Q: Did you interact with government?

A: Well, I’m sure Ken did. He served on the draft board during the Viet Nam era.

Q: He might have been in on the ribbon cutting of the Arches? What did you think were the best and worst things about living here?

A: I loved it. I thought it was great times. Of course, we had a lot of problems.

Q: Did you go to Grand Junction to shop?

A: Right, we did. This is a picture of KE. These are movie people. This is 007 and they were making a movie here in Moab and they are cutting a ribbon. It’s Roger Moore and Chill Wills cutting a ribbon for the new bowling alley. During that time there were a lot of movies made in Moab and we got to see the stars a lot.

Q: Did you ever become a double or extra?

A: I did an extra but I was never a double. We met a lot of them. I remember meeting John Wayne two or three times.

Q: Was this when Ken was the Mayor?

A: Yes, we would meet the stars and they were very friendly. So that was an exciting time. Those years were really exciting times.

Q: What do you think about Moab now?

A: I’m glad I live in Moab. I’m glad that I’m retired here because when I go to Salt Lake to visit my grandson and his family, I realize how lucky I am to live where I can drive around a small town. Unfortunately, I’m sorry that I can’t go to Salt Lake or Denver and enjoy it like we used to be able to. To drive to Salt Lake the traffic is too much for me. We used to be able to fly to Denver, and it wasn’t that much. We’d drive to Grand Junction, fly to Denver, and fly back to Grand Junction. And at that time, it wasn’t so expensive and you could do that. Now it is very expensive to fly to a small town. We used to be able to do that and I miss the cities.

Q: You are a Bridge player?

A: Oh, I love Bridge and I’m so happy I learned to play when I was young. There are so many opportunities to meet people and enjoy the new people when they come to town. 

Q: Do you like to get out doors and do things?

A: I’d love to be able to do more, but I have to be careful what I do with my back.

Q: Is this something that can be fixed?

A: Not really, it’s just old age.

Q: Do the newcomers in Moab bother you?

A: Oh, no. We have your daughter over here, next door in Kayenta Heights, and it’s great. We also have a number of new families building in Kayenta and that’s really nice. If some big activity is happening downtown on weekends and there is a large influx of tourists, I stay home and try not to shop or visit Main Street. I do hope the committee working to preserve the area out here will be successful.

Q: The part that the BLM might trade to the state?

A: We do have a group of people working on that, trying to preserve this area. Also, I’m not in favor of changing the La Sal Loop Road. To put a new road up, I think, would destroy that whole mountain area. It’s so beautiful the way it is. Sometimes you see things happen that you would prefer not to happen.

Q: What do you think about a possible detour around town, instead of Main Street?

A: Where would they come across the river?

Q: They might have to go in back of Mountain View Subdivision. What do you think of that?

A: I don’t know much about that. I don’t know how that would work out. It’s very congested and, with those big trucks on Main Street, you have to be very careful driving. At Green River the Interstate bypassed the downtown area, but I don’t know you could completely bypass Moab as they did in Green River.

Q: Do you have family members here in town?

A: My son, Gil McDougald.

Q: So you think Moab’s a pretty good town and place to live?

A: I do, I like it. I think it’s a great place to live

Q: How was it when you were a child?

A: Moab was a small farming community before the mining and tourism boom came.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to say about Moab?

A: I don’t think so except Moab is a great place.

Q: Well, we really appreciate your time and insight into the past. Thank You!