Hey, look! We can finally post our June Hours! LOL Yes, we’ve been closed due to the CDOT Elberta Roundabout Project, and yes, we’re open: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. Come on over for a visit! It’s FREE admission!
ADDED BONUS: Our FREE History Talk is this Thursday (June 11th) at the Palisade Community Gym – 711 Iowa Ave! We’ll be discussing the Colorado River & Drought Challenges AND Celebrating the 111th Birthday of the Roller Dam with a cake from the Slice o’ Life!

Preservation Oaks is all about showcasing the coolest Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies across the U.S. Join us as host Sean Radcliff talks with JoAnn Rasmussen, Chair of the Palisade Historical Society, about the compelling history of Palisade, Colorado. From peaches and coal mines to community heritage. Learn how this iconic town preserves its past and invites you to be part of its story. PLUS: The Genealogy Lab with Diana Crisman Smith! Tune in now! The Palisade Historical Society is truly one of our nation’s Preservation Oaks! https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-2vvnj-1a628a7

March on down and see us! 😉 Free admission. Donations appreciated. See something old and learn something new!

🥳 SUPER COOL ANNOUNCEMENT!! 🥳 Did you know The Palisade Historical Society is digitizing The Palisade Tribune? It’s true! A NEW BATCH IS AVAILABLE!! We now have 5,034 issues available in a FREE, SEARCHABLE database – from June 6, 1903 up to Dec. 25, 2003! More batches are in process, as we speak. The Palisade Tribune was our newspaper of record up until it ceased publishing in March 2014, and this is a fantastic resource for genealogists, students, teachers, researchers, and anyone who is interested in the unique history of Palisade, Colorado!
We have a tab on our website. Check it out today!
https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/the-palisade-tribune/

The Palisade History Museum is open four days a week: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday from 10am to 2pm, or by appointment. FREE admission! Pop in to see something old and learn something new.

SAVE THE DATE! March’s History Talk is Legends of the Grand Mesa, the Community in Motion Film and Video created by Grand Valley Magazine in 2015 about the myths and legends surrounding Grand Mesa including the iconic Thunderbird. The Palisade Historical Society’s Monthly History Talks are the second Thursday of the month at the historic Palisade Gymnasium/Auditorium, known as the Palisade Community Gym, at 711 Iowa Avenue. The talk will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 12th at the Palisade Community Gym, but feel free to come early to socialize! This program is open to the public to learn more about Palisade’s unique history in a relaxed environment. No reservations are needed. Admission is free, and donations are appreciated. As food and beverages will not be available for purchase on site, people can bring their own to the program. We hope to see you there!

The Palisade Historical Society’s Monthly History Talks are the second Thursday of the month at the historic Palisade Gymnasium/Auditorium, known as the Palisade Community Gym, at 711 Iowa Avenue in Palisade.
February’s History Talk is The History of the Palisade Library!
Palisade has had a public library since the 1930s, starting in Grace Duncan’s living room on Bower Avenue. With four locations since then, the determination of a group of dedicated volunteers of initially the Library Board and currently the Library Auxiliary, have found ways to continue making it the successful community resource it is.
The current Palisade Library is located in what was the Independent Lumber Company offices at 119 West Third Street in 1911. It has been closed since mid-November for needed ceiling repairs.
Join us as Jill Delavan, longtime Palisade Library Auxiliary Board Member, shares this unique history of the Palisade Library.
 
The talk will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, February 12th at the Palisade Community Gym, but feel free to come early to socialize! This program is open to the public to learn more about Palisade’s unique history in a relaxed environment. No reservations are needed. Admission is free, and donations are appreciated. As food and beverages will not be available for purchase on site, people can bring their own to the program.

We’ve added a new business member this month! Welcome Palisade Hair Company Brandi Normand Coonts!
In 2025, we also welcomed Colorado Wine Country Inn and Wine Valley Inn, and we had some renewals, too: Thank you to Altrusa International of Palisade, Cole Orchards, and Carboy Winery at Mt. Garfield Estate!!
Please be sure to check out the other longtime supporters on our Business Member Tree!
The “peaches” on our Business Member Tree are all shapes and sizes, but they are all incredibly important to us! Thank you for your support! Donations to The Palisade Historical Society make it possible for us to collect, preserve, and communicate the unique history of Palisade, CO!
#nonprofit #museum #history #support

❄️❄️Last night, nearly 50 people braved the slush and snow (YAY!! SNOW!!) to attend the Palisade Historical Society January History Talk! The historic Palisade Gym (711 Iowa Ave) is our new venue for this event, and we had so much fun!! It’s a fantastic space. People brought food, snacks, and beverages to enjoy and share during the presentation, and it was a great kick-off to a new season in a new venue. Thank you to Iriana Medina with La Plaza for a great presentation, and thank you to the Town of Palisade for the use of the space!
In 2025, we had over 760 people attend our History Talks, and 2026 is off to a fantastic start!
We hope to see you all at the February 12th History Talk – 6pm – Palisade Gym: The History of the Palisade Library, with Jill Delavan. ❄️❄️

🎉Party like it’s 1999!! 🎉 We have BIG news!! The Palisade Tribune collection is now updated through December 30, 1999!!
This is one of our most ambitious projects: digitizing issues of the Palisade Tribune from June 6, 1903 up to when it ceased publishing in March of 2014. With every batch, we get closer to the our end goal!
Thanks to Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection for getting these scanned and uploaded for us!!

⛄Happy New Year!!⛄Here are our January Hours at the Palisade History Museum. We hope to see you soon & here’s to a fantastic 2026!

⛄Exciting News!!⛄
The Palisade Historical Society has announced a venue change for their Monthly History Talks. Starting in January, these talks will now be hosted at the historic Palisade Gymnasium/Auditorium, known as the Palisade Community Gym, at 711 Iowa Avenue in Palisade.
The Palisade Historical Society’s January History Talk will be presented by Iriana Medina, Executive Director of La Plaza, who will talk about the evolution of Palisade’s Child and Migrant Center to its current vision which empowers the immigrant community in the Grand Valley through education, leadership opportunities, and initiatives that promote self sufficiency and equity. La Plaza is located at 721 Peach Street in Palisade. The talk will begin at 6 p.m. at the Palisade Community Gym, at 711 Iowa Avenue in Palisade.
Child and Migrant Services (CMS) began in 1954 when local fruit growers’ wives, Vera Foss, Margaret Talbott, and Dorothy Powers, joined forces to improve the living conditions of the migrant seasonal farm workers and their families in Mesa County, providing basic food, clothing, medical services, and childcare to farm workers. In 1969, efforts coalesced into Community Child Care and Migrant Services, Inc, which eventually was shortened to Child and Migrant Services (CMS).
Iriana started in January 2024 as the Community Engagement Coordinator and was promoted to executive director in November of 2024. The new name reflects the change of bringing the community together to face complex challenges in a central gathering space – or La Plaza.
The talk will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, January 8 at the Community Gym. This program is open to the public to learn more about Palisade’s unique history in a relaxed environment. No reservations are needed. Admission is free, and donations are appreciated. As food and beverages will not be available for purchase on site, people can bring their own to the program.

JoAnn & Claire Rasmussen, Dave Cecuga, Lisa Marye, Tom Schaffer, Priscilla Walker, and Santa & Mrs Claus (Pete & Wanda Robinson) in the rumble seat of Freddie, the 1930 Model A!

Lisa Marye & Tom Schaffer with the 1923 Star Delivery Truck.

Claire & JoAnn Rasmussen in Dolly the golf cart.

POSTED 12/08: This year is flying by!! We can’t believe Colorado Gives Day 2025 is already here! Donate if you can. It only takes a little to make a big impact.
https://www.coloradogives.org/story/HistoricPalisade

POSTED 12/02: Did you know The Palisade Historical Society is participating in Colorado Gives again this year? Well, guess what TODAY is!! December 2nd, is Giving Tuesday! Please consider donating. Every little bit helps.
https://www.coloradogives.org/story/HistoricPalisade

Did you know the Palisade History Museum is one of the only small museums on the Western Slope open year ’round?! It’s true! Our generous donors have made it possible to maintain our climate controlled space for our unique collections. Here are our December Hours. Free admission! Donations appreciated. Come check it out!
3740 G Road, Palisade, CO 81526
HistoricPalisade.org

Road Closed?? MUSEUM OPEN!! The intersection of Elberta and Hwy 6 is under construction as a Roundabout is being added…and it will be a challenge for some time. Currently, Elberta has been closed from 5th to the Highway. The Museum is accessible, but it involves some detours!
Follow the Detour Signs to the north Frontage Road for Hwy 6. Drive around the Detour Sign (as shown in the photo) & come west to the Museum!
DON’T GIVE UP. It’s a good thing history buffs are known for their tenacity & sense of adventure.
We’re open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. (We will be closed Thursday the 27th & Friday the 28th for Thanksgiving, but we will be open that Saturday the 29th!)

We have exciting news!! In the last 12 months, 19,788 people have viewed our Palisade Tribune issues! We rank 22 out of 932 titles in viewership!
We are digitizing our collection of issues, from the first one on June 6, 1903 up to when it ceased publishing in March of 2014. (We’ve made it up to December 1995, with more batches on the way.) Donations to the Palisade Historical Society can help defray these costs! It’s expensive, but the result is priceless.

Check out our November Hours at the Palisade History Museum! (10am to 2pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.)
PLEASE NOTE: We will be closed Thursday (27th) and Friday (28th) for the Thanksgiving Holiday, but we’ll be back to our regular hours on Saturday the 29th!
Pop in and see us! FREE ADMISSION.

💥SAVE THE DATE💥 Our November History Talk will be Thursday, Nov 13th at 6pm at The Ordinary Fellow Winery. Local award-winning archaeologist Curtis Martin will be sharing what the world was like for folks living in Colorado in 1876 – on both sides of the mountains. FREE EVENT!

FREE EVENT! Join us for our October History Talk at The Ordinary Fellow Winery on Thursday, Oct. 16th at 6pm! Come early to get a seat! Free admission; donations appreciated.

Did you know that admission is FREE at the Palisade History Museum? Yes, it’s true! Looking for something new to do? Come see something old! 😉 We have displays on coal mining, irrigation, peaches, and more! #history #museum Here are our October Hours

💥Did you know you can search The Palisade Tribune issues from the very first issue on June 6, 1903 NOW UP TO December 28, 1995 FOR FREE!? 💥Yes, it’s true! (Even more issues are currently in process!) We’re digitizing all of the papers through when the Palisade Tribune stopped publishing in March 2014. This is a wonderful resource. Donations to the Palisade Historical Society can help us pay for this!

🎉 HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY, PALISADE HISTORY MUSEUM!! 🎉 Palisade’s very first History Museum celebrated its Grand Opening on August 18, 2021. We’ve welcomed more than 2,400 visitors – tourists and locals alike! Thanks to generous donors, we renovated the vacant log structure to be climate controlled for the collections and artifacts, as well as to be open year-round. (Photos courtesy of the Palisade Historical Society)
This 1939 log building was formerly George Bunte, Jr’s shop for his Grand Junction-Palisade Freight Hauling business. This picture is prior to the office being added to the south side. (Photo courtesy of The Bunte Family Collection)
We’re located near the corner of Elberta & the north frontage road for Highway 6 at 3740 G Road, here in Palisade.
We’re open four days a week – Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. FREE ADMISSION. Stop in and see us!
#history #museum #visitpalisade

We’ve added a few new business members over the last few days! Welcome Peachy Pedicab, Postcards From Palisade Podcast, and Vines79 Wine Barn! The “peaches” on our Business Member Tree are all shapes and sizes, but they are all incredibly important to us! Thank you for your support! Donations to The Palisade Historical Society make it possible for us to collect, preserve, and communicate the unique history of Palisade, CO! #nonprofit #museum #history #support

Looking for something to do one Thursday night a month? Our monthly History Talk programs are set through December at The Ordinary Fellow Winery! They’re free, fun, and full of interesting information! Here are the topics! Check out HistoricPalisade.org or our Monthly Newsletters for more detailed information, as we get closer to the particular dates. We hope to see you there!

💖🍑💖🍑 BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND, the Peach Quilt is on display at The Blue Pig Gallery in Palisade! Pop in to see this queen size quilt, depicting 90 varieties of peaches – all hand-painted! The Palisade Historical Society also has a 2026 Calendar of the Peach Quilt available for a donation ($20 each), while supplies last. You can get the calendars at the Blue Pig Gallery, The Palisade History Museum, or by contacting us through HistoricPalisade.org!
#calendar #peaches #quilting #art #visitpalisade

💖🍑🍇Mark your calendars! The Palisade Historical Society has the next three History Talks set!
6pm at The Ordinary Fellow 202 Peach Ave
🗓️Thurs, July 17th – Entertainment in the Grand Valley in the Early 1900s with Joe Zeni
🗓️Thurs, Aug 21st – CSU Extension Service with Jeff Pieper
🗓️Thurs, Sept 25th – History of Wine in Colorado with Jenne Baldwin-Eaton
FREE admission. Donations appreciated. No need to RSVP. Come early to grab a seat!
💖🍑🍇

The Palisade Tribune was Palisade’s newspaper of record from June 1903 until it ceased publishing in March 2014. We have been digitizing the issues with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection and putting them in a FREE, SEARCHABLE database! We have up to Dec. 22, 1994 available, with more batches on the way! (That’s 4,567 issues!!) Your donations to The Palisade Historical Society make this possible!!
To search The Palisade Tribunes directly, we have a link on our website: https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/the-palisade-tribune/

Mark your calendar! Join us in June for a Dam History Talk and a Dam Birthday Party!
The Roller Dam (The Grand River Diversion Dam east of Palisade) is integral to Palisade and the valley, and it’s going to be 110 years old in June! The Palisade Historical Society is celebrating this milestone at our June History Talk, June 19th at 6pm at The Ordinary Fellow! We’ll have fun videos! We’ll have a special guest speaker from Grand Valley Water Users Association! We’ll have Birthday Cake from Slice o’ Life Bakery! Come early to get a seat and a piece of cake!

Here are our June Hours at the Palisade History Museum!

Join us tonight (May 15th) for our May History Talk! Come early to get a seat! The festivities start at 6pm! #HistoryTalk

Mark your calendar for the next WalkAbout Wednesday, June 4th! This is such a fun event! Thank you to everyone who participated!
This will be the First Wednesday of every month through October!

We’ve updated our Cover Photo on Facebook (and the website header, here, too!)

Here are our May Hours at the Palisade History Museum! Come visit us!
#museum #history #visitpalisade

🚨 SAVE THE DATE! 🚨
Mark your calendars now for the First Wednesday of the Month, from May through October. Join us in Downtown Palisade for the WalkAbout Wednesday Artwalk!
Enjoy live music in the Plaza, extended hours of the businesses downtown, and an evening of incredible art!
#art #artwalk #visitpalisade

The Poppies are poppin’ at the Historic Crissey House!
Official “Poppy Day” isn’t for another month, but the poppies are starting to pop at the Historic Crissey House. The Iris are also starting to put on a show. It’s hard to beat springtime in Palisade!
Have you done the Self-Guided Walking Tour of Palisade yet? (This Historic Crissey House is #10.) Pick up a FREE walking tour brochure in the kiosk behind Family Food Town, or pop into the Palisade History Museum to get one. We’re open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10am to 2pm.
What’s blooming at your house?
#springflowers #visitpalisade #historichouses #oldgardenflowers #blooming #poppy

🍑 121 years ago, Palisade was founded – April 4, 1904! Here is a poem from a Palisade Tribune issue from April 1904 about Peach Orchards, and here is a picture of Mt. Garfield, from a Palisade Peach Orchard taken in April 2025. Enjoy! 🍑
Peach Orchards.
Beautiful, yes and grand as well
Are orchards when peach buds swell,
As bursting into flowery bloom
They wave on the golden air of noon.
Proud, well yes, and justly so
For buds that swell and burst and blow,
Foretells a yield no cinch to boast
That Palisade can beat the coast.
Work, well yes, the boxes to make
And a rush of fruit to pick and crate,
Speed is the word and fingers fly,
They ripen so fast ‘neath the sunny sky.
Money, well yes, though trade has said
The Palisade peaches so luscious and red
Are the acme of flavor and look so nice.
They always bring the highest price.
-Edward Davis
#poetry #poem #HistoricNewspapers #history #peaches #orchard #blooming #visitpalisade

🕵️ Who doesn’t love a good mystery!? 🕵️
Do you know who this is?
The Sibley County Historical Society in Minnesota found this in their archives and have mailed the original to the Mesa County Historical Society.
The information at the side says it was taken at the X-Ray Studio in Grand Junction, Colorado. The X-ray studio was on Main Street, circa 1903, owned by S. G. Wray, a prominent early photographer. The caption on the back is illegible.
Any ideas? Share!
#mystery #history #oldphotograph

And here is a scan of the back

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PALISADE!! Approximately 90 people helped us celebrate 121 years last night at the Ordinary Fellow Winery! It was such a fun evening!!
A huge shout-out goes to Lisa “Moose” Levy Kral with Dancing In My Head Photography for sharing her talents & photos of the festivities with us!
The evening included cake from the Slice o’ Life Bakery; a presentation from the Palisade Historical Society Chair, JoAnn Rasmussen; a poem by Trish Hopkinson, and a video of amazing photos created by Gayle Madden honoring Palisade from 1904.
It was so great to see everyone!

🎉🎉Happy Birthday, Palisade!🎉🎉
Palisade was incorporated on 04/04/04! Yes, that’s 1904 — 121 years ago today!
Join us for a Birthday Celebration History Talk at The Ordinary Fellow Winery tonight at 5pm! Get here early to get a piece of cake from Slice o’ Life Bakery!
We’ll see you there!

Check out the Mesa County Historical Society Monthly Missive for April! The Palisade Historical Society is a Regional Member of MCHS!
#history #museums #historicalsociety

Postcards From Palisade Podcast
E39: Palisade’s Surprising Seasonal Agricultural Workers of the Past
JoAnn Rasmussen, Chair of the Palisade Historical Society, takes a deep dive into how past generations of farmers and orchardists in Palisade and the Grand Valley met their ever-present need for seasonal agricultural workers.
We might sometimes feel isolated from international and national events here in Palisade, but the seasonal labor sources for this town have always been driven by outside circumstances. Listen to learn about the fascinating range of people who helped bring Palisade’s agricultural products to market.
https://www.postcardsfrompalisade.com/podcast/e39-palisades-surprising-seasonal-agricultural-workers-of-the-past/
#history #podcast

💥 Our monthly Newsletter goes out on the 1st of every month. 💥
Did you see this one? Check it out!
https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/newsletters-2/

Here are our April hours! Come visit us! It’s FREE Admission! We hope to see you soon.
#history #museum #visitpalisade

💡Did you know we’re one of the only small museums in Western Colorado that is open year ’round!? It’s true!
💖That’s thanks to our generous donors who have provided us the ability to create & maintain a climate controlled space for our collections. Pop in and see us!

💡Did you know we’ve been around for 15 years!? It’s true!
🎉On March 25, 2010, The Palisade Historical Society was officially founded. We have been collecting, preserving, and communicating the unique history of Palisade, CO ever since!
💖Here’s to the past, present, and future of Historic Palisade!
#historicalsociety #history #visitpalisade #anniversary #15years

🎉 YOU’RE INVITED!! 🎉
Come help us celebrate 121 years of Palisade!
Palisade’s Birthday is FRIDAY, APRIL 4th. Join us for a History Talk and Special Birthday Celebration at 5pm at The Ordinary Fellow Winery! …and we’ll have a cake from Slice o’ Life Bakery, too!
Free admission, donations welcome & appreciated.
#history #histortalk #partytime #visitpalisade

March 17, 2025:
☘️The Palisade Tribune is full of all kinds of fun articles. This one was published 113 years ago in honor of St. Patrick’s Day! ☘️
It talks of a party that was held at the Mayor Kluge’s house here in Palisade. The hostesses had all kinds of surprises in store for the attendees, including a fancy dinner served at Jordan’s Inn. (Jordan’s Inn was where the plaza is now in Palisade. It burned down in 1915.) The details are fun to read, and even the toasts that were given are recorded for posterity!
Search the Palisade Tribunes for your own treasure! https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/the-palisade-tribune/

March 14, 2025: For almost 111 years, The Palisade Tribune was Palisade’s newspaper of record. It proclaimed news from Palisade, the valley, and beyond. It celebrated marriages, announced births, and mourned deaths. It reported scandals, opinions, truths, and a mixture of it all. It shared the ordinary minutiae that was uniquely Palisade.
Sadly, in March of 2014, all of that came to an end.
The Palisade Historical Society has been working tirelessly to preserve The Palisade Tribune issues in a free, searchable database. With the help of the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection, the digitized version of these papers can live on forever.
Currently, there are 4,361 issues available: from June 6, 1903 up to December 27, 1990, with more batches being scanned as we speak.
What a treasure we have!
https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/the-palisade-tribune/
#history #newspapers #HistoricNewspapers

March 14, 2025: We had a great turnout for a great History Talk last night at The Ordinary Fellow Winery! Matt Darling, Curator of Cross Orchards, presented “This Old Barn,” a documentary from the early 1980s and then spoke more about how Cross Orchards was saved for future generations. 💖 It was great to see everyone! 💖 #history #historytalk

March 12, 2025:
💮 Apricots in Bloom at the Historic Crissey House! 💮
These apricot trees are over 100 years old! They are an original Smith & Moorpark variety. There are 14 apricot trees surrounding the Historic Crissey House. 
If you’re in Palisade, CO, swing by First Street to see (and smell) them for yourself! They are glorious! If you take pictures, please tag us!
The Historic Crissey House is on the National Register of Historic Places. https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/hch/
#historicpreservation #HistoricalSites #visitpalisade #Apricot #blooming

March 11, 2025:
🚨DON’T FORGET!🚨
Our History Talk is THIS THURSDAY at 5pm at The Ordinary Fellow Winery!
We hope to see you there!

💖 Look at this lovely lady from a hundred years ago! 💖
🔎 Explore more fashions from the past in The Palisade Tribune. Search the database for free! https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/the-palisade-tribune/
#history #fashion #VintageStyle #vintagefashion

Here is the MCHS Monthly Missive for March! (That’s a lot of M’s!)
#historicalsociety

March 4, 2025:
💥 Palisade History Museum in the News! 💥
Yesterday, JoAnn Rasmussen, the Chair of the Palisade Historical Society and a member of the Tourism Advisory Board spoke to KKCO TV Channel 11 about the 1904 Campaign. Check out the link for some fun footage of the Palisade History Museum!
🔗 https://www.kkco11news.com/2025/03/04/palisade-celebrates-121st-birthday-with-special-promotion/
💖🍑🍇 We’re open four days a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) from 10am to 2pm. It’s free admission, so pop in and see us! While you’re out & about, be sure to take advantage of the savings through the 1904 Campaign with the local businesses, as well! 💖🍑🍇

🍑 We have our Monthly History Talks set through July! 🍑
All of these History Talks will be at The Ordinary Fellow Winery!
Thurs, March 13th – 5pm: “This Old Barn” Saving Cross Orchards – Matt Darling
FRIDAY, April 4th – 5pm: Happy 121st Birthday Palisade – Birthday Celebration & History Talk by the Palisade Historical Society
Thurs, May 15th – 6pm: “Beaver Pelts and Buckskins Fort Uncompahgre & The Old Spanish Trail” – Western Colorado author and historian Dave Fishell
Thurs, June 19th – 6pm: 110th Birthday of the Roller Dam – Palisade Historical Society Presentation
Thurs, July 17th – 6pm: Entertainment in the Grand Valley in the Early 1900s – local author Joe Zeni
🍑 Mark your calendars now! 🍑

March 2, 2025:
🌄 Start the day with us!
💡Did you know we send out a FREE Monthly Newsletter? It’s true! The March Newsletter went out bright and early on the 1st.
🔎 You can read them all at HistoricPalisade.org (Newsletter Tab), or you can get them delivered to your Inbox.
🗞️ Sign up today!

🍀 Check out our March Hours at the Palisade History Museum!
🍀 We would be “lucky” to have you visit us!
FREE ADMISSION – Donations appreciated!

💖Palisade was incorporated on April 4, 1904, so from March 1 until Palisade’s
birthday on April 4, local businesses are offering 1904-themed deals to
highlight our rich heritage and encourage visitors to explore Palisade.
🍑 Local restaurants, wineries, shops, and lodging providers are offering exclusive promotions that tie into the 1904 theme. The Palisade Historical Society is offering Guided Walking Tours (normally suggested donation of $5 per person for a minimum of 4 people) for $19.04 regardless of group size! The Palisade History Museum is always FREE admission! AND Our April History Talk will coincide with the 121st Birthday of Palisade, so the Palisade Historical Society will be throwing a party in celebration, on Friday, April 4th!
🍇 You’ll find discounts like $19.04 meal specials, 19% off select wines, and even a
discount on a Powderhorn lift ticket!
💖 All participating businesses and offerings are listed at VisitPalisade.com/1904.
🍑 Spring is a great time to visit Palisade—it’s beautiful, less crowded, and the 1904
campaign is a fun way to showcase our town’s history while supporting local
Businesses.
🍇 It’s an opportunity for locals and visitors alike to enjoy our incredible food, wine,
and outdoor recreation while taking advantage of these great deals.
💖 We encourage everyone to come experience Palisade and take advantage of
these special deals and support our fantastic local businesses! Just mention the
1904 promotion when visiting participating businesses, and be sure to check out
all the details at VisitPalisade.com/1904.
🍑The Palisade Tourism Advisory Board works to encourage tourism to promote
Palisade, which is a key aspect of our local economy. This is a fun way to promote tourism, support our local businesses, and celebrate our town!

💥 SAVE THE DATE – MARCH HISTORY TALK 💥
🗓️ Thursday, March 13th
⏰ 5pm
📍 Ordinary Fellow Winery
💵 FREE ADMISSION – Donations appreciated
The Palisade Historical Society’s monthly history talk at the Ordinary Fellow Winery, 202 Peach Avenue in Palisade, will be Matt Darling, Curator of Cross Orchards Historic Site. He will begin the History Talk by playing a 25-minute video entitled, “This Old Barn,” which talks about how the Museums of Western Colorado acquired Cross Orchards. “This Old Barn” is a treasure and was made in the 1980s, soon after the purchase of Cross Orchards. Then Matt will talk about all the work the Museum has done to Cross over the years.
The Cross Orchards at its peak was an agricultural showcase and one of the largest orchards in the State. The three oldest buildings on the property, the barn/packing shed, bunkhouse and manager’s house are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The History Talk will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 13th at The Ordinary Fellow Winery. This program is open to the public in a relaxed and comfortable setting for people to learn about Palisade’s unique history and enjoy a glass of wine. The tasting room opens at noon, so come early. There is no admission fee, but donations are appreciated.

February 21. 2025:
💖🍑🍇 We had a great time at last night’s History Talk! Steve Schulte spoke to a full house on Wayne Aspinall and the Wilderness Act of 1964. These monthly History Talks are a great way to learn about all kinds of history topics of Palisade and beyond! 🍇🍑💖
#history #historytalk
A huge thank you to Dancing In My Head Photography for the wonderful photos!

February 19, 2025: 💖 Welcome Dancing In My Head Photography as one of our new Business Members of the Palisade Historical Society! 💖 We are excited to have your support and add you to our “peach tree” of members!

February 16, 2025: 💥 There are now 4,361 issues of the Palisade Tribune available online! We have issues from June 6, 1903 up to December 27, 1990, with more on the way! 📰 The Palisade Tribune archives are a treasure trove of information. 🔎 You can search the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection database for free! https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/the-palisade-tribune/

February 15, 2025:
🚨REMINDER!🚨
Our History Talk is Thursday night! Join us at The Ordinary Fellow Winery at 5pm. Steve Schulte, retired CMU history professor and author of “Wayne Aspinall and the Shaping of the American West” will be presenting information on The Wilderness Act of 1964.
We hope to see you there!

February 14, 2025:
💖 Happy Valentine’s Day from us to you! 💖
#VintageValentines #history

February 13, 2025:
💖Tomorrow is the big day. Here’s another #VintageValentine for your collection!
Fun History Fact: The Palisade Drug Company is in the brick Purcell Building at 3rd & Main, where Palisade Cycles is now!

February 12, 2025:
💖“A woman never forgets the man who remembers”
Fun History Fact: The Palisade Drug Company is in the brick Purcell Building at 3rd & Main, where Palisade Cycles is now!
#VintageValentines #history

February 11, 2025:
💖“Cupid has a part in nearly everyone’s heart”
Fun History Fact:
The CD Smith Drug Company was in the same building as Jordan’s Inn, which is where the Plaza at 3rd & Main.
#VintageValentines #history

February 10, 2025:
📰 This ad was in the February 11, 1905 issue of The Palisade Tribune, 120 years ago!
💡 Did you know? This company was started in 1873 in Elkhart, IN, and they were advertising here in Palisade 32 years later, in 1905!
🚗 Fast forward, upon further research, we discovered that in 1915, The Elkhart Carriage & Harness Manufacturing Company, started making the “Elcar,” which is a clever play on words & location and a clever way to stay in business when times started changing!

February 9, 2025:
📰 The C. Bower mentioned in this Palisade Tribune ad from 1905 was “Colonel” Christopher Columbus Bower, a prominent pioneer of Palisade.
💡 Did you know that Museum Volunteer & Palisade Historical Society Member, Dave Cecuga, bears a striking resemblance to him and leads one of our Guided Walking Tours, “An Hour with Colonel Bower,” which highlights his life and what Palisade was like in the early 1900s?
🔎 Learn more about our Guided Walking Tours here: https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/historic-guided-walking-tours/

February 8, 2025: 💖 When researching The Palisade Tribunes for Valentine’s Day ideas, ads, etc. (because it’s in less than a week!), it was delightful to find an unexpected common theme that spans many years – 1932, 1937, 1952, and more! Hosiery! Ohh, la la. 💖 #history #vintagestyle #vintageads

February 7, 2025:
💥NEW DISPLAY ALERT!💥
Another quilt in our collection is now on display at The Palisade History Museum!
🌟This six-pointed star quilt was probably started by the women of East Orchard Mesa. Perhaps this was an unfinished friendship quilt with their embroidered signatures.
🌟The fabric is mostly cotton/calico from scraps left over from homemade garments like aprons, house dresses, shirts, and children’s clothes sewn during the Depression Years of the late 1920s and 1930s!
🌟The pieces for the uncompleted quilt were kept in a closet for many years by Anna Muhr Aspinall of Palisade, wife of Ralph D. Aspinall and sister-in-law of Congressman Wayne N. Aspinall. Her granddaughter, Sheryl Buttolph Fitzgerald, kept the pieces safe for many more years before assembling them and presenting them to the Palisade History Museum in May of 2024.
🌟What a treasure!
🌟The Palisade History Museum is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. Come and see it for yourself!
#quilting #history

February 6, 2025
🚨SAVE THE DATE🚨
📅 Thursday, February 20th
⏰ 12pm to 1pm
📍 Mesa County Central Library Branch – 443 N. 6th Street – GJ
Oral History Program: Restoring the Historic Crissey House – Adventures in Amateur Archaeology
JoAnn & Kirk Rasmussen are the current owners and caretakers of the Historic Crissey House in Palisade. Join JoAnn, Chair of the Palisade Historical Society, as she shares tales of what it’s like living in and rehabilitating a property on the National Register of Historic Places, what it means to be an amateur archaeologist in your own home, and why they’d do it all again in a heartbeat.
P.S. Don’t forget we’re hosting our History Talk that night at the Ordinary Fellow Winery at 5pm!

February 5, 2025:💡 Did you know that the Palisade Historical Society is a Regional Member of the Mesa County Historical Society? Yes, it’s true!
💖 The MCHS was founded in 1975 and is celebrating 50 years this year!! Here is the February 2025 Monthly Missive, a snapshot of what’s happening with the MCHS, future events, announcements, and more! The Monthly Missives will not take the place of the PastTimes Newsletter sent out to members, but will be a monthly supplement.
💖 We’re excited to be a part of this!
Here’s a direct link to the MCHS February Missive:
https://sites.google.com/view/mesacountyhistoricalsociety/missive?authuser=0

February 4, 2025:
☀️ Wow, does February know it’s February?? ☀️
💖 The weather is what it is around here, so take advantage of this while it lasts! We’re open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 2pm, so take a break from basking in the warm temps and check out the museum!
💖 This 1939 log building was formerly George Bunte, Jr’s shop for his Grand Junction-Palisade Freight Hauling business. This picture is prior to the office being added to the south side. (Photo courtesy of The Bunte Family Collection)
💖 And then it became Palisade’s very first History Museum!! We celebrated its Grand Opening on August 18, 2021. Thanks to generous donors, we renovated the vacant log structure to be climate controlled for the collection and artifacts, as well as to be open year-round. (Photos courtesy of Palisade Historical Society)

February 3, 2025:
📰 This is advice on the front page of the Palisade Tribune in the Feb 6, 1925 issue, one hundred years ago!
💖It still holds true about Palisade today:💖
“Praise it. Improve it. Talk about it. Trade at home. Be public spirited. Take a home pride in it… Remember it is your home. Tell of its natural advantages… When strangers come to town use them well… Support your local institutions that benefit your town. Look ahead of self when all the town is to be considered…” and more.
💥Fun History Fact:💥
The Hoffman Garage is where the Craig Art Gallery is now! Those in the Palisade Historical Society sometimes refer to this building as “The Twisted Brick,” because the bricks are indeed twisted! The next time you’re down there, just east of Third and Main, look for the twisted bricks, and you’ll see what we mean!
#100yearsago #history #advice #smalltown #palisadecolorado

February 2, 2025:
😆 Happy Groundhog Day from The Palisade Historical Society! 😆

February 1, 2025:
💖 Happy February!
📰 The Palisade Historical Society publishes a free monthly newsletter, and they went out this morning! We can deliver it to your email inbox, or you’re welcome to check out the issues on our website. For our paid members who don’t have email or computers and/or prefer a printed version, we print & deliver it to them every month, as well!
Check it out!
🔎https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/newsletters-2/

Today is Friday, January 31st.
This ad in The Palisade Tribune is from Friday, January 31st!
…of 1930!
Yes, that’s 95 years ago today.
Wow!
Look at the style, the prices, the elegance of it all…
…and enjoy your Friday, January the 31st!

January 30, 2025:
📰 One hundred years ago today, on January 30th, 1925, this bakery ad ran on the front page of The Palisade Tribune.
“You will buy our goods eventually – why not now”
🧁 We take baked goods very seriously, but this ad seems a bit aggressive on second glance.
🍰🥧 FINE. We’ll take some delicious pie or a cake. Twist our arms!
We’re going to have it eventually, so why not now? 😉

January 29, 2025:
💖February is Saturday! Can you believe it?!💖
By our calculations, there are three types of Wall Calendar people:
The 1st day of the next month is visible this week, so let’s switch it to the next month now!
The last day of this month hasn’t happened yet, so nobody touches it until the 1st!
Wall Calendar?
Some of us at the Palisade Historical Society are of the first variety. Some of us are the second. We all have one of our 2025 Palisade Then & Now Calendars, so we’re not really the last kind, but time may get away from us, and we may be halfway through the next month before we turn the page. (Ooops!)
What kind are you?
In the meantime, here is February’s Calendar for the Hours at the Palisade History Museum! Look, you can still see this last week of January, so it’s all good.

January 28, 2025:
💥SAVE THE DATE!💥
📅Thursday, Feb. 20th
⏰5pm
📍The Ordinary Fellow: 202 Peach Ave
💖FREE ADMISSION
The Palisade Historical Society’s monthly history talk at The Ordinary Fellow Winery in Palisade will be former CMU history professor Steve Schulte. He will explain how The Wilderness Act of 1964 was considered a foundational victory for the emerging environmental movement, though the reality, however, is far different.
Wayne Aspinall did more to shape the ultimate form of the law than any other lawmaker, and he more than met his goal in allowing the Wilderness Bill to pass – to protect western land and resource users. Congressman Wayne N. Aspinall grew up in Palisade and was a 12-term Congressional Representative from the Western Slope’s Third Congressional District.
Steve published Wayne Aspinall and the Shaping of the American West in 2002 which detailed Aspinall’s political career that encompassed some of the most crucial years in the development of the twentieth-century West.
The talk will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 20th at The Ordinary Fellow Winery located at 202 Peach Avenue in Palisade. The program is open to the public in a relaxed and comfortable setting for people to learn about Palisade’s unique history and enjoy a glass of wine. It is free admission to this event, and donations are appreciated. The tasting room opens at noon, so come early!

January 27, 2025:
Back in August, Lisa McNamara from the Postcards from Palisade Podcast interviewed JoAnn Rasmussen, the Chair of the Palisade Historical Society. In case you missed it, here is a link to that episode!
🎙️https://www.postcardsfrompalisade.com/podcast/e30-palisade-history-with-joann-rasmussen-of-the-palisade-historical-society/
Lisa and JoAnn talk about The Historic Crissey House, some fun stories of Historic Palisade, researching the Palisade Tribunes, what very well could be the first pickleball court in Mesa County, and maybe even some ghost stories…and more!
While you’re at it, check out the other episodes, too. They are fascinating conversations with locals and a glimpse of “our slice of Palisade.”
A special thanks goes out to Lisa McNamara for including us!
💖🍑🍇 Enjoy!🍇🍑💖
#podcast #history

January 26, 2025:
💖We just got some fantastic news! The numbers are in for 2024, and The Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection (CHNC) now provides free access to 5.1 million digitized pages! (…and counting!)
📰They represent over 840 individual newspaper titles published in Colorado from 1859 to 2024! This allows users from across the globe to “experience Colorado as it happened.” Our digitized Palisade Tribunes are part of this free database!
🔎This is a wonderful resource for anyone who is interested in researching the past!
🌐Link to the database: https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/
🌐Link to easily search The Palisade Tribunes directly from our HistoricPalisade.org site: https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/the-palisade-tribune/
#history #research #HistoricNewspapers

January 25, 2025:
Exactly 90 years ago today, on January 25, 1935, this front page article was published in The Palisade Tribune. “Skating days are here again.”
💡Interesting things to note:
⛸️There was a skating pond on 7th Street “north of the new school,” and “the new school” is where the Community Hospital Clinic and Palisade Fire Department are now!
📰 In 1935, the Masthead for The Palisade Tribune was an amazing drawing of our unique view here in Palisade!
🥇Above the masthead it says, “The Palisade District has the best supply of water for irrigation and domestic use of any community in the Rocky Mountain Region.”
#history #iceskating #historicnewspaper

January 24, 2025: 📰117 years ago this weekend, this ad ran in The Palisade Tribune.
📷 Imagine our delight at seeing a picture of the Jordan’s Inn! We just posted about this yesterday on the Sanborn Map! (If you haven’t seen that post yet, pop back and check it out.)
Like we mentioned yesterday, Jordan’s Inn was where the Plaza is now, at the corner of 3rd & Main here in Palisade. It was built in 1907 (and advertised in January 1908, as pictured in this clipping), and sadly burned to the ground in 1915. It would have been a sight to behold!
💖Have a great weekend! In the meantime, if you get a chance, come visit us at the Palisade History Museum. We’re open from 10am to 2pm Friday & Saturday, and it’s free admission!

January 23, 2025:
🗺️ We love maps! …especially old ones! A great resource for researching the Town of Palisade can be found by searching “Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Palisade, Mesa County, Colorado” in your preferred browser.
📍Here are some quick snapshots of our Palisade Town Center on this 1912 map.
🔎We have zoomed in on Jordan’s Inn, which is where the Plaza is now! Jordan’s Inn was built in 1907 at Third & Main. It was a prominent feature of Palisade, boasting popular storefronts on the main level and rooms above. In November of 1915, Jordan’s Inn burned to the ground. In this 1912 map, three years before it was destroyed by the fire, you can see the floorplan of Jordan’s Inn! (How cool is that!?)
🚨WARNING: 🚨
Do not look at the Sanborn maps unless you’ve blocked a few hours in your schedule! We can’t be held responsible for time just vanishing.
You’ve been warned. 😉
🔎Other than The Palisade Tribunes in the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection database and the Sanborn Maps, what are some other resources you enjoy in your quest for all things Historic Palisade and beyond?

January 22, 2025:
“You will be proud to own a Tulsa for its exceptional beauty alone.”
And you could buy one right here in Palisade! Just stop by the Ford Service Station or call Palisade 11-J 😉
#history #VintageCars

January 21, 2025
These fabulous hats are from a January 1925 issue of The Palisade Tribune, 100 years ago!
🤩
#history #onehundredyears #vintagestyle #hats

January 20, 2025:
Wanting to cut back on Social Media? Needing to take a break, but not sure how to get our information if you do?
All of the updates we post on FB and Instagram are also on our HistoricPalisade.org website! We have a Social Media Tab here: https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/social-media/
💖🍑🍇You won’t be missing out on anything.🍇🍑💖
Wanna know a secret? Some of us who create content on this page aren’t personally on Social Media! Yes, it’s true.
Social Media can be a polarizing topic. Some people never got into it or ditched it ages ago, and on the other end of the spectrum, some people use it as their only source of local news & events. There are many pros & cons to the various levels of Social Media usage, but one thing is true: to each their own.
We want to meet people where they are, so we’re planning to keep these platforms updated as best we can, but we understand 💯 if someone doesn’t want to go to FB or Instagram or needs to take a break.
💖🍑🍇Either way works! We’ve got you covered. 🍇🍑💖

January 19, 2025:
💥MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW!💥
Thursday, Feb 20th at 5pm – Steve Schulte – Wayne Aspinall’s Wilderness Act of 1964
Thursday, Mar 13th at 5pm – Matt Darling – “This Old Barn” Saving Cross Orchards
Friday, April 4th – Palisade’s 121st Birthday Party – DETAILS COMING SOON
#historytalks #party #birthday

January 18, 2025:
62 years ago this week, Palisade and the Grand Valley suffered a massive loss.
Look at these temperatures! Local reports say the temperature dropped from 50 degrees to -20 degrees in a matter of hours. (Yes, that’s NEGATIVE 20!!) Locals around at the time have said they could actually hear the sap bursting in the trees. This drastic drop in temperature destroyed nearly all of the peach trees in the valley.
This moment can be marked as the point in time when everything changed for some growers and their families. It would take some decades to recover, and some never did. Some had to shift completely.
As you can see in these clippings from the January 18, 1963 Palisade Tribune issue, Palisade knew disaster had befallen the orchards, but the full picture of devastation wouldn’t truly be seen until later in the season.
Can you imagine?
Have you heard stories?
Were you here when it happened?
#history #palisadepeaches #palisadecolorado

 January 17, 2025:
💖Thank you to everyone who came out to our History Talk at The Ordinary Fellow  Winery last night! 
🎙️Matt Darling spoke to a group of 45 people. (It was a nice crowd for a cold, random Thursday in January!) A great time was had by all!
📷 Matt’s pictures were so interesting, and we loved his stories about the early days of Cross Orchards! He will be giving a Part Two, of sorts, “This Old Barn – Saving Cross Orchards,” on:
📅 Thursday, March 13th 
⏰ at 5pm
Save the date! 
Our next History Talk will be February 20th at 5pm. Be sure to check out HistoricPaliasde.org for more info. 💖
#history #historytalks

January 16, 2025:
We’re getting ready for the History Talk tonight! Join us at 5pm at The Ordinary Fellow Winery!
#historytalks #palisadecolorado

January 15, 2025:
It’s hard to believe it’s been two months since Rocky Mountain PBS was in Palisade for the Premier of The Colorado Experience – Palisade Peaches (S11 Ep8), the finale of the season!
🍑They saved the sweetest for last!
Our very own Priscilla Walker, founding chair of the Palisade Historical Society, was part of a Q&A Panel that was live-streamed after the episode.
🍑Here is a direct link to the Q&A Event on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/FwjNhnFnL-8
🍑Here is a direct link to the Colorado Experience Episode: https://video.rmpbs.org/video/palisade-peaches-q7omsh/
Relive the Experience!
#palisadepeaches #PBS #history #palisadecolorado #visitpalisade

January 14, 2025:
💖🍑🍇 Looking for something new to do? Check out something old! 💖🍑🍇
The Palisade History Museum is OPEN from 10am to 2pm! (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays)
Locals, even if you’ve visited before, something different in our displays will catch your eye.
Pop in and see us!
#museums #visitpalisade #Colorado #history #smalltown #smalltownhistory

January 13, 2025:
🍿These were the movies playing at the Elberta Theater in January 1955 – 70 years ago! Johnny Dark (1954: Comedy/Action), The Black Dakotas (1954: Western/Drama), and Rear Window (1954: Thriller/Mystery)
📽️ Fun History Fact: The Elberta Theater was where the Slice O Life Bakery is now! Yes, it’s true!
📍 Locals will recognize Elberta as being the name of the street running north & south through town from I-70 Exit 42 to Highway 6,
🍑 …and is the name of the dominant early variety of peach that was grown here (Elberta),
💖 …and did you know it was named after the original grower’s wife? (Elberta!)
📰 One of our major projects at The Palisade Historical Society is the digitization of The Palisade Tribune through the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. We currently have 4,154 issues available in the database!
🔎 Today’s clippings and more can be found by searching The Palisade Tribune database for free! Check it out: https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/the-palisade-tribune/
#history #VintageMovies #palisadepeaches

January 12, 2025
Are you organizing your calendar for the week? 
Don’t forget our History Talk on Thursday!
📅 January the 16th 
🍇 at The Ordinary Fellow Winery
⏰We’ll start the festivities at 5pm. 
💖It’s FREE admission, and donations are greatly appreciated. Come join us and learn about the early days of Cross Orchards!

January 11, 2025: 🥶❄️ Cold enough for ya? (Just kidding.) ❄️🥶
This ad was in the January 11, 1924 issue of The Palisade Tribune, literally 101 years ago today! Imagine our delight at the coincidence!
‼️Fun History Fact: The Independent Lumber Company was located where the Palisade Branch of the Mesa County Library is now. (Yes, really!)
📰 One of our major projects at The Palisade Historical Society is the digitization of The Palisade Tribune through the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. We currently have 4,154 issues available in the database!
🔎 Today’s clippings and more can be found by searching The Palisade Tribune database for free! Check it out: https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/the-palisade-tribune/

January 10, 2025 Looking for something new to do this year? Try something old! 😉 HistoricPalisade.org #volunteering #volunteers #weloveourvolunteers

January 9, 2025:
Why do we ask for money?
When are we going to be self-sufficient?
These are important questions, but they need context. For a non-profit, 501(c)(3), being “self-sufficient” means being willing and able to ask our community for help, whether it’s in the form of time or money. In order to exist, we rely on the kindness & generosity of others.
We have zero paid employees. Admission to the Museum, our History Talks & Events, and our Walking Tour Brochures are free.
Donations are not only appreciated, they are necessary, because even if things are “free,” there is a price-tag attached somewhere along the way.
The better question is, “Are we responsible stewards of these gifts of time and money?”
The answer is a resounding YES.
There are six directors on the Palisade Historical Society Board, and all of us understand the importance of what we have been given. Every hour, every dollar, is hard-earned by someone important who is giving of themselves, and for that, we are humbled and incredibly grateful.
We don’t waste money. Despite working with the past, we plan for the future as best we can. Today is tomorrow’s history. We run a tight ship, because we have to, in order to keep our vision and mission of collecting, preserving, and communicating the unique history of this special town of Palisade alive. 💖🍑🍇
Interested in donating to help our cause? Check out our website: https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/donate/

January 8, 2025: 💖🍑🍇WHAT DO WE DO AT THE PALISADE HISTORICAL SOCIETY? The Palisade Historical Society has been collecting, preserving, and communicating the unique history of Palisade, Colorado since we incorporated in 2010. What does this mean? What is involved? You’ll see in this diagram how everything we do works together to support this cause. We are incredibly grateful to our Members, Volunteers, and Donors for making this possible. 💖🍑🍇

January 7, 2025:
This ad was in the January 9, 1925 Palisade Tribune. We love little snapshots of what life was like in Palisade a hundred years ago!
🛍️🥫💰Look at the cost of groceries! (12 POUNDS of sugar was $1.00! A can of pink salmon was $0.18, and $1.20 would get you a HUNDRED POUNDS of potatoes!) My, how things have changed over the last 100 years.
💖 Fun History Fact: The B & R Store was where the West Slope Mercantile (The Merc on Main Street here in Palisade) is today! We have some fun pictures of the inside of this store, and they were recently featured at one of our monthly History Talks.
📰 One of our major projects at The Palisade Historical Society is the digitization of The Palisade Tribune through the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection.
🔎 Today’s clippings and more can be found by searching The Palisade Tribune database for free! Check it out: https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/the-palisade-tribune/

⏰ SAVE THE DATE! ⏰
January History Talk: Thursday, Jan. 16th at 5pm at The Ordinary Fellow Winery. FREE Event. Donations appreciated. This is a casual, relaxed environment to learn about some history!

On this day, January 5, 1923, this was a front page ad in The Palisade Tribune. Yes, that’s 102 years ago!
💖 Imagine making supper on this stove, “the best range on the market.” Look at the details & features! Look at her clothing! Do you see the price of the newspaper? ($2 for the year, if paid in advance.)
❗Fun History Fact: The J. W. Hugus & Co. building is where The Blue Pig Gallery is now, the big brick building at the corner of 3rd and Main, right here in Palisade. (If you ever hear us talking about “The Hugus Building,” that’s what we mean.)
📰 One of our major projects at The Palisade Historical Society is the digitization of The Palisade Tribune through the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection.
🔎 Today’s clippings and more can be found by searching The Palisade Tribune database for free! Check it out: https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/the-palisade-tribune/

Jan. 4, 2025: Let’s go on another time-travel adventure, this time in real estate! 120 years ago, some of these lots were still available! Palisade, recognize this area?
Eagle Eyes will notice this Fun History Fact: Iowa Ave was once called Grand Ave!
Bonus Fun History Facts:
❓Why Grand? The Colorado River was called the Grand River, until 1921 when the name was changed to the Colorado River. In fact, “Grand Junction” is named for the junction of the Grand and Gunnison Rivers!
❓Why Iowa? Thousands of the pioneers in this valley were from Iowa! There were so many, in fact, that Palisade held an Iowa Days celebration every year, for many years.
🔎 These clippings and more can be found by searching The Palisade Tribune database for free! Check it out: https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/the-palisade-tribune/

💥All of our 2025 Calendars have found a home!💥
💖THANK YOU to everyone who donated to this cause! We appreciate you!💖
Time to plan next year’s calendar… 😉

Wednesday, Jan. 2nd
🎉Happy New Year!!🎉
Did you know we do a FREE Monthly Newsletter? They went out the 1st via Telegraph, Carrier Pigeon, and Pony Express. Just kidding. They went out to those of you on our Mailing List via the CyberMagic of the Internet. (Not nearly as exciting…) They are also on the website. (And if you want it in your inbox, let us know!) https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/newsletters-2/

January 1st: As we add another year to our collection here at The Palisade Historical Society, we wish you & yours a wonderful 2025!

Tuesday, Dec. 31st – 6am
🎉Happy New Year’s Eve!🎉 The Palisade History Museum is open Dec. 31st, and we will have our regular hours this week & all of January! (Tues, Thur, Fri, Sat – 10am to 2pm)
If we don’t catch you today, we’ll see you next year! 😉

Monday, Dec. 30th – 3pm
💥Mesa County Valley School District 51 Families!💥 You have EIGHT DAYS of break left! 💖 YAY! (Yay?) 😉 Are you looking for something FREE & FUN to do with your little (or not so little) darlings?
💡Well, WE HAVE AN IDEA.💡
The Palisade History Museum will be open
⏰10am to 2pm:
📅 Tuesday, Dec 31st
📅 Thursday, Jan 2nd
📅 Friday Jan 3rd
📅 Saturday, Jan 4th
📅 Tuesday, Jan 7th
(Not to mention we will be open our normal days/hours for the rest of January!)
📍We’re at 3740 G Road in Palisade (near the corner of Elberta and the north frontage road for Highway 6). Pop in and see us! A change of scenery is a great way to take a break from your break! 😉
🔎Explore for a few minutes a few times or for a longer visit on a single day. It’s up to you! We’re a lot bigger on the inside than we appear on the outside.
💖 Learn something new by checking out something old!
AND REMEMBER: Spring Break is right around the corner. 😉

December 29, 2024:
💖🍑🍇As another year comes to a close, the Palisade Historical Society would like to take this opportunity to thank our business members! You all are amazing!💖🍑🍇

December 28, 2024:
The Palisade History Museum is open from 10am to 2pm today! Need something to do? Pop on over!
⏳We have spent the week time-traveling! (Check out our earlier posts if you haven’t seen them yet.)
📰These clippings from The Palisade Tribune are from Dec. 1974!
💥They are 50 years old!
Why is the Palisade Historical Society including the front page of the December 27, 1974 issue in our time-travels? Do you know how old something has to be before it is considered to be archaeological? You guessed it: FIFTY YEARS. What!? Yes, it’s true! (Yes, it’s okay to think that’s equal parts alarming and amazing. LOL)
🔎See these for yourself by searching the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection database for free! We have info on how to do this on our Newspapers Tab at HistoricPalisade.org.

December 27, 2024:
⏳We are time-traveling this week! (Check out our earlier posts if you haven’t seen them yet.)
📰These clippings from The Palisade Tribune are from Dec. 1944!
💥They are 80 years old!
🍑Raise your hand if you’ve ever sent Palisade Peaches to friends & relatives as a “Christmas in August” gift! We certainly have! Also, be sure to check out the graphic at the top of the paper!
🔎See these for yourself by searching the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection database for free! We have info on how to do this on our Newspapers Tab at HistoricPalisade.org.

December 26, 2024:
⏳We are time-traveling this week! (Check out our earlier posts if you haven’t seen them yet.)
📰These clippings from The Palisade Tribune are from Dec. 1924!
💥They are 100 years old!
This greeting was a full page in this issue!
🔎See these for yourself by searching the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection database for free! We have info on how to do this on our Newspapers Tab at HistoricPalisade.org.

December 25, 2024:
🎄We wish you the merriest of holidays!🎄
⏳Time-travel with us this week! (Check out our earlier posts if you haven’t seen them yet.)
📰These clippings from The Palisade Tribune are from Dec. 1919!
💥They are 105 years old!
🔎See these for yourself by searching the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection database for free! We have info on how to do this on our Newspapers Tab at HistoricPalisade.org.

December 24, 2024:
⏳Time-travel with us this week! (Check out our earlier posts if you haven’t seen them yet.)
📰These clippings from The Palisade Tribune are from Dec. 1914!
💥They are 110 years old!
This artwork was on the front page, and it captures the style distinctive of that era: the hair, the clothing, the furniture, the handprinted font. Amazing!
🔎See these for yourself by searching the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection database for free! We have info on how to do this on our Newspapers Tab at HistoricPalisade.org.

December 23, 2024:
⏳We’re doing some time-traveling this week! (Check out yesterday’s post if you haven’t seen it yet.)
📰These clippings from The Palisade Tribune are from Dec. 1909!
💥They are 115 years old!
This ad features Santa himself, with a reason for why he is so merry!
❗Fun History Fact: The Bank of Palisades was located where Slice O Life Bakery (and next to where Harlow Palisade CO) is now!
‼️Bonus Fun History Fact: The Bank of Palisades is plural! Just like Palisades National Bank! The name was established before Palisade was Palisade, and it would have cost them too much to drop the ‘s’ at the end.
🔎See these for yourself by searching the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection database for free! We have info on how to do this on our Newspapers Tab at HistoricPalisade.org.

December 22, 2024:
⏳Let’s do some time-traveling this week!
📰These clippings from The Palisade Tribune are from Dec. 1904!
💥They are 120 years old!
The intricate designs & artwork in this issue are amazing. There is something endearing about including a piece of music that could be played directly from the newspaper, and knowing that the same song would be shared in every home in Palisade.
🔎See these for yourself by searching the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection database for free! We have info on how to do this on our Newspapers Tab at HistoricPalisade.org.

December 21, 2024:
🎄May your holidays be merry & bright!🎄
The Palisade History Museum will be closed through Dec. 27th. We will be back to our normal business hours (10am to 2pm) on Saturday, Dec. 28th! ❤️

December 20, 2024:✨ ONLY 5 LEFT!!✨
The Palisade Then & Now 2025 Calendar is almost gone! Get yours today. They make great holiday gifts. (Editor’s Note: the calendars are not tiny, so those stockings are gigantic!) LOL

December 19, 2024:
Lookin’ Good, Mr. Fruit Grower!
These newspaper clippings are 115 years old! They are from the Dec 4, 1909 issue of The Palisade Tribune. There are currently 4,154 issues available to search for free in the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection database, with more on the way!
https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/the-palisade-tribune/

December 18, 2024:
🚨 GET ‘EM BEFORE THEY’RE ALL GONE!🚨
Need a last minute gift for a History Buff? We only have 13 copies left of our Limited Edition 2025 Calendar: Palisade Then & Now!
Contact us to get yours today!
https://www.historicpalisade.org/

December 17, 2024:
🎄Tell us you’re celebrating the holidays in the Colorado, without telling us you’re celebrating the holidays in Colorado.🎄
(Everyone has chili peppers on their tree, right??) #HistoricCrisseyHouse #PalisadeCO #Colorado #Christmas #HappyHolidays #MerryEverything
In other news, the Palisade History Museum is open this week! Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 2pm!

December 16, 3024:
Look at the telephone in this ad from the Dec. 26, 1903 issue of The Palisade Tribune!
☎️ History Fun Fact: Palisade had telephones 121 years ago!
📱 Bonus Thought: How many of you are looking at this on a phone right now? “Telephones for all purposes” indeed!

⏰ SAVE THE DATES ⏰
“Today You” probably doesn’t have time to worry about when our future Monthly History Talks are. “Tomorrow You” will be thankful if you put them on your calendar right now!
The following Thursdays at 5pm at The Ordinary Fellow Winery:
🗓️ Jan. 16th – Early Days of Cross Orchards by Matt Darling
🗓️ Feb. 20th – Wayne Aspinall Shaping the Wilderness Act by Steve Schulte
🗓️ Mar. 13th – “This Old Barn” Saving Cross Orchards by Matt Darling
“Tomorrow We” will see “Tomorrow You” there! 😄

December 14, 2024:
The Palisade History Museum is open today (Saturday) from 10am to 2pm! 🎄 Our halls are all decked out for the holidays. 🎄 Pop over and check out something new! (Or old, as the case may be!)

December 13, 2024:
‘Tis the season! 😉
During the month of December 1924, this large ad made an appearance in every weekly issue of The Palisade Tribune leading up to the holidays. (This particular clipping is from Dec. 12, 1924) #100yearsago

December 12, 2024: Here we go! History Talk with local author Joe Zeni!
— at The Ordinary Fellow

We’re getting set up! History Talk tonight at 5pm at @ordinaryfellowwines

December 12, 2024:
🚨 REMINDER! 🚨 Our History Talk at The Ordinary Fellow Winery is TONIGHT at 5PM!! We hope to see you there! *FREE Admission*

December 11, 2024:
❄️ Luxurious Midwinter Coats! ❄️
100 years ago, these lovely ladies and their luxurious midwinter coats appeared in The Palisade Tribune (December 19, 1924). #100yearsago 🤩

December 7, 2024: Fun Holiday Collage

December 10, 2024: 💥TODAY IS THE DAY!!💥
The Palisade Historical Society is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and communicating the unique history of Palisade, CO. We are a nonprofit and can’t do what we do without supporters like you.
💖 THANK YOU!! 💖

💖”The steadfast loyalty of the people of this community…”💖
If that doesn’t sum up the people of Palisade, we don’t know what does! 📰 These clippings are from the December 10, 1920 issue of The Palisade Tribune. 📰 This issue is 104 years old, but the sentiment still applies today!
‼️Fun History Fact:‼️
There is NOT a typo in this ad. The Palisades National Bank building is at the corner of Main & Third here in Palisade (Where the Palisade Chamber of Commerce is currently located.)
Yes, it’s Palisades with an “s”…! Why?
Palisade was named after the Bookcliffs or “palisades” north of town. It was referred to as “Palisades” by the locals until it was officially incorporated on April 4, 1904 when they dropped the “s,” making it “Palisade.” Well, the Palisades National Bank was already in business and discovered it would cost $500 to change the name, so they kept it! ($500 is a lot of money and was certainly a LOT of money in 1904!)
One of our major projects at the Palisade Historical Society is the digitization of the Palisade Tribunes. They are in a FREE searchable database. Currently, you can search from the first issue of June 6, 1903 up to December 25, 1986, with more on the way!
This link on our website explains more!
https://www.historicpalisade.org/ind…/the-palisade-tribune

Just because we’re ✨old✨
doesn’t mean we can’t try something ✨new!✨
For the very first time ever, The Palisade Historical Society will be participating in Colorado Gives Day! (There’s a learning curve to all of this, so please be patient with us! What we lack in experience, we make up for in enthusiasm!) LOL 🤣
💖 What is Colorado Gives Day?
💖 Do you like to support local causes?
💖 Would you like to support us?
Colorado Gives Day is this Tuesday, December 10, 2024, but you can donate NOW!
The Colorado Gives Foundation is an easy way for nonprofits to fundraise online and an easy way for donors to do so.
Check out our fundraising page here: https://www.coloradogives.org/story/Quyzxe
The Palisade Historical Society is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and communicating the unique history of Palisade, CO, and we can’t do what we do without supporters like you.
💖 Can’t donate now?
💖 Sharing our donation page helps, too!
Join us! You can be a part of the Colorado statewide giving movement. It only takes a little to make a big impact.

December 8, 2024: We updated our Profile Picture!

December 7, 2024:🎄🎄Holiday Lights & History! 🎄🎄
Holiday lights are starting to go up all over the Town of Palisade!
Did you know The Historic Crissey House is the only residence in Palisade on the National Register of Historic Places? It is also #10 on our Historic Walking Tour! Find the FREE brochure in the kiosk behind Family Food Town or at the Palisade Chamber of Commerce. Start in the Town Center, and follow the numbers around Palisade, learning all about Historic Palisade!
We also have info here: https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/historic-guided-walking-tours/

🌟🎄🎅 The Palisade Parade of Lights was SO MUCH FUN last night!
Palisade Historical Society Chair JoAnn & volunteer Claire Elise Rasmussen led the way in the golf cart (special thanks to director Ralph Branch for providing the wheels!).
Tom Schaffer drove the 1923 Star Open Delivery Truck and posed with Craig Clarke and Joe Higginbotham of the Western Colorado Shrine Club as we were lining up. The Star truck was made by Durant Motors, which was created in 1922 by Billy Durant, the original founder of General Motors. The Star would have been seen in the 1920’s bringing fruits and vegetables from farms to the market.
Founding Chair Priscilla Walker and volunteer Dave Cecuga were in the 1930 Model A Ford, with Santa and Mrs. Claus, portrayed by Pete and Wanda Robinson, Palisade Historical Society members, in the rumble seat!
Priscilla’s family has owned this 1930 Model A coupe since 1963. Freddie Ford, as it was nicknamed when she drove it to Palisade High School, mostly does parade duty now.

December 5, 2024: 🎅🤶🎄 Join us for the Palisade Parade of Lights on Friday!! 🎅🤶🎄
These pictures are from last year’s parade. (Has it already been a YEAR!?) Stay tuned for new pictures tomorrow! You’ll see us in spot #11!
Be sure to wave at Mr & Mrs Claus!! Santa is making a list and checking it twice, so you know what to do!
(Be nice; be naughty, or don’t get caught.) Just kidding, Santa! 😉

December 5, 2024: ⏰ DON’T FORGET! ⏰ Our December History Talk is NEXT WEEK! Join us at The Ordinary Fellow Winery here in Palisade to hear Joe Zeni talk about his new book, “Promise” at 5pm on Thursday, Dec. 12th! This is a FREE event!

December 3, 2024: 📰 EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! 📰 Did you know we publish a FREE monthly newsletter on the 1st of every month?
Want it delivered directly to your inbox? Sign up on the website, or contact us, and we’ll add you to the list!
Miss an issue? Here’s a direct link to all our past newsletters:
https://www.historicpalisade.org/index.php/past-newsletters/
Happy Reading!

December 1, 2024:
Knock knock!
Who’s there?
❄️Snow!❄️
Snow Who?
Snow time to waste! Come visit the Palisade History Museum!
😆

November 29, 2024: 🛍️ Shopping on your mind this weekend? 🛍️
Check out this ad and pic from The Palisade Tribune from December 3, 1904!! We think the fashions have changed *just a little bit* over the last 120 years. LOL
“If you want to do some shopping (and every lady does) call at The Fashion when in the city…”

🧡 We are so thankful for YOU!
🧡 Have a safe and fulfilling holiday.
P.S. Don’t forget your stretchy pants! 😉

November 27, 2024:💡Did you know? 💡 We can host your group for a private tour of the Palisade History Museum!
Priscilla Walker (Founding Chair) & JoAnn Rasmussen (Chair) had a fantastic time today with a local family & their holiday visitors!
Also featured? The youngest researcher ever! LOL

November 26, 2024

On this day, November 26th, 1904, this ad appears in The Palisade Tribune!
📷 What is a Painless Photographer? We’re curious what the opposite would be! 😳
🗞️ What was life in Palisade like 120 years ago? Explore for yourself! Check out the free database! 🔍
https://www.historicpalisade.org/…/the-palisade-tribune/

November 23, 2024: 🚨Only 36 left! 🚨 Our Palisade Then & Now LIMITED EDITION calendars are almost gone.
Get yours today! Contact us at:
https://www.historicpalisade.org/

November 22, 2024: Facebook Event Created

November 21, 2024: Updated Cover Photo

November 21, 2024: Come visit us!

November 21, 2024: They saved the sweetest for last! Thank you to Rocky Mountain PBS for featuring Palisade Peaches as their final episode of the Colorado Experience Season 11 last week! Check out the recorded LIVE Stream and Q&A https://www.youtube.com/live/FwjNhnFnL-8

November 20, 2024: The Palisade History Museum will have special hours the week of Thanksgiving! We are so thankful for YOU!

November 15, 2024

Great turnout at tonight’s Palisade Historical Society “Then and Now” history talk. Chair JoAnn Rasmussen, put together a very entertaining, engaging, and educational presentation! As always, huge thank you to The Ordinary Fellow for hosting the community!