Coalby Store: First of many old buildings moved to Pioneer Town

This is the 2nd in a series of articles in review of the history of Pioneer Town, how it came to here, how it grew, and some of what the museum contains. It is also a tribute to the many hardworking volunteers who have made and continue to make a dream, a reality.

The silos were the only structures on the .5-acre property when the newly organized Surface Creek Valley Historical Society (1980) formed their plan to bring in a few buildings and establish a museum on the leased site.

The old Coalby Store, formerly located about 3-1/2 miles northwest of Cedaredge, was the first building brought to the location. The structure was deteriorating, looking pretty bad.

Maynard Nelson tells, "I had asked around and could not find out who owned the old building. A neighbor came over one day and said that he had happened to have been in from the telephone company in Aurora (Colorado) visiting friends and their next door neighbors were the owners." He gave Maynard the address and phone number. The phone call was made. Henry Skutchan said he planned to tear the building down. "You can have it," he said. The year, 1981. Foundations were poured for this store and future buildings had been poured in 1982. Little did anyone know at the time that the museum project would grow, and grow, and continue to grow.

Anytime a building has been moved to the site, cooperation from the power companies was required. Permission to use the road had to be granted and an escort was needed. Jack MacAdams recalls, "We had to raise lines as we went along," (27 power and 17 phone lines) "quite a job." Aily, out of Grand Junction, has moved most of the buildings. A quote from an undated newspaper article written by Hazel Austin found in a historical society file, states, "Mr. and Mrs. Fickes and their five children came to the area when Coalby was a thriving community. The building was constructed in 1906 and 1907 to use for the Coalby General Mercantile Store and Post Office. It was built to fill a vital need in the lives of the early settlers. Families came out pick up their mail each day."