[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6269]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       TRIBUTE TO THE 125TH BIRTHDAY OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN T. SALAZAR

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 16, 2008

  Mr. SALAZAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the occasion of 
Mesa County's 125th birthday. I would like to express my appreciation 
of this unique, diverse and vibrant county and all its citizens.
  Since before the county was founded in the 1880's, the area's history 
has been remarkable. Dinosaurs that roamed this area left behind their 
tracks and bones to tantalize historians and geologists. The advent of 
the main line of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroads through this 
valley in 1887 brought the prospect of ``civilization.'' The foresight 
of the founding fathers to build a major irrigation system, still used 
today, has helped create some of the best fruit crops in the country. 
As a farmer, I appreciate the importance of agriculture and the 
tremendous value it imparts to a community.
  Mesa County is also a national leader in many industries and fields. 
Mesa County residents helped develop the New Deal, worked on the 
Manhattan Project and served in Congress.
  The area is also blessed with a variety of natural resources, 
including uranium, natural gas and oil shale. In the 1980's the shale-
dependent economy crashed after the withdrawal of Exxon Mobile, but 
with its typical determination, Mesa County is now a thriving economic 
power. In 2008, Mesa County was named the 9th fastest growing area in 
the country, a tribute to the resiliency and strength of this county.
  On the 125th birthday of Mesa County, we pay tribute to a special 
area that embodies the best of Colorado. Its blend of rural and urban 
life has enhanced the life of its citizens. The past and traditions of 
this special place on the Western Slope are worth celebrating. It is an 
honor and a privilege to represent Mesa County as it commemorates its 
125th birthday.

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