Walsenburg 1891: According to C.H. Richardson, mechanical engineer at Rouse, the frames of 10 new houses are up and the foundations for another six are completed for the 28 new residences to be done by fall. About 80 men are working on the construction. 1897: It does appear strange that lumber can be hauled by wagon cheaper than shipping by rail to Walsenburg. 1904: The new officials of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, escorted by Freeman Sumner of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, were here to inspect their mines at Walsen and Pictou. 1911: Mrs. Levy chaperoned a crowd of young folks to Cuchara Camps this week. 1918: Walter Houser has accepted a war job with the buying department of the U.S. government and is in the market for hay of all kinds for the army. 1925: The Mathews furniture store will open a second hand store on West Fifth Street next to the Railway Express Company. 1931: At the Maccabee picnic Sunday in Cuchara Camps, winners of the boys three legged race were James Benine and George Zanon and the married ladies defeated the singles in the tug of war. 1937: Question, “Did he take his misfortune like a man?” Answer, “Precisely. He laid the blame on his wife.” 1943: Sheriff Claud Swift and his vigilante group organized in 1936 are on the track of rustlers who have streamlined their operations under the pressure of the current meat rationing. 1949: A new 20,800 pound, $22,899 transformer arrived for Frontier Power Company’s distribution plant in the 300 block of West Sixth Street. 1955: San Isabel Electric Association has received a Rural Electrification loan of $2,280,000 to acquire Frontier Power Company’s properties, La Veta Light Heat and Power Company, and to invest in new facilities and improvements. 1961: Peter Charles and Austin Murr are the proud brothers of a baby sister named Mary born July 31 to Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Murr. 1967: The 25th annual Gardner Chuck Wagon Dinner will be Aug. 16 in the church yard of the Methodist Church. 1973: Rio Cucharas Development has announced the appointment of Jim Vietti, formerly with the U.S. Air Force in Alaska, as assistant sales manager for their development project of their 1,300-acre recreational community. 1979: Died, Joseph “Joe” Mosco, 77, Walsenburg mayor from 1947 to 1951 and 1966-1968. He joined his father in the family grocery on East Tenth Street after graduating high school in 1918 and operated the Chrysler Motor Hub from 1928 to 1973 with his brothers Christie and Jim. 1985: With more than 80 years of service between them, Walsenburg Postal Clerks Charles Agnes and Alfred Newman retired from the Postal Service Aug. 2. Both served under three postmasters. 1991: The three year old Long Term Care unit under co-coordinator Ken Hendry has a capacity of 23 residents who receive 24 hour care.
La Veta 1885: Town Board received a petition from the citizens to repeal the ordinance concerning animals running at large, but tabled a decision. 1895: Eighteen men met in the band room Wednesday and reorganized the La Veta Cornet Band with Harry Taylor of the livery stable band master. 1901: Will Kincaid, Fred Kreutzer and Ed Zimmerman have obtained a modern, up to date, steam powered thresher and will hire it out with their services. 1907: Dominique Galassini has opened a saloon in the old Foote building on Ryus Avenue now owned by Pelegrino Galassini. Mr. William Bruce is presiding behind the bar. 1913: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Spielmann met Mr. and Mrs. Morton in San Gabriel, Calif. It will be remembered by old timers that Mr. Morton was postmaster here about 30 years ago. 1919: Mrs. W.H. Sanford of California is visiting old friends around town. She is the former Miss Jennie Richardson who was married in La Veta back in 1888. 1925: Some frost was reported last Saturday night and a fire in the stove has not felt uncomfortable at times during the past week. 1930: The airplane rides given at the rodeo last weekend were quite a thrill for some of the participants and audience alike. 1935: A new postal route going by the Firm ranch, Vigil corner, North Veta, the Harrison place and Valley Road and thence back to La Veta. It is 22.1 miles long. 1941: Members of the Odd Fellows Lodge and their ladies had a picnic at the summit of La Veta Pass Aug. 3 with games and contests, followed by a dance that evening in Muleshoe Lodge. 1947: The big tents to house exhibits of the 4-H County Fair are being erected on the empty lots just north of the high school building. 1953: Drought disaster aid payments have been approved for 150 ranchers and farmers in Huerfano County, according to County Agent Phil Miles. 1960: Eighteen of Mrs. Walter Padilla’s piano pupils were presented in a recital in the Methodist Church last Sunday afternoon. 1965: Carolyn Sue Wagner and Edward S. Angelovich were married July 24 in the First Baptist Church. 1971: Beginning tomorrow, Aug. 8, there will be a two week painting workshop presented in the Cuchara Community Center under the direction of some Kansas artists. 1977: Shirley Kreutzer is the new operator at Sue Houchin’s beauty shop. 1983: Re-2 School Board hired four new teachers for the coming year, who are Frances Bruce Denton for Social Science, Janet Boggs, Math, Clarine Denton, volleyball and girls basketball coach, and Peggy Arnold, fifth grade. 1989: Members of Town Board agreed to write a letter to Paul Gonzales, officer in charge of the La Veta post office, recommending the lobby be locked at 5 p.m. after some vandalism occurred there last week. 1995: First National Bank of Trinidad is installing an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) at the corner of Main and Ryus.
