Walsenburg
1903: After nearly a year of water famine the water was turned into the water pipes and reached town Friday evening. Coming so unexpectedly it caught many a house holder unprepared to receive it, as a consequence of which many a home was flooded before the occupants were able to turn the water off.
1909: Cement sidewalk is being laid on Main Street above Third which will provide continuous cement walk from the business portion of town to almost all the residence portion on Capitol Hill.
1915: About three inches of burned rock from the slack pile at Pictou is being put down on Main between Fifth and Sixth streets and will be rolled with a heavy roller to pack it down for a hard surface.
1922: Sam Tesitor is back clerking at Snodgrass Food Company after a severe case of ptomaine poisoning.
1928: Nearly $40,000 will be expended on the addition to Bain’s Golden Eagle store on West Seventh Street.
1934: The Matterolis opened their new Speedway Filling Station June 23, displaying the metal box found during excavation containing gold and silver coins.
1940: Pacific Studios uses four Walsenburg scenes as standard backgrounds in their movies, including three of Main Street and one of Seventh, the latter being of the Silver Dollar Inn, Quality Shoe Shop and U-B Market.
1946: Construction on the new Main Theater, 817 Main Street, is nearing completion and the 25 by 110 foot building will have a capacity to seat 400 people.
1952: Phil Cooper of Ohio, a parolee from Canon City, sawed his way through the bars last night to escape from the county jail.
1958: A hail storm at Pryor last Friday split wood shingles and stripped piñon trees, while cars between Aguilar and Walsenburg received much damage, even broken windshields.
1964: The 11th annual Huck Finn Day will be Saturday at Lathrop State Park.
1970: A sidewalk bazaar featuring bargains in merchandise is scheduled for Friday, July 3 in downtown Walsenburg, the first merchants’ sales promotion in five years.
1977: City Council raised the minimum monthly water rate from $5.00 to $6.00 within the city and for outside users, from $10.00 to $12.00, to help defer costs of mandatory repairs.
1983: The first annual Firemen’s Ball in Gardner will start at 3 p.m. July 4 with a barbeque with live music, followed by horseshoes, volleyball and a book sale and concluding with a dance.
1989: About 1,500 people were on hand to hear St. Rep Juan Trujillo and St. Sen. Larry Trujillo last Saturday in Gardner when the new rodeo arena was officially dedicated to the late Anthony J. Pando.
1995: Joe Trujillo, Huerfano County’s first Air Force Academy graduate in 1964 and retired lieutenant colonel, is a partner with Mike Mann and Bob Haegar in Omni Air, Inc. to provide air service from Walsenburg’s Johnson Field.
La Veta
1901: Attend the Grand Ball on the eve of the 4th of July in Ryus Opera House. Admission $1.00. Refreshments will be served during the evening.
1907: Mr. and Mrs. George A. Mayes arrived from Plano, Tex., and went up to their mountain home where he has already stocked the lakes and will build some small houses for an eventual summer and health resort.
1913: Mr. Mayes has made arrangements for tourists to be picked up at the depot and driven the 12 miles to Cuchara Camps.
1920: Ten families arrived in Cuchara Camps this week and inquiries for accommodations are coming thick and fast.
1927: The La Veta Light Heat and Power Company building at Cuchara Camps is complete and the pavilion and store are already served with electric lights.
1933: All adults think firecrackers are dangerous, a nuisance and utterly unnecessary for a child’s happiness, yet they sell them to make a few cents and buy them because it’s the custom to make noise for three or four weeks.
1939: Seventy-eight people from seven states attended the nature enjoyment camp in Cuchara Camps directed by Prof. Paul Nesbit of the Huerfano County High School.
1945: Baudy Griego, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dan Griego, returned home last week on furlough after being released from a German prisoner of war camp.
1950: There will be modern and western dancing at Muleshoe Lodge on La Veta Pass on the 4th of July.
1956: Don Bone has resigned from the La Veta schools to accept a position with Collegiate Press in Topeka, Kans. He was superintendent for two years and coach for three years.
1961: About 50 guests attended a square dance party at Shilling’s Lightning S Ranch Sunday night.
1968: Patrons of School District Re-2 will go to the polls July 9 to decide on a $40,000 expenditure for construction of a new building to house a home economics and band room.
1974: Harry Willis and Dave Stockton will open Freddie’s Steak House July 4 at the former site of Fred Crouse’s Grand Cafe.
1980: A Texas company has asked for oil and gas leases in the proposed Wahatoya Wilderness and Spanish Peaks Natural Landmark area east of Highway 12.
1986: Shane Goemmer, Troy Kreutzer and Wade Kreutzer will compete in the Colorado High School National Rodeo in Rapid City, SD.
