The "MIRACLE" THAT WAS MAIN STREET 1962

It's happening today, September 7, 2012, the beginning of the 50th anniversary celebration of Operation Foresight, the movement that saved out today's downtown Grand Junction.
The local Grand Junction Historical Legends Committee will be unveiling their latest work of public art, this one by Ron Chapel, a native of the valley. See you at Main, 325 is the number.





Joe Lacy, City Manager managed to
get everyone to work together for the
good of all.

Gene Allen had the flash, the inspiration for the design of
the street on a hot summer day.

The early mushroom shaped shelters added a flair to the
new shopping park in 1962. One still remains somewhere
on Little Park when it was rescued as the City replaced
these structures with other shelters.

Barbara Hyde Boardman was the sole woman on
the planning committee. She was the "plain garden-variety
housewife" as Paul Harvey called her.

Pat Gormley and Dale Hollingsworth were close friends
who worked to convince merchants to pay for the rebirth of the neshopping park.

The new Main Street Shopping Park (1962) made all the difference
in the world for the merchants who actually financed the project
themselves without raising taxes or getting Federal money. today, with the parrtisanship we experience, I doubt this could happen.

Preston Walker and his father, Walter, are memoralized in this bronze
art work, paid for with funds raised by the Grand Junction Legends as they
attempt to creat a walking history or our area for generations to come.
 

This water fountain area has been more than a great hit
this summer, 2012, in time for the 50 anniversary of
Operation Foresight.

John Otto, the latest bronze, stands to remind us of how important
it is to have a vision and the tenacity to realize that vision.

This nesapaper ready photo is self explanatory as these three men
worked so hard to realize the miracle of Main.

The All American City Award of 1962, was celebrated in
1963 with parades and a visit by Governor Love. Grand Junction
was the smallest city out of eleven chosen for this award which included Boston
and other much larger municipalities.

Look Magazine devoted a paragraph and photo to each of the
winning cities. Articles also appeared in the magazines
whose titles are in the collage shown above.