Grand County's Past Resides at Museum of Moab.

Museum of Moab

118 East Center Street
Moab, Utah, 84532

Phone: (435) 259-7985

Website: http://www.moabmuseum.org

One block east of the intersection of Center and Main Streets is a two story, brick building housing the Museum of Moab.  It contains Grand County's past - Anthropology, Archaeology, Paleontology, Geology and History; landscapes of Moab are immortalized in paintings along the walls of the Art Gallery.  When you enter, expect to be greeted by Victoria; she is passionate about Moab and the museum itself; she'll gladly answer any questions.  Across from the welcome desk is a small gift shop, but it's packed with books, artwork, collectibles, toys, and Native American wares.





















Past the gift shop is the Paleontology Room featuring the bones of a Camarasaurus found south of Moab; ancient coral reef specimens, and fossilized dinosaur eggs.  Just around the corner of the gift shop is the full skeleton of an Ankylosaurus.

Camauasaurus

Ankylosaurus

Geology, Minerals and the Mining Era come next; beautiful specimens of crystals, a diorama of Moab's typography; story boards detailing the various mines including Charlie Steen's (Moab's Uranium King) "Mi Vida" mine; and the "Atlas Mine" which is still in an ongoing project to remove the tailings (Potash Road - Route 279).

Mining Era

Mi Vida Mine

Atlas Mine

Homestake La Sal Mine - that's my hubby, Roy, helping to
 keep the story boards open.

Moab's history is full with Ranchers, Native Americans, Cowboys, the World Wars; the movie industry has used various areas in Grand County for films and television shows.

Movie Props

Cattle Ranching

The Ute

Native Americans

Pithouse

Stones Used for Jewelry

 

 

 



A section of Mammoth tusk was found, and this is within the Native American display area.



 

Upstairs is the Art Gallery where many of the paintings have been done by the Moab Pastel Guild.  There's also a room depicting what life was like for the settlers in the early 1900s, and a doctor's office from the 1920s.  From 1933 thru 1942, Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work program which provided work to unemployed unmarried men from relief families - a photo of the Blanding Utah CCC is proudly hung on the Art Gallery wall.

 

The Art Gallery

Moab Pastel Guild

Blanding Utah CCC - August 8, 1940

The Settlers

1920s Doctor's Office

 

The Museum of Moab began in 1958 and has outgrown its walls; they are currently asking for donations to achieve the goal of expanding the building.  This is a worthwhile venture, as around every corner there is an exhibit that will interest everyone; drawing out "oohs" and "aahs" from children and adults alike.

 

Mary Cokenour



Culture, History and Art of Cortez, Colorado.

Cortez Cultural Center

641 East 2nd Street
Cortez, Colorado, 81321

Phone:(970) 565-1601

Website: http://cortezculturalcenter.org/

Hours of Operation: Mon thru Sat, 10am to 5pm

During the warmer season, Native American dancers entertain spectators outside on the weekends.









Housed in a historical building, the Cortez Cultural Center offers visitors an incite into this southwestern section of Colorado.  While the gift shop takes up a good part of the interior, the museum and art gallery are full of wonderful examples of history and artistic talent. 


One section of the museum is dedicated to the "Hawkins Preserve"; a 122 acre land area featuring the Hawkins Pueblo, and a variety of plant and wildlife species indicative to SW Colorado.









The art gallery displays works of local artisans which can be purchased; in an alcove is an organ dating back to the 1800s.

The gift shop is stocked with all manner of Native American jewelry, pottery and weavings; candies such as prickly pear chews to jelly bean rocks; beans, flour, DVDs, CDs and books.  I purchased two while I was visiting: "Cortez Cultural Center Volunteers Cookbook", and "The Old West Baking Book" by Lon Walters which features recipes dating back to the pioneers.
























The ladies behind the counter are volunteers who are knowledgeable about all the items inside the Cultural Center. There is a donation box within the gift shop, so make sure to show your appreciation of, not just the volunteers, but all the work that has gone into preserving the history of Cortez, and SW Colorado.

Mary Cokenour

Discover the Prehistoric Museum in Price, Utah - Part Two.

Utah State University Eastern - Prehistoric Museum

155 East Main Street
Price, Utah, 84501

Phone: (435) 613-5060
             (800) 817-9949

Website: http://usueastern.edu/museum/

So, in Part One, I left you with a tease...dinosaur skeletons and bones; they're all over the place!  The majority of skeletons, bones and fossils have come to the museum from the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry which can be visited.

Before you get into the dinosaur area, you will walk through the art gallery.  Unfortunately, the featured current artist does not allow her work photographed; however, it is amazing!





One awesome exhibit is the Armor Plated Dinosaurs; currently there are three skeletons, but there might be a fourth joining the crew soon.

Make sure to see every one of the displays on Dino Tracks, Fossils and the rest of the Dinosaurs roaming around....well, who once roamed around this area of Utah.  True dino lovers will absolutely drool.



Chasmosaurus

Duck Billed Dinosaur



Dimetrodon

The Labs have viewing windows where you might see someone working on fossils or bones.  There is an "Era Chart" which shows you which dinosaurs roamed the Earth during which time period.  The raised diorama of the state of Utah is very detailed, and this one displayed at the museum was the last made.

The Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry is featured in many displays; there is a complete display on the finding of  "Al" the Allosaurus.

More displays about the development of life on this planet, and as tasty as that Giant Clam might look....yeah, not so much according to what Lloyd Logan told us about dino cuisine.  By the way, did I happen to mention that of all the dinosaurs, the Duck Billed is my favorite; not sure why, but there is something so appealing about them.

 

Fossilized dinosaur eggs, but don't be expecting a "Jurassic Park" anytime soon. With the single egg, the mom got so stressed out that another layer of shell was produced over the embryo. The poor little tyke inside didn't have a chance of breaking through.

Giant Clam

Before you leave, take a good look against the wall, the shadow of "Al" can be a great photo op., especially for the kids.....or grownups who enjoy having good times.

Once again, looking for a fun time among the dinosaurs, the Prehistoric Museum in Price, Utah is a do NOT miss adventure.

Mrs. Indiana Jones signing off....have to go rescue the husband from "Al" before he becomes a dino snack.

Mary Cokenour