Walsenburg
1889: Senator Montez returned from Denver and says the legislature appropriated $12,500 for bridging and improving the Cucharas.
1894: J.J. Mathews and Miss May Young will close the Walsen mines school next Monday after a seven month term.
1899: Pritchard’s new lumber yard will have a three roomed brick building 75 by 80 feet with a one room cellar. It is to be built on the corner of his lots opposite the county jail on Fifth Street, and Thomas Mooney is preparing to burn 100,000 bricks for its construction.
1904: The ladies guild of the Methodist church will have its annual Easter sale offering dust caps, aprons, handkerchiefs and other useful things.
1909: The Galloway residence and stable at the corner of Kansas and Harrison streets in Walsenburg that we advertised for sale last week was sold to Dr. T.D. Baird. $2,100 was the asking price.
1914: The Roof-Dick-Workman building at Fifth and Main streets is to be extended back to the alley with a basement under the addition.
1919: A.L. Levy is moving the former Krier shoe shop from East Sixth Street to the rear of the old opera house on West Sixth.
1924: Violet Wheelock of Ideal School won the Huerfano County spelling contest.
1929: The Speciality Beauty and Flower Shop is proud to announce the arrival of a new Naivette Croquignole permanent wave machine.
1934: The large Buick sedan of Dan Unfug ran loose today and crashed into the Sears Apartment building, caving in the wall of Apartment No. 1.
1939: The new luxurious Hotel Kirkpatrick opens today at 116-118-120 West Sixth. L.H. Kirkpatrick, longtime owner of the bottling plant, bought it, the former Oxford Hotel, from Jim Hurley and has had it completely remodeled and enlarged. The grand opening for women will be from 3-5 this afternoon, and for the general public from 7 to 10 this evening.
1944: The Reverend Howard L. Delaney will succeed the late Reverend Newell as pastor of St. Mary Parish.
1949: Don Stimack and Eugene “Snooky” Espinosa were named to the Southern Colorado Parochial league all star basketball squad and John Dernovshek won a spot on the second string.
1954: A million dollar rain is falling in Huerfano County and has lasted three days, beginning just one day after the State Senate voted drought relief to the county and the dust bowl areas to the east.
1959: Walsenburg now has a full-fledged auctioneer after Jack Williams returned this week from Billings, Montana where he completed a course in auctioneering.
1964: Albert J. Tomsic, Walsenburg attorney and former speaker of the state house of representatives, announced he will run for district judge on the Democratic ticket.
1969: R.L. Joiner, George Dick, Frank Piazza and Van Lawson will attend the annual Rotary conference meeting of District 547 in the Broadmoor Hotel.
1974: Some 25 Huerfano County merchants will offer special summer goods during the Spring Opening Fair next Sunday in the Walsenburg Community Center.
1979: Janie’s Cafe on Highway 160 West is now open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
1984: There will be a combined meeting of the Huerfano County and La Veta/Cuchara chambers of commerce next Friday in Baker Creek Restaurant at Cuchara Valley Resort with special guest State Senator Jim Rizzuto in attendance to hear future plans for the ski resort.
1989: Members of the Walsenburg Classroom Teachers Association are quite unhappy about the recent offer of a one-percent raise in light of the hefty salary increases given to the administrators.
1994: Mandella Restaurant in Gardner will have an Easter Sunday Special of Lemon Chicken, Baked Potato, Salad, Strawberry Shortcake and Coffee for $5.75.
La Veta
1877: At the town board meeting this week “it was moved and seconded that if prisoners confined in the calaboose refuse to work out their fines then the town Marshal be instructed to feed them on Bread and Water until they do.” The motion was carried.
1882: B.F. “Ben” Harris, who lived here from 1874 to ’76, has brought his family back from Georgia and joins his father Uncle John Harris and brothers Fillmore, J.C. and William, who are working a rich strike on Silver Mountain which contains both silver and gold.
1887: Because Henry Daigre declined to run for mayor again, Samuel Todd is a candidate.
1897: This week concludes the term of school so it will be let out for summer much sooner than summer will appear, judging by appearances.
1902: A large crowd of merry makers gave Mr. and Mrs. E.L. Hazard a housewarming party at their new ranch home at Bruce Lake south of town.
1907: Will Woodruff, realtor, offers a 320 acre farm with a new five room house, two cellars, a stable, outbuildings and the best water right on the creek, as well as a storage reservoir. $2,500.
1912: There has not been a fall, winter and spring like this since the Advertiser was begun 17 years ago, with continual snow fall and cold weather.
1917: M.W. Brooks sold his ranch near Ojo to A.A. Campbell.
1922: Albert Parks has purchased 80 acres from W.B. Black between Mr. Black’s ranch and the former Hayes Hamilton place, now owned by W.A. Campbell.
1927: Died, Robert N. “Turk” Moore, 84. He was the last surviving federal veteran of the Civil War and member of the G.A.R. in the county.
1932: The Independent is running E.M. Mills for mayor, W.H. Harrison, treasurer, Walter Carver, clerk, and James Powell, T.C. Murdock, V.G. Mills, John Baione, Milton Heikes and Jack Stone for trustees.
1937: Alex Cobsky who died March 4 got his nickname of the Goat Man back in the 1880s when he arrived in the area to prospect on Silver Mountain. He brought a large herd of goats and wore their hides, until the coyotes finished them off. He first discovered gold when a goat fell into a hole. He was also known as the Hermit of Silver Mountain.
1942: The front of the former La Veta Hardware building will be replaced by a theater front and marquee, and the floor is being sloped toward the screen for easy viewing.
1947: Charles Boyd was surprised on his 74th birthday when some 20 neighbors and friends showed up. They spent the evening playing Chinese checkers.
1952: Mr. and Mrs. John Elley celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary March 20. They were married in Nebraska and came to La Veta in covered wagons with their three oldest children in 1901, traveling over Cucharas Pass in a journey requiring 26 days.
1957: According to Milt Utt, president of the La Veta Rotary and chamber of commerce, informs us that a museum here is possible.
1962: La Veta received a snowfall of 20 inches last Thursday and Friday, which melted quickly due to rising temperatures. It was very beneficial.
1967: Reverend Tom Abrogast, pastor of the First Baptist Church the past three years, has been transferred to Pueblo.
1972: “Aunt Belle” Sager died on her 100th birthday. She used to live in the little log house on Main Street just west of the high school where she raised fine vegetables and flowers. Her husband and all three of their children are deceased.
1977: Lola Masinton completed her courses at the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley and is back home.
1982: Hazel Bankson says there is excellent progress on the new Ryus Point Park where the Spanish Peaks Garden Club will plant redbud trees.
1987: The original nine holes of Grandote Golf and Country Club will open for play in mid April, and the new nine will be ready in mid June. The new pro shop with sandwich shop and lounge, between holes 10 and 18, will also open this summer.
