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 Forklift Attachments Grand Junction - The city of Grand Junction, Colorado is the largest city in the Western portion of the state. This southwestern Colorado city is situated 247 miles from the capital, Denver. Based on the census of the year 2010, Grand Junction's population was 58,566, making it the most heavily populated city on the Colorado Western Slope and the 15th most heavily populated city in Colorado State.
The city serves as the county seat for Mesa County and has a council-manager government. The city serves as a crucial commercial and transportation hub in the large region between the Continental Divide and the Green River. According to the 2010 Census, the Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 146,723.
Situated along the Colorado River, Grand Junction also meets the Gunnison River. The name "Grand" was instituted during the year 1921, and refers to the historical upper Colorado River. The word "Junction" is derived from the joining of the Colorado and Gunnison rivers. The nickname "River City," has been given to Grand Junction for obvious reasons.
The Grand Valley, just a short distance from the city of Grand Junction is a major fruit growing region. The city of Grand Junction lies near this mid-point of Grand Valley which is a 30 miles or 48 kilometers arching valley that was originally home to the Ute people. During the 1880s, the area was inhabited by white farmers. Over recent decades, many wineries have become established within the region also.
There are a variety of mesas and canyons that overlook Grand Junction on the west, in addition to the Colorado National Monument, and much of the area is surrounded by public lands which are managed by the Bureau of Land Management. A famous series of cliffs which define the Grand Valley's northern part are called the Book Cliffs.
Situated near Grand Junction is the Country Jam Ranch, that is just north at the Mack exit on I-70. This is a permanent festival place built for music festivals, like Country Jam, an event which has been held since the year 1992 and one which draws thousands of country music buffs to the area.
Grand Junction has become a main mountain biking location. Many bikers come from the Salt Lake City region and the Front Range of Colorado. Some travel from as far away as California State to enjoy the area's abundant single-track trails. There are 2 major trails amongst others which are the Tabegauche and Kokopelli trails. They run all the way to Moab, Utah from near Loma.
On May 2, 1982, the economic bust, referred to as "Black Sunday," to the locals, started with a phone call from the President of Exxon to the Governor of Colorado at the time, Richard Douglas Lamm. He stated that the Exxon Company would reduce its losses whilst retaining mining rights to the uneconomic oil. This bust was felt statewide because Exxon had invested over 5 billion USD into Colorado State.
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