The foggy streets of literary London have always been plagued by spies, secret agents and other such shadowy folk. From James Bond to Sherlock Holmes, servants of the crown have been fighting the good fight against evil since that first cup of proper tea was made. Over time the formula has gotten a bit old, […]
Continue readingLocal History Thursday: The Tough and Dedicated Dr. Jess Sickenberger
Jess Urban Sickenberger was an early Twentieth century Mesa County doctor, and, according to more than one interviewee with the Mesa County Oral History Project, one of the area’s top surgeons. Apparently, he was also so devoted to his profession that he would let nothing get in the way of helping a patient. Rural doctors […]
Continue readingMeet the new library director at upcoming meet-and-greets!
Michelle Boisvenue-Fox, the new director of Mesa County Libraries, invites Mesa County residents to a series of informal meet-and-greet events where they can learn more about her and share any thoughts or ideas they have about their local libraries. Meet-and-greets are scheduled at all eight Mesa County Libraries locations. Here is the schedule: Central Library, […]
Continue readingLocal History Thursday: The Grand Junction Air Show
This past weekend, the Grand Junction Regional Airport in Colorado and West Star Aviation hosted a spectacular air show featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. The crowds looked on in awe as the experienced flyers executed great skill and performed exciting stunts over the Grand Valley region. I feel accomplished when I parallel park my […]
Continue readingHow was your Summer Reading experience? Please take our survey and tell us
Each year, we offer Summer Reading at Mesa County Libraries to encourage children, teens, and adults to read for fun and to keep their learning skills sharp. We are asking parents and other participants to help evaluate the effectiveness of Summer Reading by completing this short survey. Your answers are anonymous. Please complete your survey […]
Continue readingLibrary to cover cost of GED exam for successful students; Preparatory classes begin Aug. 12
GED students who are enrolled in preparatory classes through Mesa County Libraries can have the cost of their GED exam covered if they successfully complete the classes and meet certain conditions. The library announced the new program as enrollments open for fall GED prep classes, which begin Aug. 12. Mesa County Libraries offer GED prep […]
Continue readingLocal History Thursday: North Avenue, Grand Junction’s First Highway
It may seem unlikely to the Grand Valley’s newer and/or younger residents, but for many years, North Avenue was a big commercial and social destination that went beyond fast food restaurants and discount stores. In the original platting of Grand Junction in 1881-2, North Avenue served as the northern boundary to town, and a quick […]
Continue readingLocal History Thursday: The Headquarters of Mesa County’s Uranium Boom
In early Mesa County, first there was the fruit boom, then came uranium. The Grand Valley experienced an explosion of activity like no other in the 1940’s when it became “The Uranium Capitol of the World.” Unbeknownst to me before listening to Wayne Farley’s Mesa County Oral History Project interview, the Manhattan Project was a […]
Continue readingAARP awards grant to Mesa County Libraries for Discovery Garden project
Mesa County Libraries have been awarded a $15,000 AARP Community Challenge Grant to assist in the development of the library’s Discovery Garden, an interactive demonstration garden under development at Fifth Street and Chipeta Avenue in Grand Junction. According to AARP, the AARP Community Challenge Grant program is part of the nationwide AARP Livable Communities initiative […]
Continue readingLocal History Thursday: The Electric Outhouse Toilet
Stuck between modern amenities and primitive facilities, Judge Logan of Grand Junction chose a middle and ultimately shocking course in order to gain some sort of comfort while using the bathroom. The judge owned what Mesa County Oral History Project interviewee Glenn McFall called “a real nice home” near the brickyard (so presumably in the […]
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