Ahh the Wild West. Tumbleweeds, dry and dusty landscapes, cactus, cowboys chewing on straw and riding horses across the desert… A less featured but equally important symbol of the American West is that of the cowgirl. Annie Oakley and Lucille Mulhall were two tough women who became nationally known for their lassoing, riding skills and […]
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In his second interview with the Social Justice Archive at Mesa County Libraries, David Combs turns his attention to the death of George Floyd (who died at the hands of recently convicted Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin). As an African-American from Minneapolis, Combs gives unique and powerful perspectives on ethnic relations in that city, and on […]
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Women’s History Month was celebrated in March, but it’s never too late to honor the life of a hardworking pioneer woman of Mesa County’s past. As heard during an interview with the Mesa County Oral History Project, Mary Belle (Powers) Plaisted had a strong, poetic voice that paints you a distinct picture of what western […]
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In many ways, Shannon Robinson has lived an enviable punk rock kind of life, going her own direction and setting her own rules. She bought a fake ID so she could start working at the age of fourteen, was in the pit at Denver hardcore punk shows during the scene’s heyday, became a Vespa-riding SHARP […]
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Local history buffs, rejoice! A new book has been published by the Palisade Historical Society. Written by local historian and railroad enthusiast Matt Darling, “The History of Railroads in Palisade, Colorado” has made its way to our library shelves. This read explains the complications, successes, and technicalities of the railroad making its way through the Grand […]
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Dudley Mitchell was an early Mesa County resident and an interviewee of the Mesa County Oral History Project. In multiple interviews with Dudley, he discusses his fifty-year employment working an assortment of jobs for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG). If you ever needed any information on how the railroad worked in the early […]
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Before The Giving Tree, Toys for Tots, and the other wonderful programs that provide gifts to children in need, there was an organization called The Soup Eaters that helped thousands of Mesa County youth during the holidays.* The Soup Eaters was founded by Al Look during the Great Depression. Look, a columnist and advertising manager […]
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The increase of convenient transportation methods has always been a fascinating part of history. Roads were trampled out, built, and eventually paved. The seemingly charming horse and buggy morphed into horsepower engines. Living in a land where the prominent, fast-flowing Colorado River (called the Grand River until 1921) cut through the land for miles, many […]
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Are you interested in knowing when your home was built, who lived there before and other information? Whether you own or rent your house, you can use these resources to research your house’s history (or your apartment or business’s history, for that matter). Mesa County Assessor records You can use real property records held […]
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If you’ve spent time browsing through the Mesa County Oral History Project interviews, you’ll notice two common occupations worked by women settlers: nurses and teachers. As we’ve seen through the tireless, incredible efforts of our healthcare professionals and teachers during this past year, positions like this are crucial for the well-being of a community. One […]
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