Walsenburg 1861: The Huerfano county seat has been moved temporarily from Autobees on the Arkansas River up the Huerfano to Doyle’s ranch. 1872: Until a suitable place can be found in Walsenburgh, the county seat and all county offices will be located in various locations in that town, although the county clerk’s office will remain in John H. Brown’s home at Butte Valley. 1880: The two saloons of Sheriff J.D. Esquibel and Charles Mazzone burned down Monday and it was with great difficulty the court house and Mazzone’s large saloon were saved. 1892: We remind Mr. William McKissick that the Sabbath is holy and not to butcher any more beef cattle on that day. 1898: The electric mining machines for the Walsen mines have arrived and will be installed as soon as the electric plant is completed. 1904: J.D. Moncrieff is building a six room house just south of the J.B. Farr residence, with two stories, an entrance hall, closets, bath room and other conveniences suitable for a contractor of his standing. 1911: Fred Klein is building an addition to his bakery on Main Street which will extend it to the alley, for a store and ice cream parlor. 1917: The post office at Lascar in the northern part of this county was robbed of $20.00 in cash and $40.00 in stamps, and the postmaster had two watches stolen. 1925: Ed Caddell is opening a new coal mine west of Toltec. 1932: Boys and girls under 12 years of age are reminded of the free show and Christmas party Saturday afternoon at the Fox-Valencia Theater when the show will be Zane Grey’s “Wild Horse Mesa”. 1939: Walsenburg and Huerfano County are taking advantage of only about one half of their allotted Works Progress Administration monies. The county’s quota is 600 men with a monthly payroll of $36,000. 1945: Pfc. Albert Sandoval has been awarded the Bronze Star for heroic action in the battle for Okinawa. He also holds a Purple Heart for wounds received. 1952: Seniors receiving straight As at Huerfano County High School are Alfreda Stephens, Arlene Roundsley and Evelyn Novak. 1959: City Council approved a $203,148 budget for 1960. 1966: Four of the five men who escaped from the Huerfano County Jail Monday have been recaptured. 1971: Earl D. Hord was elected president of the newly organized Walsenburg Classroom Teachers Association, Edgar DeVan III, president-elect, Jewel Geiger, secretary and Bartolo Gonzales, treasurer. 1978: Dear Santa, I want a train, I want a gairta, I want a valvano man. I love you. 1985: The meeting at which St. Sen. James Rizzuto and St. Rep. Larry Trujillo were to speak in Walsenburg about the proposed veterans state nursing home, scheduled for Dec. 9 but cancelled by the snowstorm, has been rescheduled for Dec. 28. 1991: Steel girders went up this week for the roof supports of the $14 million Huerfano County Medical Center and Walsenburg Veterans Home west of Walsenburg though the crew is three weeks behind schedule because of snow.
La Veta 1876: Forty-three licenses to do business in La Veta have been issued since the town was incorporated Oct. 9. 1882: The Debating Society has been reorganized and tomorrow night’s topic will be a discussion of the need for a prohibitionary liquor law in the State of Colorado. 1896: The La Veta Advertiser office is now located on Francisco Street where once the Herald office used to be. 1902: The bazaar and social given by the Presbyterian Ladies Aid Society earned a profit of $17.00 despite the unfavorable weather. 1908: At a meeting Monday the committee to investigate the benefits of organizing a new county to include La Veta declared its purpose as, “We desire to erect a commonwealth that shall be ruled by law, and not by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company”. 1914: La Veta used to have good roads to Badito, St. Mary’s and Santa Clara – today these roads are a delusion with barbed wire strung across them or impassable gullies preventing travel. 1921: Asa and Frank Arnold are building a road up Chaperell [sic] Creek, where they will stay and cut timber this winter for their sawmill. 1927: Mr. Bruin is holed up for the winter and Mr. Lea informs us this is the first time in 36 years he has failed to get his pelt. 1934: Louis Zupon, who lives in the stone house at the corner of Francisco and Oak streets, says his mockingbird sings most of the night. 1940: La Veta got about 24 inches of new snow in the last storm but three feet has been reported on the mesa southeast of town. 1946: The Advertiser is forced to reduce to a five column sheet this week by the newsprint shortage and the inability to secure the six column size from the paper mills. 1952: The Redskins basketball team won their fourth game of the season by defeating the Sopris Panthers 55-45, led by George Snedden, the team’s top scorer. 1958: The Huerfano County Historical Society is holding a drive to gain new members and to pay off a debt of $125 incurred in improvements made at Francisco Fort Museum this year. Memberships are $1.00 per year. 1964: Season’s Greetings from Howard Lumber and Supply Company, Mildred’s Café, La Veta Locker Plant, Cash and Carry, Warren Auto Repair and the La Veta Motel, La Veta Oil Company, Park Lane Hotel and Café, Lehman’s Drug, La Veta Enco and Bristol’s Store. 1970: Fourteen members of Stitch and Chat Club has a Christmas dinner and gift exchange at the Spanish Peaks Motor Hotel dining room Dec. 10. 1976: Welcome in the New Year at the La Veta Lodge! $10.00 per couple gets a dance with live music, party favors, cocktail and a midnight lunch. 1982: The Spanish Peaks Inn above Cuchara is having a close out sale of all Skidoo clothing and equipment. 1988: The airplane of Ernesto Ancira of San Antonio, TX, sustained $100,000 worth of damages at the airport when another plane tied near it evidently slipped its moorings and rammed the Ancira craft.
