Lecture by Donald "Don" MacKendrick: Mesa County Humanities of the Past 100 Years

Description

In a lecture sponsored by Mesa County Libraries, Professor Don MacKendrick talks about the cultural history of the Grand Valley, framing that history in the context of the broader American settlement of the West. He reports on the rowdiness on Colorado Avenue that accompanied Grand Junction’s founding, followed by the quick establishment of social norms and cultural organizations. He describes Grand Junction’s early theaters and performance spaces, including the Opera Rink, Park Opera House, and the Majestic Theater. He describes the Avalon Theater, which opened in 1923, and its many famous performers. He details the founding of the Grand Junction Public Library (later to merge with Mesa County Public Library). He speaks at length about Academy Award winning screenwriter and Grand Junctionite Dalton Trumbo, his life, his career, and his blacklisting by the House Un-American Activities Committee. This recording is made available via signed release by the Mesa County Oral History Project,