Oral history interview with Owen Gray, 1986 June 3, 2006 March

Gray tells the story of his family's move to Arizona in 1880 after being asked to help settle the area by the prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He jokes about having been related to most of Mesa's residents when he was young. Gray describes early Mesa with its wide, muddy streets, horses and wagons, and lots of people coming to shop on Saturdays and Sundays. He mentions many downtown businesses including McDowell's service station, the Rex Hotel, the F.P. Drew Lumber Company, Riggs' blacksmith shop, and E.D. Macdonald's used car lot. Gray talks about being trained to fix tires and being one of the highest-paid service station attendants working for P.R. McDowell. He also talks about the volunteer fire department, keeping food cool without refrigerators, and drinking chaparral tea to ward off illness. Gray finishes the interview by talking about his family and telling what each of his six children does for a living.