Local History Thursday: Butting Heads with John Otto

If you’ve lived in Mesa County for a few years or have strolled around the Colorado National Monument more than once, you are most likely familiar with the legendary John Otto. John Otto was the custodian, founder, and undoubtedly the biggest cheerleader for our beautiful Colorado National Monument, a place of canyons and grandeur that […]

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Local History Thursday: We Can, and We Did

If you’re at all drawn to Martha Stewart, Pinterest, and food preservation, you may get excited about canning fruits and vegetables.  This process has been used for generations to sustain foods in airtight storage to last through tumultuous winters, or simply to snack on during any season. With the abundance of early 1900s fruit and […]

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Detail from flier promoting community forums

Mesa County Libraries seek public input on possible new library in Clifton/Fruitvale area

Mesa County Libraries are seeking input from Mesa County residents about a potential new library to serve the east Grand Valley. Residents are invited to attend upcoming community forums to discuss services and features in a proposed new library building at 3180 F Road. The new library would replace the current Clifton Branch. Four community […]

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Not-So Local History Thursday (On a Not-So Thursday): Outliers From Our Oral History Collection

Sure, you can explore the Mesa County Oral History Project online for fascinating local stories, people and history, but why stop there when the Mesa County Libraries digital archive also contains random recordings of a not-so-local nature? For instance, what is a performance by the Rainbow Valley Boys, a bluegrass band from back East, doing […]

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Graphic: Mesa County Libraries logo

October 2019 Spooky Staff Favorites

The pumpkins are poppin’ off the vines and the candy sales are skyrocketing.  October is a time of change, both in weather and mood.  Those who are so inclined begin to seek entertainment focused on a blend of spooky, scary, creepy, gory, gruesome, hair-raising, and supernatural. The staff here at Mesa County Libraries who enjoy […]

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Fair Story presentation graphic with old photo of GJ's downtown at night

Historian to discuss the Moyer family in early Grand Junction Sept. 30 at Central Library

Local historian Dave Fishell will discuss the Moyer family’s important role in early Grand Junction at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30, 2019, at the Mesa County Libraries Central Library, 443 N. 6th St. in Grand Junction. The Moyers were Grand Junction pioneers who founded The Fair Store, which became one of the largest retail businesses […]

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Local History Thursday: Three Incarnations of The Mesa County Fairgrounds

Did you know that the Mesa County Fairgrounds at Veteran’s Memorial Park were once known as Uranium Downs? People who attended horse races, motocross, WWF style “wrestling,” and other events back in the day might remember this nod to Mesa County’s mining (and radioactive) legacy. The Mesa County Fairgrounds opened in their current location in […]

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