In the late 1840s, thousands of young Basque men migrated from Europe to the American West. Many of the men found employment as sheep herders. The herders would take the sheep to the high country in the summer to graze among the aspen trees. To pass the time they made carvings on aspen trees, known as arborglyphs. One of the famous of these Basque aspen artists was Pacomio Chacon. He was born near Coyote, New … Read More
Barbara was born and raised in Denver, Colorado and graduated from the University of Colorado with a B.S. in Recreation. She lived and worked in Germany for eight years and has traveled extensively in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and East Africa. Her work experience includes management and sales in the travel agency, hotel, and destination marketing industry segments. Barbara recently retired from Visit Grand Junction after 27 years. She now currently manages her … Read More
The Museums of Western Colorado (MWC) Board of Directors recommends the following slate of nomination to the Board for a three-year beginning January 22, 2019. New Board Member Nominations Brad Keller, FCI Constructors, Inc., Vice President Grand Junction Operations FCI Constructors, Inc. has been a steadfast supporter of the MWC, so we are honored to put forward the proposed nomination of Brad Keller, one of FCI’s leaders for the future. Brad was born in … Read More
Nominations due January 31, 2019 Heritage Awards Ceremony, March 5, 2019 The Museums of Western Colorado’s (MWC) mission is to help the community preserve its heritage and tell its story. This is a significant undertaking. For this reason, the MWC relies on others in the community, either cooperatively or individually, to help fulfill this very important mission. It is an honor and privilege for the MWC to be able to recognize leaders and organizations who … Read More
MAKE AN ESTATE GIFT TO Museums of Western Colorado. We all desire significance — to lead happy and fulfilled lives surrounded by family and friends. For many of us, there is a compelling need to make a difference — to leave a lasting impact on the people most dear to us and the world in which we live. The quest for significance and desire to plan for the future leads many to ponder their legacy. … Read More
The Museums of Western Colorado is one of six museums in the state of Colorado that is Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and has held the museum field’s mark of distinction since 1971, when accreditation was first instated. Accreditation offers peer-based validation of a museum’s operations and impact and increases a museum’s credibility. It is a powerful tool to that helps facilitate loans between institutions as well as helping museums when applying for … Read More
Rio Grande Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society The care and operation of the railroad exhibits at Cross Orchards are a joint venture between the Rio Grande Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society and Cross Orchards Historic Site. The Rio Grande chapter was founded in September 1977 and became an exhibit restoration partner in the mid-1980s. Uintah Railway Exhibit In 1904 the Gilson Asphalt Company founded the Uintah Railway. The goal of the … Read More
Colorado Gives Day is an annual statewide movement to celebrate and increase philanthropy in Colorado through online giving. Narrowing that focus locally, the Museums of Western Colorado has partnered with Grand Valley Gives, a collaboration of non–profit organizations in Mesa County, that participate in Colorado Gives Day. In 2017, the Museum partnered with Grand Valley Gives for the first time and raised $40,054. At a time when many individuals are looking for worthwhile causes to … Read More
Leaving a Legacy to MWC The Museums of Western Colorado offers the experience of discovery to all ages, from children just beginning to engage in history to senior volunteers continuing a lifelong passion for knowledge. The Museums of Western Colorado (MWC) has a proud responsibility of facilitating three distinctively different museum sites, each holding treasures of our past. The Museum of the West houses relics of our Western Slope heritage, Dinosaur Journey holds priceless fossils of … Read More
Curator of History David Bailey has been inducted into the Western Writers of America. Bailey was accepted as an active member because of his extensive collection of published material and work on the American West. Distinguished members include Rudolfo Anaya, Edward Abbey, Clint Eastwood, and historian Robert Utley. The group was founded in 1953 to promote writing about the American West and to bestow Spur Awards for distinguished writing in the Western field. The founders … Read More
