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This Week in History: March 17, 2016

by Nancy Christofferson

Walsenburg

1882: Tramps, like the early birds of spring, have begun to make their appearance and our city marshal finds a fresh crowd every morning.

1889: We would like to see a tree ordinance, compelling everybody to plant trees, and then a cow ordinance to protect them.

1895: The body of the two year old son of Andrew Simon of Pictou was found two miles east of his home two days after he got lost. The couple lost a child last year and have just one daughter left.

1901: Three houses on the road east to Cucharas were burned in a fire Monday morning about one o’clock, with an estimated worth of $6,000.

1907: Trinidad turned the waters of the North Purgatory into their new reservoir at North Lake.

1912: A Pictou miner was sentenced to 60 days for removing another miner’s checks and replacing them with his own.

1918: An Italian coal miner was shot and killed by thieves while crossing the railroad tracks on Seventh Street.

1925: The Community Brotherhood was organized with 50 members to more effectively take part in civic activities. C.S. Buckland was elected president.

1931: Good sized crowds attended the revival meetings in the Gardner Methodist Church last week until the “big snow” came and put roads out of commission for a few days.

1935: Katherine Marvelli is the sixth Cameron school student in a row to win the county spelling contest, in which 37 schools were represented.

1941: The Santi Oilers, winners of the district AAU basketball tournament last week, were eliminated in the national meet last night by a club from Oakland, Calif.

1947: Walsenburg Civic League is planning to sponsor a minstrel show April 24 in the Fox Theater.

1952: The Huerfano Group of the Colorado Mountain Club went to Red Rock Canyon in the Badito Cone area where they hiked to an Indian campsite and rock shelter. Several arrowheads were found and Mrs. Owens picked up an outstanding two and a half inch spear point.

1958: Mrs. Cora Mockmore says the Huerfano County Public Library will observe the first annual National Library Week.

1964: Mrs. Cynthia Haines, Huerfano county Welfare Department director, said her department spent $1,229,873.75 in 1963, compared to $1,153,047.34 the previous year.

1970: Bob Daher and Sharon Hudson were named Most Athletic by the senior class at Walsenburg High school and Gerald Vigil and Jennifer Lamme Most Comical.

1975: For Sale: 40 acres on Turkey Creek. Heavy timber and good flowing stream. $18,750.

1980: Huerfano Re-1 Board of Education rehired principals Bill Duran for Washington School, Larry Crosson, Middle School, Bill Crump, high school, and Julia Marchant, Gardner.

1986: Burlington-Northern is slowly abandoning the old depot in Walsenburg and downtown Development has requested the railroad donate the building to the city.

1991: The murder trial of Rancher Thomas Ferrero is in its third day and jurors are being sequestered in the Rambler Motel.

La Veta

1883: To reach their homes on the upper Cucharas River, Messrs. Krueger, Tiger and McLemore must cross the property of the Shiers, and Mr. Zimmerman must pass through Lego Dodgins’ ranch to reach his own.

1892: The town realized $18.17 on the one inch lumber sold after being removed from Francisco’s Park, having gone for $10.00 per M.

1897: A.A. Foote has commenced planting his garden; Arthur is determined nobody shall get ahead of him this year.

1902: The Coleman brothers are building Peter Verliff’s house in town and also have a large contract for construction at Hezron coal camp.

1908: Work is again progressing on Dr. L.B. Roberts’s new concrete block residence.

1914: The Citizens Party selected candidates for the town election yesterday at a primary in town hall. They are Jack Propst for mayor, J.P. Stranger, clerk and recorder, and Dr. L.B. Roberts, Joe Pickens, “Ell Smith and Ernest Eggleston for trustees.

1919: Low Lester has purchased the Walter Montgomery place of 320 acres six or seven miles north of town.

1924: The Ojo mine fire has not been extinguished but an opening is being driven so as to fight it from behind.

1930: Died, Mrs. C.E. Hampton, 72, who came to La Veta in 1873 with her parents Mr. and Mrs. William Erwin. She married Columbus Hampton at age 16 in La Veta. She leaves her husband, children, sisters Lou Lougheed, Pueblo, Mrs. J.N. Cooper, Denver, Gussie Brown and Mrs. A.C. Shafer, both of Walsenburg, and brothers J.P. and Charles.

1936: The P.T.A. elected Mrs. Clifford Coe, president, E.A. Stansbury and Mrs. Lou Coleman, vice presidents, Mrs. Jack Stone, secretary and Mrs. Nelson Webster, treasurer.

1943: Bruno Cassai, a member of the U.S. Army serving in Alaska wishes to thank his many La Veta friends for the fine Christmas presents and letters.

1948: New officers of the La Veta Rotary Club chapter are Charles Galassini, president, Edward E. Engberg, vice president, Vern Bristol, secretary and B.M. Stigall, treasurer.

1953: Following protests by La Veta and Walsenburg people, the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad announced it would continue passenger service between Pueblo and Alamosa through the end of March.

1960: John Beamer, 16, and Sharon Sager, 13, celebrated their birthdays with the junior and senior high school students with a party in Odd Fellows Hall.

1966: The three girls and seven boys of the eighth grade had a party at the Disert home after ice skating on Percifull Lake.

1972: Chester Springer, nephew of Lorraine Courtright, has a large collection of bottles he found at the old Herbin homestead (now John Goemmer’s) up the river and at the Delagua camp dump.

1979: Owners C.B. Seward and Jim Howard and their families of Oklahoma were in Cuchara last week to check on their K.O.A. campground.

1985: A benefit Spring Fashion Show March 27 in the 1899 Inn will begin fundraising toward establishing historic preservation of La Veta’s cut-stone buildings.

Cement plant concerns

Building inspector suggests a negotiated move out of Northlands to site near prison WALSENBURG — The Walsenburg City Council convened a special meeting Friday, March

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