Walsenburg
1904: Miss Eva Evans is the only graduate in the sixth annual commencement of the Walsenburg public schools.
1910: Last Sunday was baccalaureate for Huerfano County High School and the church was beautifully decorated in the class colors, violet and green. Graduates were Thomas Mathews, Mary Smith, Carolyn Farr, Blanche Blickhahn, Mary Hill and Marguerite Hendershot.
1916: Coming to the Star Theater, the greatest of all comedies, “Tillie’s Punctured Romance” with Charles Chaplin, Marie Dressler and Mable Norman.
1922: Tim Valdez, Tony Carsella and Frank Kafka have organized the Sunkist Trio.
1928: Pete Dakas, proprietor of the Miami Café, is forming a local chapter of the Order of Aneha to promote American citizens of Greek origin.
1934: The Klein Hotel dates back to 1887 when Henry Klein and his wife operated the old adobe Arnold Hotel, where the courthouse stands now. Then they ran the Twin Lakes Hotel, followed by the Grantham House and in 1900 built their own 16-room hotel at 121 E. 6th St.
1940: Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees at Gardner have completed planting 350,000 trees in the national forest north of Gardner, of which 65,000 are piñon and the rest ponderosa pine.
1946: The 96 seniors of the graduating class of H.C.H.S. include several ex-servicemen. Valedictorian is Marjorie Jones and salutatorian is Annalee Boettger.
1952: Angie Tessitore was selected “Miss Walsenburg of 1952” from the six contestants vying for the title and will reign during the annual auto show.
1958: The public schools in Walsenburg will graduate 76 kindergartners May 27 from two classes, including the 41 with Mrs. Frank Nutz at Hill School and 35 with Miss Flora Rolke at Washington School.
1965: School District Re-1 adopted a salary increase of $200 to make the base pay $4,800 per year for a first year teacher with a Bachelor’s Degree. The base for those with Masters Degrees will be $5,000.
1971: Joe and George Habib purchased the former William J. Neeman Cadillac-Pontiac building at 322 No. Main from the Small Business Administration for $40,000 and plan to open a Goodyear service type operation.
1977: William Schafer Jr. has sold land north of Walsenburg to Pizza Hut and the building is being constructed.
1983: Mary Franciscotti was the recipient of the first heart pacemaker implanted in Huerfano Memorial Hospital. Her surgeon was Dr. Joseph Sierra.
1989: Huerfano County Fire Protection District is negotiating for the purchase of the old Santi Motor Company garage and will move to the new location from Fiesta Park when the Colorado State Patrol begins parking its vehicles there.
La Veta
1900: Well, the circus has come and gone and every small boy within 20 miles of La Veta has something to talk about.
1906: Miss Mabel Luther has opened the summer term at Baker schoolhouse and Mr. Fuzzell will open the annex school higher up Middle Creek in about two weeks.
1912: Andrew Pickens and W.S. Abbott are looking for parties to invest in their new coal mine which looks to be near what will be in future the Alliance mine switch.
1918: This year’s valedictorian is Percy Pickens and William Reynolds is salutatorian. Other graduates will be Emily McKinney, Hazel Baldwin, Hazel Bruce, Maude Stewart and Idalia Stranger.
1924: Frosts every night and cool days have resulted in a backward season, with leaves struggling hard to show a touch of green.
1930: A class of 10 was graduated from La Veta High School last night, including Margaret Goss, valedictorian, Norabelle Vories, salutatorian, Dorothy Lougheed, May Baker, Stella Mestas, Muriel Craig, Lewis Richman, Forrest Groves, Edythe Koklas and Jessie Jacks.
1936: The Hotel Park Lane, formerly the Springer Hotel, will have a formal opening May 30 and 31 under the management of Mrs. G.R. Benefiel who has had it remodeled, redecorated and refurnished. Mrs. Benefiel has been in La Veta for 12 years and is famous for her cooking.
1942: The Jaycees have completed their project to remove the old adobe building on the east side of Main Street near the Boyd service station and are leveling the lot for parking.
1948: Graduation exercises included solos by Barbara Beamer and Gloria Arnold, and a saxophone number by the trio of Myrna Beck, Roxie Boyd and Earl Carver.
1954: La Veta girls Mary Jane Speed, Christine Cruz and Roxie Boyd won special honors at Adams State College.
1964: Graduates are Karen Kmetz, valedictorian, James Carver, salutatorian, Thelma Andreatta, Darrell Arnold, Eddie Angelovich, Ron Crable, Barbara Dixon, Jack Geiser, Priscilla Griego, Wayman Percifull, Jack Rickards III, Willie Rohr, Elsie Shrout, Sue Ann Smith, Carolyn Wagner and Mary Watson.
1970: A pink and blue shower was held in the dining room of the Methodist Church in honor of Mrs. Curtis Goemmer.
1978: We Don’t Play Games With Your Food. La Veta Co-op. 742-3202.
1984: Cuchara Valley Chamber of Commerce will have a Spring Extravaganza Saturday night in the La Veta Lodge with a buffet dinner, cocktail and dancing for $12.50.
1990: Several people appeared before Town Board with complaints about police officers’ misconduct in impounding dogs.
