Walsenburg 1877: In the Huerfano canon, extending from Badito westward to the Mosca pass some thirty miles, the farmers have very nearly finished planting and sowing and it is to be hoped the grasshoppers that destroyed crops for the past two seasons will get out of the way before the grain is out of the ground. 1883: Be on the alert for bogus dollars and halves, as numerous coins of these denominations are afloat in other portions of the state. 1889: Dr. T.F. Martin this week sold to William Caddell Lot 7 in Block 4 for $500.00. This is the same lot the doctor bought about five years ago from John Brown for $5.00. 1895: The ladies of the Methodist Church will give a candy pull at the court house on April 1 – don’t fool yourself and stay away. 1901: Charles R. Irwin, trusted clerk of the Supply Company in Rouse, obtained a license to wed Clementina Wilson, also of Rouse, and they were married yesterday by Rev. E.E. Hench. 1908: Peach trees in bloom; apple blossoms coming out – look out for frost. 1916: Negotiations are under way to arrange a cross country run
between the Walsenburg and Trinidad high schools, a distance of 43 miles. 1922: The new team of the Toltec Murderous Wrecking Crew will have Mike Bechaver on first, Alex Olsafsky, second, Steve “Peewee” Judiscak, captain and third, Johnny Bechaver, catcher and Alex Muir, Johnny Zubal and Primo “Tobie” Valdez and Johnny Olsafsky, manager. 1930: More than 200 members of the Huerfano County High School attended the frosh party Friday night, the first spring function for the students. 1937: A pack of vicious dogs last night killed 100 rabbits and 50 chickens at the home of Martin Crump, 233 West Seventh Street. 1944: Lt. Henry LoPresto of Walsenburg, pilot of a B-24 Liberator who had been listed as missing in action since Dec. 20 following a raid over Europe, has been confirmed as a German prisoner of war. 1952: Adeline Espinoza, Spanish Peaks Fiesta Queen two years ago, has been promoted to corporal in the WACs at Fort Myer, Virginia. 1958: Ten student couples from the high school will appear in next Tuesday’s “Top 10 Dance Party” over KKTV, Channel 11, in Colorado Springs. 1965: Died, Sister M. Camille Mazzone in Atchison, Kansas. She was born to Charles and Caroline Mazzone in Walsenburg in 1877 and invested as a Benedictine Sister in 1907. She leaves three sisters and a brother, Herman. 1971: Edward Joseph, Huerfano County Veterans Affairs Officer, was elected president of the Colorado Veterans Affairs Association. 1977: City Council finally approved a water tap for Mario and Rosalie Amidei who plan to build a service station north of Walsenburg. 1985: Burlington Northern is to install crossarms at the railroad crossing on West Seventh Street and City Council will ask that the flashing lights on Seventh be moved to Hendren where there are no warning signals. 1991: Ninety-one members of the Knights of Columbus and their guests attended the St. Patrick’s dinner and dance in the Rambler Restaurant with Good Ole Jazz providing the music.
La Veta 1883: C.E. McComb has contracted Ed Berry to build two frame residences on the first street north of the depot, each one to be one and a half story, 14 by 28 feet with an ell to measure 12 by 8 feet. 1896: C.M. “Charley” Mack, of the upper Cucharas where fine beef cattle range the year around in sunshine and snow, returned Sunday after disposing of a [railroad] car of cattle in Omaha. 1902: The band boys gave a very well patronized dance for St. Patrick’s Day. 1908: Died, Samuel “Uncle Sam” Patterson, 84. He came to La Veta in 1871 from North Carolina and took up the present Pink Estes ranch south of town. He leaves two sons and two daughters. 1914: Ice hauling is again in progress since Monday and the ice appears to be of fair quality despite the lateness of the season. 1921: Red columbines are already blooming. Remarkable, but some oldtimers tell us they remember when the cottonwoods used to show green the first of April. 1927: La Veta Light, Heat and Power Company will build a building of two rooms in Cuchara Camps to house an electric plant and a caretaker. 1933: Mrs. H.E. Magee returned to Cuchara Camps for the season after a three month visit with her husband and other relatives in Winchester, Indiana. 1939: La Veta citizens are showing great interest in the Works Progress Administration sidewalk building project being sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. A four foot wide, four and a half inch thick walk would cost property owners $8.34 for a 25 foot frontage. 1945: During a high wind Saturday, a brush fire on the Magnino ranch west of town threatened ranch buildings and haystacks but volunteers soon had the blaze under control. 1951: La Veta will host the Aguilar, Primero, Huerfano County High School and La Veta in the band and vocal music festival next Friday in the high school auditorium. 1958: A winter sports area is being planned on the property of Mrs. George Young five miles southwest of La Veta on the Wahatoya, according to Milton Utt, president of the La Veta Chamber of Commerce. 1964: John Huffman, 13, of La Veta school, placed third in the county spelling contest and will go to Denver to compete in the regional competition. 1970: The 1969-70 La Veta High School Pep Club banquet was March 20 with a theme of “Blood, Sweat and Tears”, and featured Nancy Bailey as mistress of ceremonies. 1976: Thirty-six members and guests attended Thursday night’s meeting of the Friends of the Arts meeting when Mary Hicks gave a demonstration in painting with acrylics. 1981: Bob Crosby’s Donkey Ball will appear in the high school gym April 2. Admission is $2.50. 1987: Winning the Junior Knowledge Bowl in La Veta last Saturday were the La Veta Junior High, first, Gardner, second, St. Mary, third and Aguilar, fourth.
