“In 1894, Walter B. Cross came to the Grand Valley to open the Mount Lincoln Coal Mine in Palisade. That soon changed when Cross decided to pursue the fruit growing business
instead…” Read more about Cross Orchards’ history here.
Thanks to the Beacon Magazine for sharing.

Dinosaur Days kicks off this year with our 2nd Annual Old Fossil Classic on July 29. The scramble starts at 8 am at Adobe Creek National Golf Course in Fruita. Go here for more information.
Thanks to Subaru for donating our Hole in One prize - a brand new Subaru Legacy sedan. Commercial courtesy of KREX [...]

An unusual rainbow-like weather phenomenon surrounds the Sterling T. Smith Educational Tower at the Museum of the West.
Hope they left a pot of gold on top.

In preparation for “The Summer of Tyrannosaurus rex” and the arrival of the largest known robotic dinosaur, crews remove current exhibits to make way for the big one coming to Fruita on May 25th. Rick Charlesworth, owner of Lower Valley Welding and Performance, used one of his truck mounted cranes to lift our Apatosaurus from [...]

On Thursday, March 17, the Museum of Western Colorado held an all-day kids’ camp, Archaeology and History Adventure, at the Museum of the West. Under the direction of David Bailey, History Curator, the kids learned to excavate artifacts and draw their location on a grid, metal detecting, painted casts and worked hands-on with an archaeologist.
The [...]

Hard to believe that in just a few miles of hiking you’ll see the oldest rock formation in western Colorado, evidence of massive sand dunes that once covered the area, radioactive rocks that now house dinosaur bones and learn a thing or two about the sheep and cattle wars in Mesa County.
But that is exactly [...]

An early Grand Junction business woman, ca. 1880s
For more, check out Grand Junction History in Photos.

We were recently notified that U.S. Senator Michael Bennet nominated the Museum of Western Colorado for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service in 2011. This prestigious award is presented each year to honor outstanding museums and libraries that have made extraordinary contributions to their communities.
We are truly honored to be nominated for this [...]

“National Fossil Day is a celebration organized to promote public awareness and stewardship of fossils, as well as to foster a greater appreciation of their scientific and educational value.”
The Museum of Western Colorado, in partnership with Colorado National Monument, was excited to offer fun activities both at Dinosaur Journey and at Colorado National Monument on [...]

Award-winning weaver Eppie Archuleta from Capulin, Colorado has literally been at the loom since age six, as part of an extended family of renowned Hispanic weavers. Born in 1922 in Santa Cruz, New Mexico, Eppie still loves to get up with the sun and spend as many hours as possible at her loom or [...]