Lands End Road on the Grand Mesa Was Built By Veterans
Lands End Road on the Grand Mesa was built by veterans and was known as Veterans' Road. World War I veterans worked on Lands End Road from 1933-1934.
Your Colorado history lesson today is all about Lands End Road on the Grand Mesa. When they were building Lands End Road on the Grand Mesa, they employed veterans to do the job. Many World War I veterans were left jobless due to the Great Depression, according to the Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways Facebook page.
200 veterans were brought to the Grand Mesa to clear the way for Lands End Road. The 200 veterans lived in army tents about 11 miles below the Mesa rim, according to the Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways. The veterans completed 9.2 miles of Lands End Road between June 1933-May 1934.
Lands End Road on the Grand Mesa used to be known as Veterans' Road and now we know why. The veterans were paid a dollar a day for working on the road and were spoken very highly of.
The project engineer stated how they build the whole road, blasting and all, without injuries and according to the Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways Facebook the veterans were described as
A remarkable group of men, skilled in almost every imaginable trade.
Our veterans do more for us than we'll ever know. Next time you take a trip up to Lands End Road on the Grand Mesa, think of all of the amazing veterans who built the road for generations to come.