HUERFANO- In honor of Memorial Day, an historical tour of Huerfano River Valley cemeteries will take place Saturday, May 23, sponsored by the Huerfano County Historical Society. The public is invited to join in. Participants will drive their own vehicles or carpool after meeting at 9 am in the west end of the Safeway parking lot, Seventh Street in Walsenburg. Handouts will detail the route.
A guide will accompany the group and at each cemetery historical society members will give a short talk about historic persons or incidents. A bit of information will be given also about nearby small early settlements. Family-made grave stone tell a story in themselves.
Cemeteries on the tour are the Maes Creek (also known as the Turkey Creek or Clover or Valdez Cemeteries), the Gardner Catholic (also known as the Sacred Heart Cemetery), the Gardner Protestant (also known as the Upper Huerfano Cemetery) and Redwing (also known as Crestones or Archuleta or Old Chama Cemeteries). Karen Mitchell and researchers for genealogy have furnished much of the information.
As the cars leave Walsenburg they will follow I-25 to the Huerfano River and then head west for a scenic drive through the area of early settlement. Then to the cemeteries. The tour will end in early afternoon, between 1 and 2 pm. The cost is $3 for Historical Society members and $5 for non-members to cover the cost of handouts and to provide funds for care of artifacts in both the Francisco Fort and Walsenburg Mining Museums. Everyone is encouraged to bring water and snacks or lunch. Some walking is involved. Contact Carolyn Newman 738-2840 for information.
