Walsenburg 1889: The Sulphur Springs mines were released by the sheriff when Paymaster Alex Levy paid $11,000 in cash to the First National Bank of Denver and the miners returned to work Wednesday in full force. 1897: O.T. Davis will be taking those special Christmas photos only one more week before moving on. 1903: The First National Bank is just getting ready to do business, having purchased Fred Walsen and Son Bank, and will transact business at that place. The board is made up of Fred Roof, president, George Dick, J.J. Pritchard and J.B. Farr. 1909: The Coler Ditch and Reservoir Company is working at Martin Lake to install a dam and iron head gate, according to J.B. Farr, company president. 1915: The Empress Theater invites you to hear their new five piece orchestra every Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday night. 1921: Several wagons found their way into irrigation ditches on Halloween and waste paper receptacles were turned upside
down on the traffic guides on Main Street. The question is, Where were the police? 1927: James E. Tressler has moved his Walsenburg Land and Development Company from the Windsor Hardware building to the rear of the new First National Bank. 1933: Mrs. Charles Buckland of Walsen Camp is a cousin to James Cagney the movie actor who stars in “Mayor of Hell” which starts tonight at the Valencia Theater. 1939: Ida Dell Rowe, supervisor of the hot lunch project in Huerfano County, reports schools are showing more interest in the project than for several years past. 1945: Abram Stanley, son of Dr. and Mrs. A.F. Stanley and a Marine at Corregidor, returned to Walsenburg after spending three years in a Japanese prison camp. 1951: The City Park bond issue was voted down and the land will be returned to St. Sen. Sam T. Taylor who donated it. 1957: Miss Agnes Frances O’Rourke and John George Bechaver were married Oct. 26 in St. Mary Church and they will make their home at 533 West Seventh Street. 1963: In the regular city election, Anthony Tesitor received 889 votes to be on the Walsenburg Utilities Board, defeating George B. Dick and John P. Richman. 1969: Juniors on the honor roll at St. Mary High School are Nikki Bocim, Barbara Booze, Doug Brgoch, George Marck, Joe Valdez, Ginny Marcon and Nicky Tessitore. 1975: The new high school vocational building is nearly completed and Bob Hemphill’s woodworking class will move in within the next few weeks. 1981: Fancy needlework of all kinds will be on display or for sale next Saturday in the Friendship Circle’s annual Quilt and Craft show in the basement of the United Church. 1987: Walsenburg and Trinidad government officials were not encouraged by Governor Roy Romer’s statements regarding the construction of a state prison and veterans nursing home for this area. 1993: Paula Sterk Conder was returned to her seventh two-year term as Walsenburg City Clerk in Tuesday’s election with 673 votes over Christine Galvan who received 306.
La Veta 1880: In this, the first issue of the Huerfano Herald, the editor and publisher would like to thank Colonel Francisco for finding us a free office and home. 1896: At the close of registration on Tuesday evening the list of registered voters in the La Veta precinct numbered 525. 1902: An alarm of fire given thro’ the ringing of church bells led to the home of Mrs. Nolan who had a pan of grease in the oven which spread flame through the kitchen in a very ugly manner. 1908: The boys took a notion to be good this year and but a few Halloween jokes were perpetrated. This is a good thing for the custom is often carried to an extreme. 1914: The town was turned upside down on Halloween; the streets looked as if a cyclone had struck and people spent two days searching for their property and cleaning windows. 1920: Talk about moisture, oh, boy! Four feet of snow has already fallen this season in the vicinity of La Veta. 1926: The football team had a tough time at Primero, being caught in a snowstorm, could hardly see the ball and bucked snow all the way home, some not arriving ‘til one or two in the morning. 1932: Miss Nina Alexander entertained the school children and patrons of the Ritter School at a Halloween party Friday night. 1938: Halloween passed “quietly” in La Veta, except for an occasional blast of the fire whistle, ringing of the church bell, the rumble of swiftly propelled old wagons, machinery, old cars, etc. 1944: County Clerk Damacio Vigil says 7,194 residents are registered to vote and of them, 774 live in the La Veta precincts. 1950: Winning the prize offered by the La Veta Locker Plant for youngest hunters bringing in a deer this season were Johnny Geiser and James Bailey, both 15 years old. 1956: It’s surprising how many people will pay $4,000 for a portable radio – if it comes equipped with power steering, power brakes and whitewall tires. 1962: Ophelia Ward, the daughter of Donald Ward of La Veta, married Mark Wells, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Weston. 1968: Lathrop Youth Camp won its first football game of the season by defeating the La Veta Redskins 41-26. 1974: Mr. and Mrs. Richard Colvin were guests of honor at a surprise 40th anniversary party Saturday night in the La Veta Lodge hosted by their daughters Nancy Nielsen and Mrs. Dennis Murphy. Thirty-six guests were present. 1980: Huerfano School District Re-2, which asked the State Joint Budget Review Board to approve a 10-mill increase for 1981, received a 5.5 increase which will give the district $39,699 in additional funds. 1986: Donald Price was appointed boys’ basketball coach and will be assisted by Rod Falk, and Ken Arnold is the new girls’ basketball coach, assisted by Theresa Sloan. 1992: The annual La Veta Lodge Halloween costume party saw prizes awarded to Neal Cocco as Wayne Newton and to Geno Vecellio as the Grim Reaper.
