Walsenburg
1862: The first officials sworn into office in Huerfano County in March 1862 included Donald/Duncan McKeith, sheriff, James R. Craig, surveyor, Joseph B. Doyle, judge of probate, Norton W. Welton, assessor, and James Horan and Rufino Wilkins, justices of the peace.
1877: For Sale: The Doyle Ranch, Embracing A Fine Country Store, Hotel and Postoffice, Good Stock Range, Valuable Farm, A Pleasant Home, Will Be Sold at a Bargain.
1882: This section was visited by a snow storm lasting from Sunday night until Tuesday and left about 12 inches – just what we need to insure booming crops next season.
1897: Died, Mrs. Michael Sevanichk in Rouse; Charles Davis, owner of a saloon in Walsenburg, died at age 64; and Alex Henderson, a miner at Pictou, was killed in a railroad accident near Mayne.
1902: Walsenburg now has 44 business houses employing 100 clerks whose annual salaries aggregate $60,000.
1907: Fred G. Walsen and George Dick had the trees cut down from in front of their places of business at Fifth and Main streets.
1912: The town council paid $218.50 for lights used in February.
1917: Two rooms were added to the Cameron school for use by the manual training and domestic science departments.
1922: The new Essex Coach is the nobbiest car you’ve ever seen. See it at Lenzini Motors.
1927:Three miners were killed in the Pacific Coal Company’s Caddell Mine when a drill hit an unexploded shot.
1933: Martha Sandor and Melbourne Spector won free tickets to the Fox-Valencia theater for having the highest grade averages, 96 and ½, at Huerfano High School.
1937: After receipt of a citizens’ petition, City Council approved the hiring of a city manager in future and will put the question before the voters in the April 6 election.
1942: A preview of a Donald Duck cartoon, “The New Spirit”, prepared for the U.S. Treasury Department, will be Wednesday at 1 p..m,. in the Fox Theater for members of the Lions and Rotary clubs.
1947: In regard to the city’s placing parking meters, the Chamber of Commerce recommends installing them on a six month trial basis.
1952: Tuesday will be the official opening of the Spudnut Cafe at its new location on Main Street next door to Kriers store. Owners are Mr. and Mrs. John Fink and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Magnone.
1962: Dr. George Summers, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dan Summers of Walsenburg, has had his doctoral dissertation chosen for publication by the Ford Foundation.
1967: The St. Mary Crusaders won the Hoehne Freshman Tourney by defeating Raton 38-26. The starting five are George Habib, Gene Corley, Gene Rizzi, Bob Ariano and Gary Santi.
1972: The 32nd annual Upper Huerfano Soil Conservation District meeting featured a progress report, speeches by 4-Hers and election of officers. Marvin Davis was re-elected president, Curtis Goemmer was re-elected to the Board of Supervisors and Sam Capps was elected to the Board of Appeals, all three year terms.
1977: Cheerleaders at Middle School this year are Tammy Maldonado, Rhonda Manzanares, Diane Ortibez, Tammy Butero, DeeAnn McKedy and Lori Menghini, and pompom girls are Gretchen Sporleder, Sandy Montoya, Lylia Vezzani, Renea Krier and Dawn Jesse.
1982: Rhonda Musilli has purchased the former Why Not Shop at 114 East Fifth and it will be known in future as Sunshine Ceramics.
1987: Randy Yarbrough and Heather Brady have purchased the Satellite Trackers Radio Shack at 138 West Seventh Street from Bob and Brenda Burns. It will henceforth be named Huerfano Teletronics.
1992: The resignation of Bill Duran as principal of Washington Elementary School after 24 years was accepted by the Re-1 Board of Education with regret, as were the resignations of Katherine Levy and Rose Ferraro, both cooks at Middle School for more than 15 years each.
La Veta
1879: Business licenses have been issued to J.L. McCune and D.D. Ryus for saloons, Dr. T.A. Barber, drugstore, S.D. Lougheed and Mrs. McGahan, hotels, G.W. Morton and Henry Daigre for general stores, F.L. Martin, butcher and Daigre,wholesale liquor store.
1889: The first issue of the Walsenburg World with news from all over the county came out last Thursday. Annual subscriptions are $2.
1894: More than 60 La Veta people attended the entertainment in Mazzone Opera House in Walsenburg, taking advantage of the special railroad train provided.
1899: Our new marshal, Charles Harriman, incarcerated several men in the town cooler but they broke jail and escaped the same night.
1904: The team belonging to James Carver was so startled by the hoses as the new water line was being tested that they ran away but were caught up near the school house.
1909: Quincy Zimmerman’s team ran away and it was a miracle his little child, whom he left on the seat, was not injured.
1914: Some more ice was shipped out this week and it is still of fairly good quality despite the lateness of the season.
1919: Hugh Dick has rented the Drum cement house at the corner of Field and Birch streets and George Bruce purchased the Powell cement house in the south part of town.
1924: The North side of the livestock association’s show and sales barn was completed this week after a long hiatus caused by weather conditions and the eastern portion will probably be added next year.
1929: Frank M. Eggleston, a resident of town since 1875 and well known merchant, died on the roof of his store while feeding birds. He leaves his wife and sons Ernest and Wallace.
1934: Adolph Goemmer says he will move onto and operate the farm adjoining town on the north formerly belonging to F.L. Martin.
1939: Citizens formed a Taxpayers League with Charles Boyd, president, W.H. Harrison, vice president and Julia Lively, secretary and treasurer. They plan to assist the county commissioners in reducing taxes.
1944: Died, Joseph G. Tompkins, prominent local oil driller and former owner of the Ojo Springs Resort. Born in 1876, he had lived in this area for 24 years. He leaves sons William, John, Sam, Fred and Guy, and daughter Martha Tucker.
1949: K-D Drilling of Pueblo has its test well six miles northwest of town down to 650 feet.
1954: Earl Carver of La Veta, a junior at the Colorado State College of Education in Greeley, was a member of the Colorado State basketball team the past year that finished third in the Rocky Mountain Conference. He is a 1951 graduate of La Veta High School where he was a star athlete.
1959: Huerfano County Historical Society this week spotlights pioneer Laura Moore, née Martin, who was born in North Carolina in 1863 and came to La Veta in 1882. Her father first farmed what is known as the Walsen ranch east of town but after her marriage to Zebulon Vance Moore in 1885 they farmed and ran a dairy on the west side of La Veta.
1964: The Redskins closed their regular league season with a convincing win over Sierra Grande, 85-46.
1969: Miss Yvette Williams went to Denver and attended a day-long session of “Keep Colorado Beautiful”.
1974: La Veta will play Sangre de Cristo in the district playoff in Adams State College Gymnasium tomorrow night.
1979: Coach Brett Arnold’s girls basketballers won the first place trophy with a win over Primero, 42-41.
1984: Letters of intent to run for county commissioner for District No. 2 were filed by Donald E. Andreoli and Donald G. Andreatta, both of La Veta.
1989: Gerald “Jerry” Cox has been named Road and Bridge Supervisor for the La Veta/Cuchara area to replace Alfred Murray who steps down March 15. Cox moved here in 1979 with Laughlin Drilling Company and worked for Cuchara Valley Resort 1982 to 1989.
1994: CJ Bynum, part time town clerk, will begin fulltime duties Monday to assist with the paperwork and bookkeeping of the current sewer upgrade.
