Lafayette Archival Oral History Collection 1968-2001

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Oral History with Leland Moore
In this interview, Leland Moore describes opening his own lumberyard in Lafayette after moving to the area at age 30. He recalls what life was like in Lafayette. Leland held several positions in town including serving on the town board for four years and serving on the local rationing board during World War II. He ends the interview by discussing the Columbine Mine Massacre and the unrest in the town between union workers and scabs.
Oral History with Lora Starkey
In this interview, Lora describes the Lafayette of her childhood and what life was like for coal miners. She also describes various social clubs in the city. Lora ends the interview by discussing the future of Lafayette and Starkey Memorial Park.
Oral History with Madge Berry
Many of her family came from England. Also many of her husband’s family came from England, Wales and Italy – because of the mining here. West Lafayette not very populated when she lived there probably around 1945. Grandparents lived next door – W. Simpson St. Moved to E. Chester probably in about 1947. Ralph Kim owned the drug store; Clarence Dinsmore was a geologist; Mr. S?? took over the drug store with his wife later. W. Lafayette was lots of open fields and some orchards. There were several mom and pop stores on Public Road. She remembers her grandfather stoking the furnace to keep the house warm. Conversation about various people and which houses they lived in. Many people had gardens. She remembered the First Baptist Church – had pot lucks and picnics; very family oriented. Addition was put on church in early 1950’s. She showed the interviewer a picture of her father, Jim Graham, posing with the legislature on the steps of the Colorado Capitol building. After her grandfather retired, he and 4 or 5 of his friends would meet on the corner of Public Road and W. Simpson and discuss everything going on. The house she lived in at the time of this interview belonged to her great aunt and they bought it from the estate. Great uncle owned the grocery store; gave away a lot of groceries to folks; he was quite a character! The house is very special to her.
Oral History with Margaret Gibson
Margaret Gibson recalled her life growing up in Lafayette, Colorado in her oral history interview conducted on July 16th, 1984. She spoke about the community atmosphere and local businesses of Lafayette in her childhood and reflects on how the area has changed throughout her life. She also described the impact of the Great Depression, the 1910 Miners Strike, and the first and second World War on Lafayette. Most of all, Margaret reflected on her family and how being a mother, sister, wife, and daughter impacted her life and values.
Oral History with Mary Borstnick
Mary Borstnick recalled her life and perceptions of several contentious social and political events in Lafayette, Colorado during her 1983 oral history interview. She begins by explaining the presence of the KKK in Lafayette, which included cross-burning demonstrations and anti-Mexican and Catholic sentiments. Next, she covers the 1910 Mining Strike and the Columbine Incident. Her family lived at the Columbine at the time, putting them in the middle of the incident. Mary also spoke about her experiences living in many different mining camps, including Simpson Camp, as her husband was a foreman in different mines. Mary described life in mining camps as the spouse of a miner and spoke about the lively social environment and community she formed with other residents.
Oral History with Mary Massaro
Mary Massaro’s oral history interview conducted on October 6th, 1988 described her life and career in Lafayette, Colorado. Born to an Italian-American family in 1907, Mary discussed moving to Lafayette in 1929 and raising three daughters in the area. Mary reflected on the impact of the Great Depression on her own family and the greater Lafayette community. The Massaro family’s life changed when Mary’s husband, Joe, caught his foot in a mining machine and lost his leg in 1942. Defying traditional Italian family values that mandated that wives and mothers abstain from paid work outside the home, Mary started working in a factory, and later as a cook for Lafayette Elementary School where she remained from 1952-1970. She expressed that she was grateful for PERA from Boulder Valley School District which paid her a disability pension. Mary maintained Italian culture through her cooking of pizzelles, and making homemade sausage and pasta, and other Italian dishes. She was also a very observant and devout Catholic, and the church remained her main connection to the local community. She lived in the same house for fifty-nine years. Overall, Mary projected a very positive view of her life in Lafayette, which was family centered, especially with her three daughters living nearby in the city.
Oral History with Maude Schofield
Maude Schofield discussed her family and social life growing up in Lafayette, Colorado in her oral history interview conducted on February 24th, 1975. Born in England, Maude moved to Lafayette with her family when she was nine. Her father was a local miner and she recalled what it was like to be his daughter and hear his stories from the mine. She reflected on her childhood with household chores, playing with friends, going to see movies, and attending school. She spoke to the changes over time as the town has grown and expanded, and commented how she grew up knowing everyone as it was such a small town. Once married, Maude lived on a ranch outside of town. To socialize, as Maude was not employed, she was active in her church and various clubs in Lafayette.
Oral History with Miranda Hurt
Miranda Hurt came to Lafayette in 1924 to be a teacher. She describes Lafayette at the time as being filled with many empty houses as people had moved away to find work. She recalls the Columbine Mine Incident and how the town reacted. She speaks of life in and outside of the classroom. She was part of the Methodist church. [Husband was in "Ripley's Believe it or Not," but the transcript does not say why. He was a dentist and part of the "Painless Dentist Society." Her husband was known as “Dr. Hurt- the Painless Dentist. Got into Ripley’s Believe it or Not, perhaps by the irony of his moniker.] [Grandfather – McCaslin- Scottish people but came from Ireland. Came to CO in 1859 and had a mine in Gold Hill. Hurt stated that McCaslin Boulevard named after her grandfather, father, and brother (all former county commissioners)] .
Oral History with Ralph Deandra, Dugan Schofield, & Tony Largo
Ralph Deandrea worked in the mines for 40 years. Tony Largo worked in the mines for around 40 years as well. Dugan Schofield worked in the mines starting in 1922. He reflects on the hazards of working in the mines. He worked six days a week with minimal equipment as he mostly worked with the mine cars. They recall the daily life of working in the mines including mining equipment like picks, shovels, and oil lamps. They were paid in some stamps and some cash. They wore overalls in the mine and had to pay to use to washhouse every day. They mined by using machines and man-power. They all had terrible memories of the mines and working in them. Gas and coal dust made the work very dangerous.
Oral History with Ralph Miller
Ralph Miller’s oral history interview conducted on August 17th, 1971 discussed his life growing up in Lafayette. Ralph reflected on his family history in the town, including his grandfather and grandmother, Lafayette and Mary Miller. Ralph specifically commented various aspects of the town’s creation by his grandparents and how the community has developed since then. He also spoke about his involvement with local coal mines and perceptions of the Columbine Mine Incident. Ralph also described the impact of the Great Depression on Lafayette’s economy and social climate and recalled many businesses from the early days of Lafayette. Specifically, he spoke mail originally arriving by stagecoach, developing centralized water capabilities, and railroads being built near Lafayette.
Oral History with Rena Schofield
In a series of two oral history interviews conducted on January 20th and March 15th of 1975, Rena Schofield and her family discussed their long history in Lafayette, Colorado. Rena’s independent interview includes commentary on the 1910 coal miners strike, which her husband was a part of. Rena’s husband also helped build the Baptist Church and Rena assisted in raising money to get the church running. In her interview, Rena shared many stories about raising her family and connecting with members of the Lafayette community. In their second group interview, Rena and other members of her family recall family lore such as their relation to Johnny Appleseed and when their family first arrived in Colorado. They also describe the struggles of homesteading they had heard about and how their ancestors made a living on the frontier.
Oral History with Robert Johnson
Robert begins the interview by listing all the mines in which he has worked. The interview then goes into great detail to describe the conditions in the mines and how the work was done.

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