuatro, Little Joe the Wrangler, Home on the Range, Oh There Was an Old Woman Who Lived on the Moon, Old Uncle Ned, Nicodemus, Twenty Froggies Went to School, and Red Wing. He speaks about the local practice of “chariot racing” and about a Coors beer commercial in which he and other chariot racers were filmed. He relates stories about his ancestors and genealogy. He discusses the Meeker Massacre, the story of Frank Draw, and the settlement of Egeria Park. He remembers a bottle of wine that his father made, the bottle’s theft, and his father confronting the thief in a humorous way. He talks about techniques for branding cattle. 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.
Interview with William Chapman and Maybl Laverne (Righdenour) Chapman
William and Maybl Chapman talk about their early lives in Grand Junction and Fruita, Colorado. 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 William Frank "Bill" Jessup
Bill Jessup talks about cowboys and ranching in Garfield County, Colorado in the early Twentieth century. 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 William Fredrick "Bill" Hartman Jr. and Lucille "Lucy" (Carlson) Hartman
William Hartman talks about his early life in South Dakota and Nebraska, and about his higher education. He speaks about his career in journalism, working at the Sterling Advocate in Sterling, Colorado, and about teaching journalism at Mesa College. He remembers working with students on the Criterion, the student newspaper. He recalls the staff and faculty members of early Mesa College, and the college’s first building, which was located downtown. He talks about the people that made the college’s move to North Avenue possible, doing publicity work on the Western Slope to drum up admissions, and the large number of CCC members who became college students. Lucy Hartman chimes in with memories of the college. 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 1930 University of Colorado yearbook.

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