James Franklin discusses his life as a cowboy in Mesa County, Garfield County, and elsewhere on Colorado’s Western Slope. Franklin touches on cooking over the campfire, means of travel, cures for ailments, training horses, the first rodeo in which he participated, a large flood that destroyed his mother’s farm, and dealing with inclement weather on the range. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration...

Cowpuncher, cowboy, and horse trainer James Franklin shares his extensive knowledge of the cattle and horse industry in the early days of Garfield County, Colorado. He talks about old remedies used for different horse ailments and goes into other aspects of horse care. He talks about the use of horses in roundups and gives extensive information about training horses. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration...