Interview with Wilbur E. Downey and Mildred M. (Smith) Downey

Description

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.