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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To Make the World Safe for Democracy: Museums of Western Colorado Presentation about World War I
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In a radio broadcast and presentation produced by the Museums of Western Colorado, William Kirk Bunte speaks about Armistice Day and World War I. Interviews with Western Slope veterans of the war appear as part of the program. 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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True Epics of Western Colorado radio plays: Episodes 1-4
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Four radio programs written by Wilson Rockwell, based in part on short histories he wrote for his book Sunset Slope, and broadcast in the Grand Junction area on KREX during the late 1950’s or early 1960’s. The programs include: Episode 1 - Death of an Outlaw (0:00), Episode 2 - The Meeker Bank Robbery (14:52), Episode 3 - The Escalante Canyon Duel (29:34), and Episode 4 - The Disappearance of Howard Carpenter (43:10). These broadcasts are 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.
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True Epics of Western Colorado radio plays: Episodes 13-16
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Four radio plays written by Wilson Rockwell, based in part on short histories he wrote for his book Sunset Slope, and broadcast in the Grand Junction area on KREX during the late 1950’s or early 1960’s. The programs include: Episode 13 – The Escape (0:00), Episode 14 – The Meeker Massacre (12:48), Episode 15 – The Ambush (28:34), Episode 16 – Professional Killer (42:46). These broadcasts are 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.
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True Epics of Western Colorado radio plays: Episodes 17-21, 26
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Six radio plays written by Wilson Rockwell, based in part on short histories he wrote for his book Sunset Slope, and broadcast in the Grand Junction area on KREX in the late 1950’s or early 1960’s. The programs include: Episode 17 – The Double Cross (0:00), Episode 18 – The Black Mesa Gunfight (13:49), Episode 19 – The Monument Creek Killings (27:49), Episode 20 – The White River Canyon Indian Fight (40:49), Episode 21 – The Beaver Creek Massacre (56:00), Episode 26 – Friends Fall Out (1:07:30). These broadcasts are 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.
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True Epics of Western Colorado radio plays: Episodes 25-28
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Four radio programs written by Wilson Rockwell, based in part on short histories he wrote for his book Sunset Slope, and broadcast in the Grand Junction area on KREX in the late 1950’s or early 1960’s. The programs include: Episode 25 – The Price of Hay (0:00), Episode 26 – Friends Fall Out (13:20), Episode 27 - The Diamond Peak Story (27:47), Episode 28 – A Race for Justice (37:50). These broadcasts are 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.
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True Epics of Western Colorado radio plays: Episodes 29-32
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Four radio programs written by Wilson Rockwell, based in part on short histories he wrote for his book Sunset Slope, and broadcast in the Grand Junction area on KREX in the late 1950’s or early 1960’s. The programs include: Episode 29 – The Death of Chief Ouray (0:00), Episode 30 – The Last Days of Chipeta (14:57), Episode 31 – Conquest of the Black Canyon (29:15), Episode 32 – The Ute Indian Legends (42:03). These broadcasts are 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.
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True Epics of Western Colorado radio plays: Episodes 33-36
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Four radio programs written by Wilson Rockwell, based in part on short histories he wrote for his book Sunset Slope, and broadcast in the Grand Junction area on KREX in the late 1950’s or early 1960’s. The programs include: Episode 33 – Ute Indian Scares (0:00), Episode 34 – The North Fork Hermits (14:40), Episode 35 – The North Fork Hermits II (29:46), Episode 36 – Escalante’s Journey (43:23). These broadcasts are 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.
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True Epics of Western Colorado radio plays: Episodes 5-8
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Four radio plays written by Wilson Rockwell, based in part on short histories he wrote for his book Sunset Slope, and broadcast in the Grand Junction area on KREX during the late 1950’s or early 1960’s. The programs include: Episode 5 – The McCarty’s Last Holdup (0:00), Episode 6 – The Stockton-Eskridge Gang of Durango (12:52), Episode 7 – The Betrayal (27:36) (the story of Isaac “Ike” Stockton’s death), Episode 8 – The Grand Mesa Feud (39:32). These broadcasts are 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.
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True Epics of Western Colorado radio plays: Episodes 9-12
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Four radio programs written by Wilson Rockwell, based in part on short histories he wrote for his book Sunset Slope, and broadcast in the Grand Junction area on KREX in the late 1950’s or early 1960’s. The programs include: Episode 9 – The Maneater (0:00), Episode 10 – The Maneater (14:00), Episode 11 – The Hog Pen Murder (29:16), Episode 12 – The Manhunt (42:43). These broadcasts are 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.
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Twelfth Interview with Al Look
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Al Look talks about his career as a journalist and advertising manager for the Durango Herald, Grand Junction News, and the Daily Sentinel. He also talks about the shooting of Durango Herald editor William Wood by Durango Democrat editor Rod Day, and about homesteading in the Dove Creek area. He speaks about the film For Love of a Navajo, filmed in Farmington in 1922, and about his role as a lead in the movie. 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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