Thanks to a grant from the Colorado Historical Records Advisory Group Board (CHRAB) and the gargantuan efforts of Librarian Jacqueline Keller and Custer County Historical & Genealogical Society Board Member Claudia Cole, local oral history interviews on cassette tapes dating back to the ’60s have been digitized and saved. These invaluable stories feature people who lived in all parts of the county and cover topics such as ranching, farming, mining, railroads and everyday life of the pioneers and their families. Many of the descendants still live in the valley. Our deep gratitude goes to Jacqueline, Claudia and CHRAB for preserving this priceless local history for researchers, descendants, history buffs and generations to come.
Here are some of the interviews for your enjoyment. More will be added here in the near future, and researchers may also find them in the library’s online PastPerfect local history database. Please note that all oral history recordings listed below, as well as those available in the PastPerfect online database, are copyrighted by the West Custer County Library District and may not be used without written permission.
Segments of Interviews (5-6 minutes):
| Pauline Beardsley (Recorded in 1966) |
| George and Zara (Benson) Reis (Recorded in 2001) |
Full Interviews (about 1 hour):