Walsenburg
1894: On Monday evening there will be a sociable in the Court House for the purpose of enlarging the public school library.
1901: Enemies of the cigarette never make light of it.
1907: George Klein has installed hot and cold water in all the rooms of the Klein Hotel, and put in steam heating throughout.
1912: The school boys at Rocky Mountain camp have organized a base ball team and propose to play Gordon Sunday. A little early yet for base ball, boys.
1920: H.G. Lamme has moved his family into Walsenburg and he will manage the company store at the Walsen mines.
1926: The Walsenburg Diavolo baseball team was organized Feb. 1.
1932: Died, Francisco Antonio Martinez, 99, the last known Civil War veteran in the county, at his home at Yellowstone. He leaves five sons and three daughters who all live locally.
1938: The four Bellotti children whose father Ernest was killed two years ago in a mine accident in the Major mine, will be given an education courtesy of the Loyal Order of Moose.
1944: Accepted for Army service are Aloysius G. Sanchez, Lazaro Armijo, Mario Alberici, Joseph L. Falsetto and Faris Vallejos, and inducted into the Navy will be Porfirio P. Martinez, August Leyba and Lennis L. Ottinger.
1950: The St. Mary High School basketball team this year is composed of Bernard Friel, Donald Stimack, George Batuello, John Dernovsheck, Abel Gomez, Berneil Atencio, Stephen Judiscak, Charles Magnone, Frank Aranda and David Bonfiglio.
1956: Fresh Pork Tails, eight pounds for $1.00, at Kay’s Big Anniversary Dollar Sale.
1962: Output of the Huerfano County coal mines in 1961 was nearly 49,000 tons, with Calumet No. 2 top producer of the nine operating mines with 16,319 tons.
1968: Francis “Butch” O’Rourke retired from Safeway Store as meat cutter after working as such since 1917, when he got his first job with Aaron Anderson whose shop was where J&L Electric is now [in 1968].
1974: Betsy Vialpando, 17, was named Walsenburg High School’s 1973-74 Betty Crocker Family Leader of Tomorrow.
1980: The John Mall High School Matchwits team defeated their challengers from Rotary Club, who were Duane Hamilton, Gordon Kelley, Jim Kessinger and Bill Crump.
1986: Dennis Perrino and Silver Eagle Band will play for a Valentine’s Day dance in the Gardner Community Center to raise funds for a community park.
1992: Ernie Reynold’s Sports Manufacturing at 909 S. Main, where six employees are making male and female western outerwear, has been in business 10 years, having started with athletic gear bags.
La Veta
1881: Will Sager is wild with excitement and enthusiasm over the discovery of another rich gold and silver mine, this time right at the top of Old Baldy mountain only six miles from La Veta.
1888: The citizens living along the north side of Francisco Street are organizing a petition to get a sidewalk built.
1896: The mill company has been busy filling a 1,000 ton ice contract with the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, enough to load 50 railroad cars.
1903: Two colored musicians supplied some string music for a dance on Monday night until their departure on the midnight train.
1909: Some outhouses in the rear of the section house were burned down Tuesday.
1915: Harry L. Springer and Libby Armstrong were married in the Springer Hotel. She is the younger daughter of Mrs. G.W. Armstrong, former proprietor of the Spanish Peak Hotel, and he is the assistant cashier at the La Veta Bank.
1922: Cuchara Canon Coal for sale, $7.50 a ton. Leave your orders at the Post Office Book Store.
1927: There will be a community sing in the Methodist Church at 3 o’clock on Sunday.
1933: There was an old time blizzard that visited La Veta this week with six to eight inches of snow, 30 to 32 degrees below zero temperatures and heavy winds which piled huge drifts in the roads.
1939: The management of the Rialto Theater announces the showing of two films about the Constitution and Bill of Rights on Feb. 22, George Washington’s birthday.
1945: Since Class President Elden Falk joined the Merchant Marines, Clyde Beamer became president of the junior class and Alice Ann Speed was elected vice president.
1951: Betty Harrison of the sophomore class is in Lamme Hospital in Walsenburg with rheumatic fever and may not return to school this year.
1957: A plane crash seven miles west of La Veta was discovered by section foreman Tony Masinton and section workers Kenneth Brown and Ed Quintana.
1963: After suffering in the intense cold of temperatures in the minus 30s, this week the thermometer reached 70 degrees.
1971: Don Drury, 32, a La Veta High School athlete and graduate, is now defensive football coach for Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
1977: Wesley Lupton, LVHS senior, was named to the Rocky Mountain News All-State Football Team as a defensive back.
1983: Elsie Cannon resigned as town clerk and the 24-hour per week position which pays $529 a month, is now open for applicants.
1989: The steak dinner of Christ the King parish, postponed by heavy snow and subzero temperatures from last Sunday to next, will include a baked potato, salad, vegetable, dessert and beverage for $4.50.
1995: Both Coach Jerry Kersey’s boys basketball team and Coach Dee Betts girls squad have 12-2 season records.
