Cecil Harper talks about his memories from early childhood in Loma, Colorado. He speaks about his father’s position as a surveyor on the Highline Canal, history of the dam’s construction, and about the celebration that was held upon the canal’s completion. He remembers the schools that he attended, including the Loma and Valley View Schools. He recalls his early jobs working for ranching outfits and working as a coal miner before he began life as a farmer. He discusses the honor that he received in 1978 for his work in agriculture and for his service on several community organization boards, including the Grand Valley Water Users Board. He talks about his parents and their homestead near Loma in the 1910’s, and the agricultural history of Loma. He remembers living in Horsethief Canyon on a ranch for three years as a child and speaks about the history of the canyon. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.