Walsenburg
1890: G.N. McKay has 21 students enrolled in the grammar school grades, Mrs. M.E. McKay has 40 in the second intermediate department, Miss Minnie Guy has 53 in the first intermediate and Miss Katie Gantz has 79 enrolled in the primary deparment. 1896: J.A.J. Valdes is moving his law office to the Kearns and Cole building in the rooms formerly occupied by Dr. F.S. Hanna who has moved to West Fifth Street where S.A. Bowman was. 1902: E.W. Baxter of Baxter and Kearns Hardware has been spending time with his father at the ranch on the Huerfano. Old man Baxter at 93 is the oldest postmaster in the state, and has been in Badito for 50 years. 1908: Among the many new buildings at Strong include the saloon of Frank Mauro. 1914: Strikers and the militia clashed during the funeral of the daughter of a miner who did not go out on strike. 1920: J.P. Manzanares of the Colorado and Southern Railroad married Victoria Martinez, daughter of our chief of police. 1927: The Independent office has been mistaken for everything from a hot dog stand to a bank and no, they cannot send telegrams on the linotype machine. 1934: The Junior Tabernacle Society of St. Mary High School will sponsor a dance Saturday evening in the school auditorium with music by Kirk’s Melody Band. 1940: A Walsenburg merchant is before a grand jury today after bogus coins, metal and moulds were found in his Seventh Street novelty store. 1947: Fourteen feet of water is now impounded in the new city reservoir – Daigre Lake near La Veta. 1953: Break-ins occurred last night at the Wonder Bar where two quarts of whiskey and $2.00 in cash were taken and at the Recreation Parlor where a half a carton of cigarettes and $3.00 were stolen. 1959: Five members of the Lindo Vezzani family at Pryor fled for their lives Sunday morning when fire destroyed their two-story home. 1965: Total precipitation in Walsenburg during 1964 was 12.87 inches, compared to 14.73 inches in 1963. The wettest month was February with 2.28 inches. 1971: District Judge Albert J. Tomsic swore into county office Van Lawson, coroner, Jerry Conder, sheriff, Louis Galvez, assessor, Conrad Cordova, clerk and recorder, and J.J. Stimack, commissioner. 1977: Walsenburg City Council with Mayor Pro Tem William “Babe” Saleh at the helm raised monthly salaries for the police department for this year to $812 for the Chief of Police, $684for the police captain and $599 for officers after they complete a three month probation. 1983: The search continues for mail carrier Howard Hubbs, 27, who disappeared during a snowstorm east of Walsenburg on Christmas Eve day. 1989: Longtime letter carrier John Bechaver retired from the U.S. Post Office in Walsenburg after almost 38 years. 1995: Norm and Milly Wolak have sold their Credit Bureau of Walsenburg after 35 years in business to Rosalia Valdez of La Junta and she is moving the business to that city.
La Veta
1881: John F. Moore arranged for this editor to take his first trip to the Summit [of La Veta Pass] with engineer Cal Ritchey. 1894: Will Boyd returned to his mine on Grayback and reported five other men are working their claims there. 1901: The ladies of the Spanish Peaks Circle, Women of Woodcraft, will have a ten cent social Saturday, Jan. 25. 1908: Dr. S.J. Lamme has been in Pueblo this week and will return overland by automobile. His will probably be the first “resident machine” in the town and it will serve the purpose of an educator to horses and mules. 1914: Died, Thomas J. Erwin, 73, a resident of this town since 1871 when he traveled from Denver via the old Indian trail and settled at Martin’s Ford north of town and was later joined by his family. When his infant son died that November, his wife’s parents, the John Garrens, donated land to start a cemetery east of town. 1920: The Commercial Club met and elected as officers W.H. Hamilton, W.L. Warner, Alex McDonald, H.M. Stockwell and L.P. Springer. The club voted to donate $100.00 to the Spanish Trail highway construction. 1926: With the construction of the new national highway across the mesa north of town, La Veta will be wiped off the map. 1932: The county commissioners have reduced appropriations made in 1930 for the expenses of 1931 by over $10,000 to help the burden of the taxpayers. 1938: Works Progress Administration officials assured La Veta Town Board that transferal of funds would be approved for cleaning and remodeling the reservoir and filter plant. 1945: Lt. (j.g.) Bill Kincaid wrote home about spending his third Christmas away from home and family. He is stationed with the Navy in the Pacific. 1951: L Club Mothers and the American Legion will give a dance Friday night in the school auditorium after the basketball game for the boys leaving for military service. 1958: La Veta Redskins won two Southern Peaks League games, trouncing Creede 66-42 and scoring a decisive 58-36 victory over Manassa, to take over the lead in league standings. 1966: Sixty-six marriage licenses were issued in Huerfano County during 1965. 1972: Kenneth Arnold reported for duty Jan. 2 at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. 1979: Academic Boosters Organization elected Carol McCain, president, Gloria Jean Kreutzer, vice president and JoAnn Van Lue, secretary and treasurer. 1985: Coals from a barbecue pit at Cuchara Valley Resort’s Warming Hut caused a fire that resulted in about $1,000 worth of damages. 1991: Huerfano County commissioners will sponsor an Energy Impact grant application to purchase the land southwest of the junction of Highways 160 and 12 where a visitors’ center was built a few years ago.
