Walsenburg 1882: Mr. Hamilton Pope Jr. stopped in and informed us that while he was out on the round-up someone entered his home two miles up the Huerfano from the railroad crossing and stole just about everything of value. 1889: Died, Bishop Machebeuf. He came to the United States 33 years ago from France with Father Ussel. 1895: Some men were discovered punching a hole through the adobe wall of the jail with an eight foot bar trying to free someone inside. After a fusillade of shots the men escaped, but none of the prisoners was as fortunate. 1901: An automobile passing through town Tuesday caused a ripple of excitement in our usually monotonous existence. 1907: Mr. Jellison is drilling for coal in the Missouri Valley near the ranches of Fruth and Autrey and George Anderson. 1914: Major C.B. Coan died today. Born in Vermont he came to Colorado in 1890 and later settled near Malachite to homestead. In 1912 he moved to Walsenburg, opened a law office and became counsel to the United Mine Workers of America. 1922: City Council has contracted with a company from Salt Lake City to pave 10 blocks of Main Street for $129,837.96. 1928: Twenty-eight carloads or 1,200 tons of coal were shipped out Monday from the Robinson and Pictou mines. 1934: Sam Tessitore Taylor has announced his candidacy for state senator. 1940: Ed Trounstine of Denver, former Walsenburg resident and holder of card No. 1 in the Walsenburg Elks Lodge No. 1086, will attend the state convention here Aug. 22-24. 1946: Miss Caroline Conder has been named head cashier of the Trinidad Electric Company office here and Miss Elsie Carrari is replacing her as assistant cashier. 1952: Two members of the Walsenburg Explorer Boy Scout Troop No. 2251, John Sudar and LeRoy Devan, are going to a survival camp outing above Buena Vista, and Charles Devan and Gordon Kelley will attend a one week outing on the Conejos River. 1959: Mr. and Mrs. Mike Vigil have remodeled Fashion Shoe Mart, a $5,000 project, to include a beauty shop in the rear. 1967: Congressman Frank Evans announced the United States Department of Labor has approved a $154,100 Neighborhood Youth Corps project for Huerfano County. 1973: Walsenburg’s Centennial Celebration will be July 27, 28 and 29 with booths, games, speakers, kids parade, music, programs, and more. 1979: Owners Moses and Barbara Ward of the Central Tavern and Café on Main Street were delighted to receive a letter from Gourmet magazine complimenting their enchiladas and asking for the recipe to include in the magazine. 1985: City Council, after waiting five or six years for Frank Mauro to do something about the derelict old Walsenburg Creamery, voted to have it demolished if he did nothing by Aug. 2. 1991: Jim Robieson, landscape artist of Gardner, is currently having a one man show in Darkwood Studio and Gallery in Walsenburg.
La Veta 1877: We have learned one of the biggest losers in the disastrous fire that destroyed Del Norte last week was the firm of Conly and McClelland, lately of La Veta. Their corrals, stock of horses, livery barn, 50 tons of hay and other valuable parts of their business were destroyed. 1883: Messrs. Yokum, Pavey, Workman and Goodman leave today for Trinchera Peak to commence development of their recent strike. 1890: Town Board members discovered many of the existing ordinances have not been signed nor dated, so re-approved the poll tax, misdemeanor, health and nuisance ordinances. 1896: Dave Ryus is now in the swim. He has a brand new Surrey from the Parry Manufacturing Company of Indianapolis. 1902: A new telephone line is now in course of construction between this place and Alamosa. When completed it will bring La Veta in closer touch with the outside world. 1909: The city fathers are harvesting their crop of alfalfa in the town park. 1915: Russell station, on the west side of La Veta Pass, is busy at present as the timber company is grading a switch to the new prop yard, the old yard being filled with timber. 1921: Miss Byrdie Beamer leaves for Bozeman, Montana, to enter nurse’s training and her position at the telephone office will be taken by Miss Dorothy Richman. 1926: A jolly truck load of young people drove down from Cuchara Camps on Tuesday evening to attend the movies. 1932: Fred Hector and Loraine Spielmann were issued a marriage license last week by the county clerk. 1938: The Denver and Rio Grande’s wildflower excursion to La Veta Pass will be Sunday and will include a dancing car and box lunches. 1944: Sugar Stamp 40 is now available and is good for five pounds of canning sugar through February of next year. 1950: About two inches of rain was received in the best rainstorm of the season, unfortunately accompanied by considerable hail. Cloud seeding continues. 1956: A new concept called “Meals on Wheels”, a program in which elderly people have wholesome meals delivered, is being explored in Philadelphia. 1962: Spur Theater, Sun-Mon, “Walk on the Wild Side” with Laurence Harvey, Capucine, Jane Fonda, Anne Baxter and Barbara Stanwick, plus “The Magic Sword” with Basil Rathbone. 1968: The Methodist Youth Fellowship enjoyed a picnic on the abandoned Pinon Hill road northeast of La Veta Sunday afternoon with about 20 in attendance. 1974: La Veta Rotary Club voted to donate $100 to the new public library. 1980: Now the Cucharas River has finally receded, Don and Betty Vietti were able to open the miniature golf course above Cuchara for the summer. 1986: Gary Bridges, owner of the Mountain Market at Cuchara Valley Resort, is the new member of the Cucharas Sanitation and Water District Board to replace Randy Barrett, who is moving from the area. 1992: Bud and Betty Kreutzer are settled in their new home on the former Campbell ranch and their 33 elk will be moved there as soon as the fencing is complete.
