La Veta
1881: The school board has found it necessary to divide the school and hired Miss Mary Strange to teach the primary department in the new Methodist Church on east Francisco Street.
1896: Will provide photos in exchange for hay, grain, gold, silver or greenbacks for the next two weeks at O.T. Davis’ Gallery.
1905: Shipments of sheep from the San Luis Valley through this point have been averaging about 15 [railroad] cars daily and coyotes enter town nightly for any dead ones thrown out.
1913: The La Veta Commercial Club has been reorganized and associated itself with the Good Roads organization.
1921: Wahatoya valley residents and those south of town along the Cucharas in District #9 have petitioned the school board to provide transport to the La Veta School for their children.
1928: Miss Lou Dodgins [Dodgion] of Oklahoma is visiting her sister Mrs. F.M. Eggleston. Since moving away with her father Lebo Dodgins 46 years ago she has not been back to this area.
1935: J.C. Goss built the house now occupied by Charles Hartley on Oak Street about 50 years ago, according to his oldest daughter, Carrie Chistmer, who was here visiting from Sanger, Calif., recently.
1944: Died, Lexine Alexander Hopkins, 81, the widow of John T. Hopkins and daughter of pioneer Charles E. Alexander who came from North Carolina to La Veta in 1870 after spending a year on the Apache.
1951: Leslie Spielmann bagged the largest buck this season, which weighed 249 pounds.
1960: Two new tows will be installed this fall at the ski run on the Apishapa Pass road.
1966: Those in the eighth grade receiving all As for the past six weeks grading period were Douglas Brgoch, Judy Ford, Eugene Quintana and Elaine Schulz.
1974: Nancie Aguirre was selected Homecoming Queen and her attendants were Helen Schmidt, senior, Leslie Kerr, junior, Sandra Heikes, sophomore and Cindy Riggins, freshman.
1982: Panadero President Dwight Harrison and Director of Marketing Vi Wiseman say the ski resort will begin making snow within ten days and will open at Thanksgiving if enough natural snow falls.
1990: Dr. William Cluff received his Colorado license and will reopen the La Veta Medical Clinic before Nov. 5.
Walsenburg
1889: Charles Mazzone has opened a first class oyster parlor under the Opera House, side entrance. Special accommodations for ladies, entirely separate from the bar.
1898: About 20 prospectors located claims near the head of the Huerfano River on the Sierra Blanco [sic] the first of the week.
1907: The Walsenburg Savings Bank has been incorporated by Fred O. Roof, F.E. Cowing, Antonio Bertolero, W.N. Wycoff, William Krier and Charles Brunelli for $30,000.
1915: Hallowe’en pumpkins any size, two cents the pound. C.O.D. Store, East 6th St.
1923: Dr. Charles Brunelli is now prepared to do dentistry work in the ground floor of the new addition to the St. Charles Hotel.
1930: Pete Eccher won the new Essex Challenger Coach automobile at the St. Mary Fair and Bazaar.
1937: Although this is one of the mildest autumns ever enjoyed in Huerfano County, concerns are being expressed about the shortage of irrigation water and the hay crops will go through the winter without the usual fall watering.
1943: Owing to the critical shortage of domestic water available in the Walsenburg system, all outside irrigation has been banned immediately by Mayor G.R. Mallett.
1950: Huerfano County Superintendent of Schools Frances Nelson will be a delegate to the Child Welfare Conference in December in the White House in Washington, D.C.
1956: With one street in Walsenburg having three separate names, and three streets bearing the same name, the Chamber of Commerce is encouraging City Council to rename the streets and provide signage.
1962: Of the 4,902 people registered to vote in the general election, 3,310 live in the nine Walsenburg precincts.
1968: The first home completed at Faris-Marlboro Estates west of Walsenburg is that of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Smith which will have an open house Sunday afternoon.
1975: Student Council members at St. Mary High School are Leroy Sandoval, president; Nancy Vialpando, vice president; Ronald Federico, secretary and Brent Cruz, treasurer.
1983: The county commissioners were advised by Veterans Service Officer Ed Joseph he is, for the fourth time, pursuing construction of a veterans’ nursing home in Walsenburg.
1991: Concrete work on the walls of the new $14 million Huerfano County Medical Center/Walsenburg Veterans Nursing Home is nearly completed and structural steel work will start in about three weeks.
