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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...
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In a general meeting of the Mesa County Historical Society, Armand de Beque describes the history of oil shale development in De Beque and the Piceance Basin, Colorado. He offers three stories for how it was discovered that oil shale can burn. He describes the founding of the Shale Oil Syndicate, an organization founded by his father, Dr. W.A.E. de Beque, William R. Warren, George Newton, and William Dinkel. He explains the lengthy process the Shale...
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Paul Bowers, then the airport manager of Walker Field (now known as the Grand Junction Regional Airport), talks about new airport facilities, their anticipated effect on businesses along Horizon Drive and North Avenue, and answers questions from the North Avenue Association. 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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Grace and Ralph Inskeep talk about coming to Mack, Colorado with Grace’s family in 1920. They speak about Ralph’s job working for the Bureau of Reclamation at Camp 7 and his subsequent job as a trackman for the Uintah Railway. They discuss the people and businesses of Loma and Mack, and living in the old Sunset School building. Ralph talks about working at Mesa College as a maintenance man. They speak about attending the Church of the Brethren...
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Bob McCray, who owned the Diamond Saddle Shop in Mesa County, Colorado, speaks about his introduction to the saddlemaking business, and his employment in the Visalia Saddle Company near Yosemite National Park. He talks about saddle styles, saddlemaking techniques, spurs, chaps, the history of saddlery, and the state of saddlemaking both locally and nationally. He remembers his first exposure to horses as a boy in Missouri, and a brief tenure as a...
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Inez Prinster discusses the history of Grand Junction, Colorado buildings, businesses and people in a presentation for the Mesa County Historical Society. 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. *Photograph from the 1947 Mesa College annual.
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Loyd Files talks about his early life in Kansas, moving to Colorado with his family via covered wagon in 1914, and the process of filing for a homestead. He remembers homesteading with his parents in Lamar, Colorado, and with his brother in Glade Park in 1920. He recalls working on the crew that built the Serpents Trail over the Colorado National Monument, meeting John Otto, and helping build Rimrock Drive over the Monument. He speaks about his marriage...
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Sterling Smith, executive officer of the C.D. Smith Drug Company, talks about the childhood and life of his father, C.D. Smith, who founded the company. He describes his father’s success and the growth of his business into one of the first drugstore chains in Colorado. He discusses diversification of the business as it became involved with wholesale candy sales, chemical manufacture, and real estate. He talks about activities of C.D. Smith and the...
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Dick Williams talks about the games he played with children as a boy in the downtown area of Grand Junction, including hide and go seek and kick the can. He remembers playing sandlot baseball and other games in a vacant lot on 9th Street between Grand and White Avenues. He recalls swimming in ditches and canals, and ice skating in what is now Lincoln Park. He speaks about competing in athletics in high school and college, and in Pioneer Clubs, which...