Current Issue

Cottonwood Project

A great deal of work has been accomplished in the past six months. With the financial help afforded through the Cottonwood Reclamation Project Blue Mountain Shadows has expended major time, effort, and resources to finalize over 45 oral interviews on our county's mining history.

LaVerne Tate supervised the bulk of this work, as well as doing nearly half of the interviews. Once all of the tapes were transcribed, it became apparent that not all of the information we collected could be covered in a single issue of this magazine. For this reason, two magazines were published and a third volume focusing on Cottonwood will be forth coming next July 2002. So if your story is not included, there is still time to get it in the last issue.

We are in need of writers/researchers to synthesize the collected material. Anyone interested in writing some of the articles needed for this issue should contact Janet Wilcox immediately. 435-678-2851. Anyone having photographs of the mines or activities at Cottonwood should contact LaVerne Tate, 435-678-2325.

Future Issues

Summer 2002
Cottonwood #3

Because we have collected so much information related to the Cottonwood and the mining operations there, we will be publishing three issues. Anyone who would like to contribute an article, photos, or poetry is invited to contact Janet Wilcox immediately. Articles needed by the end of Feb. 2002.

Winter--2002
Walking the streets of historic Monticello

Historical Monticello is the theme. Stories of early homes and businesses and the people who built them are needed: Articles due July 15, 2002. Contact Corinne Roring for ideas and guidelines.

Summer 2003--Settling the West

Ranching, farming, trading posts, businesses, etc. will be the focus area of next summer's issue. Editor will be Bob McPherson. Articles, poetry, photographs, and family profiles are welcome. Submissions are due January 15, 2002.

Winter 2003--Fry Canyon History

Articles related to the history and mining of the Fry Canyon area, and adjacent areas are needed. Due July 15, 2003. Contact LaVerne Tate for ideas and guidelines.

Summer 2004
Natural History of San Juan
Articles related to geology, animal and plant life, and natural history of San Juan County are requested. Deadline is Jan. 15, 2004. Diane McNeave Editor.

Winter 2004
The Military in San Juan

Articles related to military activities anytime in San Juan's history--due July 15, 2004.

Summer 2004
Blanding's Centennial History

Articles needed on homes, businesses, people not included in issue #24. Articles due January 15, 2004

For readers with e-mail accounts, we would like you to contact us at info@bluemountainshadows.org so that we can put you on our mailing list. We'll let you know when new issues are out, new postings on our web site, and other historical news about San Juan County. Please contact us if you are interested. Our web site address is: www.bluemountainshadows.org. We have the beginning phase of a searchable data base installed on the site, which we think you will find very useful.

Funding for the web project came from the Utah Humanities Council and Internet Computer Services, Inc.-Hubwest, a Blanding-based business, which is the local sponsor.

Cottonwood #1 issue

Blue Mountain Shadows Web Site

The creation of a Blue Mountain Shadows Web site became a reality in August 2001 after months of intense work by managing editor, Janet Wilcox. Articles and photographs from the first four issues, which are now out of print, have been the primary focus, and will be uploaded first.

Next articles and interviews related to the current Cottonwood project will be put into place. As additional issues are sold out, those articles will also be uploaded. A cover picture and index of every issue is also shown on-line, as well as an ordering form. Articles no longer in print can be downloaded using PDF Adobe reader.

As part of this project funded by the Utah Humanities Council, three public programs were held last fall (2001). Bob McPherson hosted a panel discussion Sept. 20 which revisited some of the topics discussed in the first four issues of Blue Mountain Shadows. Joining him on the panel were Lou Mueller (Midwives), Winston Hurst (Anasazi), Pam Vafi (Saw Mills), and Corinne Roring (Monticello-Bluff).

History Meets High Tech was presented by Janet Wilcox October 10, showing community members how to access historical information on the web. The final presentation was given Nov. 8 by Gary Shumway, Lee Bennett, and Kathy Huppe. They discussed the history of Cottonwood and the current reclamation project. Over 45 people attended this program.

Data Bases now on line

A topical search engine has been created allowing visitors on our site, to search for names, places, events and general topics in San Juan County History. Once the topic is located the search engine will list all issues of BMS and articles containing the word. Data was entered by Brad Winder, Lawana Palmer, and Becky Palmer. This is now available on our web site, in the left frame "Search" button. Information will continue to be added until all issues are are entered. This project was funded in part the the State Division of History.

Interview index of over
500 oral interviews available

Through a grant from the State Office of History, Blue Mountain Shadows was awarded a grant to do indexing of their photograph and oral history collection, conducted since 1986. Maurine Black did most of the 600 plus taped interviews indexed. Click here if you would like a copy of the index in Microsoft Excel. A grant from the State office of History provided funds for this project. Download PDF version

Inventory Overload

Our ongoing dilemma continues to be: How can we better distribute Blue Mountain Shadows with the limited manpower we have? Our primary outlets are subscriptions, local businesses, museums, and libraries.

The untapped distributor, however, is you our readers. We need your support in sharing, what we feel would be a valuable magazine, to others interested in San Juan County. We have nearly $15,000 in inventory which we need to move. Bulk orders of 10 or more copies of past issues can be purchased for $6 each. A set of #5-26 can be purchased for $125 or $135 via mail order. Consider using BMS for wedding gifts, birthdays, awards, and other gift giving occasions. We would appreciate your support. E-mail orders

Corrections in issue #24

Please note in volume 24 on page 73 the picture caption should read: "Burnhard Black (right) fills up Grant Bayles' (left) tractor while he keeps track of his pet deer. Jack Palmer (center) looks on. Burnhard Black photo."

Also in the table of contents the writer of the article entitled "Water, Fires, and the Two-Wheeled Fire Hose" should be listed as Helen N. Shumway.