Fruita History & Recreation
A Brief History
Fruita was founded in 1884 by William E. Pabor as a fruit growing colony. Pabor's early efforts to create a commercially viable fruit industry between California and the upper Midwestern states led to the Grand Valley becoming one of the premiere fruit growing regions in the nation by 1910.
[Balance of marker is informational]
Erected by City of Fruita.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1884.
Location. 39° 9.22′ N, 108° 44.196′ W. Marker is in Fruita, Colorado, in Mesa County. It can be reached from Colorado 340. Marker is near the entrance to the Colorado Welcome Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 340 Colorado Route 340, Fruita CO 81521, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Western Slope. It is also in the American Mountain West and in Colorado Plateau. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically,
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Dinosaur Diamond (here, next to this marker); Butch Cassidy (a few steps from this marker); Western Slope Vietnam War Memorial Park (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Stephen Tyng Mather (approx. 3.6 miles away); John Otto (approx. 3.7 miles away); Climbing Independence (approx. 4.2 miles away); The Shape of Independence (approx. 4.2 miles away); The Grand View (approx. 4.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fruita.
Also see . . . Fruita, Colorado. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on January 23, 2026, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 11, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 360 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 11, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
