Walsenburg 1866: With the death of Joseph Doyle, county probate judge, Benjamin F. Fields was appointed to probate the Doyle estate. 1873: Benton Canon resigned his position as county treasurer and Henry Daigre of La Veta was appointed in his stead. 1881: Benton Canon bought 80 acres near the coal lands at Walsenburg and will lay out a town with a store, hotel, boardinghouse, etc. 1893: Lost – between Walsenburg and the Standley ranch, a bicycle tool bag with wrench and oil can. Return to this office for reward. 1900: A.C. White has closed his cigar factory here and returned to Rocky Ford due to ill health. 1907: Died, Ernest Adolfus Lidle, 52, of injuries received in his slaughter house yard when he was gored by a steer. After serving in the German cavalry, he arrived in America in 1882. 1915: The Baptist Ladies Mission Circle will give a Home Cooking and Apron Sale in J.S. Windsor’s store Saturday afternoon. 1922: C.M. Buckles is selling the fixtures from his confectionery stop and will go into another line of business. 1929: Construction has started on a modern six room cottage camp on South Main Street on lots owned by Fred Andritta [sic]. 1937: A crowd of interested spectators gathered to watch the Gypsy caravan organize for its departure from Walsenburg on the advice of the chief of police. 1943: Norma Lou Brunelli, Huerfano County High School senior, and Donald Shosky, St. Mary High School junior, will represent Huerfano County in the national American Legion essay contest. 1949: Huajatolla Park, official name of Martin Lake and region, will probably open about April 1. The city will acquire the property about that time so the park will open as a recreational facility. 1955: Mrs. Bernice Money of Apache, state vice chair of the Republican party, will have the honor to breakfast with President Eisenhower. 1962: Leonard Micek, 13, of Rouse, won the top honors in the Huerfano School District #1 spelling bee and Edna Joseph, 13, won for St. Mary School. 1970: Bob Daher and Sherry Hudson were elected King and Queen of the Walsenburg High School Band at its annual banquet. 1976: Died, Wilhelmina Spingler, 81, longtime Walsenburg High School math teacher and employee of the district from 1928-1963. 1982: Xavier Sandoval has become the fourth person to file for the County Commissioner seat in District #3, joining incumbent Hank Corsentino, Donald Andreoli and Louis Dallafior. 1988: Last year’s winner Joseph Villalon of St. Mary School beat out his little sister Karen to win the Huerfano County Spelling Bee. 1994: March came in like a lion with four inches of snow in Walsenburg, and left with eight new inches, with about 14 inches falling in between. Temperatures ranged from five to 73 degrees.
La Veta 1877: The first case of natural death in our young town I am called on to chronicle. The deceased, Lafayette Kauffman, aged 7 years, received the appropriate services in the Baptist Church and was carried to and interred in the new burial ground. 1883: Colorado Coal and Iron Company has five tunnels developed in its iron mine on Grayback where 18,000 tons has already been taken from new Tunnel #5. The ore is 54% without impurities. 1889: George S. Thompson was elected mayor; Oliver Bemen, recorder; William Krier, treasurer; Loren Dye, street commissioner; John Otson, John M. Francisco and John S. Barnes, one year trustees and John Cozad, Alex Lindsay and A.A. Foot, two year trustees. 1896: The most reckless wind storm we have had for 10 years struck us last Thursday evening. Tree tops were strewn over the mesas from unknown stumps, and a yellow dog is said to have been blown here from the San Luis Valley. 1903: For Rent – Good stone barn, 28 by 58 feet, stabling for more than a dozen horses, situated in Block 6 Town of La Veta on 100 by 150 foot lots. Enquire at this office. 1910: When Mr. Estes’s buildings south of Masonic Hall are moved up Main Street he will commence building a substantial stone structure, 50 feet wide and 80 feet long, on the lots. 1916: Of 430 registered, 348 actually cast ballots in the town election. H.M. Stockwell, candidate for treasurer, was high vote getter with 303. 1923: Just 340 voted of the 500 registered to elect Dr. L.W. Lee mayor with 319 votes. The Citizens Party candidates were also elected to the clerk, treasurer and trustees positions. 1930: One hundred and seventy-four votes were cast in the town election and all were for the Citizens Party. Of course, the Citizens was the only one with candidates this year, so the election was a tame affair. 1938: A 22-year-old La Veta youth was arrested Sunday night after he entered the home of Bruno Martinez and severely injured the elderly man. Officers found things in the youth’s home that had been taken during the post office robbery, from Howard Lumber and Stanley Snyder. 1945: Six to eight inches of very wet snow fell Saturday morning, much to the inconvenience of those attending the livestock auction to benefit the Red Cross. 1951: Q: How long was your cook with you? A: She never was. She was against us from the beginning. 1958: Rev. C.H. Hatfield, 86, has informed the board of the La Veta Methodist Church he will retire at the end of May. 1966: Winning in the Town election were Marlin Warren, mayor, Nell Magro, clerk, Idalia Gilbert, treasurer, and Rollie Lehman and Louis Kopine, trustees. Sitting trustees are Simon Aguirre, Robert Quinlan, C.E. Wilson and Jack Young. 1971: The Hub Lounge in the Spanish Peaks Restaurant will have a “Remember When” party Saturday night featuring five cent beer, 25¢ whiskey and 15¢ sandwiches. 1977: Lola Masinton completed her courses at the University in Greeley and is back home. 1983: Fred Austin was appointed to Town Board to fill the vacancy created by Linda Taft’s resignation to become Town Clerk.
