Palisade was named for the austere and dramatic palisades of Mancos
Shale north of town. The sculptured appearance was formed by the
uplifting of the area combined with localized erosion and the
downcutting of the Colorado River.
About 75 million years ago, the Mesa Verde group sands were stripped
from the mountains in Utah and built up as beach sand and river beds as
the Mancos sea retreated. The Mesa Verde group is also known for its
thick layers of coal.
The first inhabitants of the Grand Valley were Ute Indians, followed by
white settlers who began arriving in l881. By 1894, the first peach,
pear, apple and grape orchards appeared in the area now known as the Vinelands. The soil was rich but rainfall was scarce, so barrels of
water were hauled by wagons from the river to water young trees.
In 1913 the US Reclamation began construction of a system of irrigation
canals to support agricultural efforts. Water from a 480 ft. wide roller
dam across the Colorado River diverts water into the 80 miles of
irrigation canals which comprise the Highline Canal and Price and Stub
Ditches.
The local climate is often referred to as "The Banana Belt." The mild
climate and unique terrain create near-perfect peach and grape growing
conditions. Winds moving through Debeque Canyon are compressed and
warmed to prevent crop killing frosts in the spring. As the winds move
down valley further west it spreads out and its warming effect is
diminished. The climate, a 182-day growing season, and an average 78% of
sunshine makes Palisade "The Peach Capital".
Palisade celebrated its 100th birthday in 2004. Shown below for a historical perspective are some photographs of Palisade taken in the 1930s.
Click a thumbnail image to view a larger image.
If
you would like to learn more about the history of Palisade, the Museum
of Western Colorado has additional information and photos.