From a backyard in Grand Junction to a thriving Western Colorado
legacy—Elam Construction has grown and succeeded!
In 1956, Robert Elam was working for a local asphalt paving
company. When that company chose not to bid on a job in
Monticello, Utah, Robert got the break of a lifetime. The
company allowed him to pursue the job on his own and agreed to
lease him paving equipment.
Robert was awarded the Monticello job and Elam Construction was
born. His wife, Mildred, would pack the children in the car on
weekends and drive to Monticello to deliver parts and supplies
to Robert and to pick up paperwork for the return trip because
Mildred also did the bookkeeping for the new company.
By 1958, requests for local bids started coming in fast and
furious. The Company's first headquarters location was the home
of Robert and Mildred on Unaweep Avenue. Elam's first local
project was a gas station on North Avenue. Robert and his son,
Harold, blade-mixed the asphalt for resurfacing and completed
the project by hand.
On April 8, 1958, Elam Construction purchased its first piece of
equipment. That 1950 Caterpillar Model 212 motor grader still
exists and is on display at the Grand Junction corporate office.
Elam purchased the grader for a grand total of $5,884: $1,344
came from savings and the rest had to be financed. The payments,
$252 for 18 months, seemed enormous at the time, but the growing
business needed equipment. Sometimes everyone got paid except
Robert and Mildred!
"Just one more piece of equipment," was a phrase heard many
times throughout the years, but the philosophy of continuing to
slowly grow their business paid off. In 1975, Robert and Mildred
sold the business to sons Harold and Earl and long-time employee
Arnold Ridder. Today Elam Construction is under the leadership
of Harold Elam and has offices in Grand Junction, Aspen,
Edwards, Durango, Craig, and Pagosa Springs.
Elam Construction has grown throughout the years by carrying on
the tradition of its founders—"quality work, on time, and to the
customer's satisfaction."
